He Delivers Through Trials - Psalms 42-44

 Psalms 42:9-10 (ESV)

I say to God, my rock:

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?”

As with a deadly wound in my bones,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me all the day long,

“Where is your God?”

Psalms 43:2 (ESV)

For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you rejected me?

Why do I go about mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalms 42 and 43 are probably one psalm.  As we can see that they share a common theme.   There are other reasons they are probably combined as one, but the theme of oppression by an enemy and the feelings of being without God permeate across both songs.  This is a prayer song and the author(s) are lamenting that there soul is cast down (Psalm 42) and then pray for deliverance (Psalm 43).  

The rejoicing truth in the both of them is that in the midst of this being “cast down” (the term is used four times in the two psalms) one can turn to God for deliverance.   That is the blessed hope of the believer in times of trouble.   Those who turn to God are not delivered from trouble.  They will still have struggles in their lives (see Joseph, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, etc.).    The believer is delivered in the midst of trouble (see Joseph, Moses, David, Peter, Paula, etc.).   We can rejoice that even in our most difficult times we can raise our voices and God hears us and will come to our aide.   We might feel like we are “forgotten,” but God is ever present with us.  Our enemies have no such context for this.  This is why taunt, “Where is your God?”   However, note Peter’s words to those believers who were scatter throughout the word soon after the Church was born:

1 Peter 1:6-9 (ESV)

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

We may not see Him, but we know Him.  We may not see His working but we are delivered by His work!