Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. (Psalm 42:5)
Literally, “the salvations of His face” (see Ps. 13:1). God’s salvations are manifold. It is said that when Luther was at the brink of despair, he would ask the question in this verse, and say to Melanchthon, “Come, Philipp, let us sing the 46th Psalm.”
In God’s own time, all will be well if we continue to trust.
Why?
Verse 5 constitutes the refrain of the poem (repeated with slight variations in v. 11; Ps. 43:5). In view of such pleasant recollections, David rebukes himself for being depressed.
Cast down.
Literally, “bowed down.”
Soul.
The psalmist is addressing himself.
Disquieted.
Heb. hamah, which has in it the idea of growling like an animal, roaring like the waves (see Ps. 46:3), or moaning like the wind.