He Empowers Me as I Praise Him – Psalm 43

“Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. O, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength. Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Psalm 43:1-2

The ungodly people of his nation wanted to “impeach” David. David loved the laws of the Lord and was not ashamed to say so. They were his meditation. He wanted his nation to be based on the rule of law without partiality. For this reason, the ungodly hated him. They preferred deceitful and unjust business practices. Their network of low life officials were pressing him from every side to concede to their demands. David leaned on the Lord for strength. Even so, at times, when he was overcome with grief, he would ask the Lord, “Why do you cast me off?” Kind of like when Jesus said from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me.” Truly, God’s holiness was revealed via Christ’s and David’s steadfastness amidst evildoers.

“O, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:3-4

The Spirit of God led David to turn his attention away from the deeds of deceitful and unjust men and to seek God’s help. He needed God’s light and truth to clearly discern and understand what his enemies were doing and how to overcome them. He asked the Lord to lead him. God’s holy hill, His tabernacle and His altar are places where God dwells. The weapons of David’s warfare against his enemies included the joy of the Lord, his musical instrument and his songs of praise unto the Lord. By simply worshipping and drawing from the Lord, he would overcome.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 43:5

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Just as the devil tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and just as he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he tempts people today with promises of riches and power if they abandon God and serve him. Evil deeds such as verbal and physical abuse, murder, deception and thievery are of the devil. Thankfully, according to Revelation 20:10, the devil’s destiny is to be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur.

In Psalm 43:5, David commanded his downcast and disquieted soul to hope in God. He did not count on evil people changing their mind about evil. He turned to God and worshipped Him.

As we worship God, we are reminded that He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He holds all things together by His mighty power. He is loving. He is a good Father. He is patient, forgiving and gracious toward His children. He enjoys giving good gifts to us.

As David placed his hope in God, his heart was relieved and his outward appearance improved.

In Hebrews 4:16, Paul wrote, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.” In Luke 12:32, Jesus assured us, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Jesus assured us that when we obey God’s Word, we build on a good foundation. Those who cheat and lie to get ahead, build on a bad foundation. In a moment, all they have will disappear.

Concerning the multitude who prefer to do business in an unfair and deceitful fashion, the Lord says in 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Who is in us? The answer is the Holy Spirit.

In Zechariah 4:7, the Lord speaks of leveling a mountain and capping it with the words: “Grace, Grace!” In Zechariah 4:6, He says He will do it, “not by [our] might nor by [our] power, but by My Spirit.” The Word of the Lord for us in Ephesians 3:20 is that God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

As we remember and profess God’s precious promises, praise for Him begins to flow from our lips, and our countenance is resurrected from the shadows to behold the brightness of God’s brilliant shining face. Praise the Lord!