Introduction – Tears for breakfast and sorrow for a late night snack.
I. The Title
A. The Psalm was directed to the Chief Musician
B. This Psalm is a Maskil
C. This Psalm was written by the Sons of Korah
II. Overview of the Psalm
A. Psalms 42-43 should be seen as one unit.
B. Reasons for looking at them as one
C. The psalmist was isolated from the temple worship.
D. These Psalms are organized around a series of laments followed by a declaration of hope.
E. Don't these Psalms remind you of the ups and downs of your own spiritual life?
III. The Anguish of the Soul, 42:1-2
A. No simple words will suffice to account for the depth and intensity of his longing for God.
B. It would be enough had all he faced was the sense of God's absence, but his grief was heightened by the taunts of others.
IV. Future Hope Based on God's Past Faithfulness.
A. What possible hope is there?
B. He begins by calling to mind those glorious seasons of corporate celebration at the temple of God.
V. Preach to Yourself
A. The third element in each stanza is a sermon to himself!
B. What does he say to himself? Hope in God! Wait for God!
VI. TWO Lessons to Learn from These Psalms.
A. The psalmist grieves, remembers, and composes himself with a sermon to his soul, not once, or even twice, but three times!
B. The troubles that the Psalmist endured (and dare I say, the troubles that we likewise often face), "come with God's knowledge and according to his will, not by his oversight or weakness."
Application & Conclusion – HOPE! http://ift.tt/UUNm7D
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