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“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 42:5
We are dealing here with one of the central struggles of the Christian life: how to maintain hope in God in the midst of waiting, pressure, and inner turmoil. The lyrics you have provided are not sentimental. They echo the language of Scripture. They speak to the believer whose soul is cast down, disturbed, and tempted to give way to despair.
Two great themes run through these verses:
1. Hope in God
2. Waiting on God
Both are joined together by faith. Hebrews 11:1 says:
> “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Where there is no hope, faith has nothing to give substance to. Satan always attacks hope, because if he can destroy your hope, he will paralyze your faith. This teaching will show, from Scripture, how to anchor your hope in the character of God, and how to endure the season of waiting without giving way to fear, depression, or resignation.
Let us look at what the Word of God says.
---
### Psalm 42:5 – The Cry of a Discouraged Soul
Psalm 42 belongs to the “sons of Korah,” a Levitical family appointed for temple worship. The psalmist is not a casual believer; he is a worship leader, a servant of God, yet he is overwhelmed with inner turmoil.
He is away from the temple, cut off from familiar patterns of worship and fellowship. He remembers “how I used to go with the multitude… to the house of God” (Psalm 42:4). Now he is surrounded by enemies and mockers who say, “Where is your God?” (verse 3).
In that place of isolation and pressure, he speaks to his own soul:
> “Why are you cast down, O my soul?
> And why are you disquieted within me?
> Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him…”
He is not listening to his soul; he is addressing his soul. That is a vital principle.
### Lamentations 3:24 – Hope in Devastation
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him.”
— Lamentations 3:24
Lamentations is written by Jeremiah in the ruins of Jerusalem. The city is destroyed. The temple is burned. The people are in exile. From a human viewpoint, everything is lost.
Yet in the midst of this devastation, Jeremiah makes one of the greatest declarations of hope in the entire Bible (Lamentations 3:21–26). He does not base his hope on circumstances, but on the unchanging character of God:
This is not the language of comfort and prosperity. It is the language of covenant faith in the darkest hour.
### Psalm 27:14 & Psalm 31:24 – The Discipline of Waiting
“Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!”
— Psalm 27:14
“Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.”
— Psalm 31:24
David knew what it meant to be anointed as king and then spend years as a fugitive, hunted by Saul. He knew what it meant to have a promise from God, but no immediate fulfillment. That period between promise and fulfillment is where character is formed, and where our theology is tested.
David learned that waiting on the Lord is not passive. It is an active stance of faith, courage, and expectation.
### Jeremiah 29:11 & Matthew 7:7 – The God Who Invites and Assures
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
This promise was given to Israel in exile in Babylon. God told them they would be there seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). The promise of “a future and a hope” was given inside a declared season of waiting and discipline. It is hope in the context of judgment and delay, not bypassing it.
“Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.”
— Matthew 7:7
The verbs “ask, seek, knock” in Greek are continuous: “keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.” This is the language of persevering prayer during waiting.
### Psalm 46:1 – God in the Midst of Trouble
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.”
— Psalm 46:1
The psalm goes on to describe earthquakes, floods, nations in uproar. Yet in the midst of shaking, God is a present help. Not distant. Not postponing His presence until after the crisis. He is present in the trouble.
These are the foundations behind the lyrics: a God who is faithful in devastation, present in trouble, and good to those who wait and seek Him.
---
Let us consider two key words: “hope” and “portion.”
### 1. “Hope” – *Yachal* and *Tiqvah* (Hebrew)
In several of the referenced passages, different Hebrew words for “hope” and “wait” are used.
The Hebrew verb often used in such contexts is יָחַל (*yachal*), which means:
It combines waiting with expectation. It is not passive resignation; it is waiting with a target.
When the psalmist says, “Hope in God,” he is saying: “Fasten your inner life to God as your line. Wait with expectation. Do not loosen your grip.”
This changes our understanding of the lyrics. Hope is not a feeling. It is a decision to attach yourself to God’s character and promises while you wait.
### 2. “Portion” – *Cheleq* (Hebrew)
“The LORD is my portion, says my soul”
— Lamentations 3:24
The word “portion” here is חֵלֶק (*cheleq*). It means:
In Israel, the land was divided by lot among the tribes. Every tribe had its “portion” in the land, except one: the tribe of Levi.
Of Levi God said:
> “The LORD is their inheritance, as He said to them.”
> — Deuteronomy 10:9
So when Jeremiah, in the rubble of Jerusalem, says, “The LORD is my portion,” he is saying:
“Everything visible may be gone—land, city, temple, security—but my true inheritance is not in these things. My assigned share, my real wealth, is God Himself.”
This is foundational to true hope. If your “portion” is earthly—possessions, reputation, health, ministry success—your hope will rise and fall with circumstances. But if your portion is the Lord Himself, your hope is anchored in what cannot be shaken.
---
Now we will take the lyrics section by section and see how Scripture interprets Scripture.
### [Verse 1]
> Why are you cast down, O my soul?
> Why are you disquieted within me?
> Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,
> The salvation of my face and my God.
This is almost a direct quotation of Psalm 42:5.
Notice the pattern:
1. Self-examination – “Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
The psalmist refuses to accept his emotional state as final. He questions it in the light of God.
2. Diagnosis – “Why are you disquieted within me?”
“Disquieted” speaks of turmoil, agitation, inner noise. Many believers know the Lord intellectually, but their inner life is full of noise—worry, fear, accusation, confusion. This is spiritual warfare in the realm of the soul.
3. Prescription – “Hope in God…”
He prescribes to his own soul the remedy: hope anchored in God.
4. Prophetic declaration – “For I will yet praise Him.”
He speaks about the future with confidence. He does not feel like praising now, but he prophesies praise over his future. This is spiritual warfare with your own emotions.
“The salvation of my face” – many translators render this “the help of my countenance.” Your face reflects the condition of your inner man. When God is your salvation, He lifts your countenance (Psalm 3:3).
Spiritual reality:
Here we see that discouragement is not just psychological. It is a spiritual battle that must be fought with the Word of God spoken to your own soul.
### [Chorus]
> The Lord is my portion, says my soul,
> Therefore, I will hope in Him.
> The Lord is good to those who wait,
> To the soul that seeks Him.
This echoes Lamentations 3:24–25:
> “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
> “Therefore I hope in Him!”
> The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
> To the soul who seeks Him.
Notice three steps:
1. Revelation of God as portion – “The LORD is my portion”
This is a direct, personal statement. Not “the Lord is a portion” but “my portion.” This requires a decision. You must renounce other false portions—idols, dependencies, securities—and accept God Himself as your inheritance.
2. Logical consequence – “Therefore I will hope in Him.”
Derek Prince often emphasized that biblical faith is logical.
3. The conditions of His goodness – “The LORD is good to those who wait… to the soul that seeks Him.”
The goodness of God is not automatic to all in the same way. There is a specific manifestation of His goodness reserved for:
This aligns with Hebrews 11:6:
> “…He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Theology of waiting:
Waiting is not God forgetting you. Waiting is the context in which God reveals a deeper level of His goodness to those who continue to seek Him.
### [Verse 2]
> Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
> All you who hope in the Lord.
> For He is a shield to those who trust,
> A fortress in whom we can rest.
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the LORD.”
— Psalm 31:24
David addresses “all you who hope in the LORD.” Hope is here connected to strength and courage. Notice that strength does not originate in your own soul. It is given by God, but you must position your heart to receive it.
“Be strong” in Hebrew is an imperative: chazaq – be firm, hold fast, strengthen yourself. There is a cooperation between divine strengthening and human decision.
“He is a shield to those who trust” echoes many verses:
A shield is for warfare. That means the life of hope and waiting is not a peaceful waiting room; it is a battlefield. God provides a shield, but you must stand behind it by trusting.
“a fortress in whom we can rest” reflects Psalm 46:1 and many others:
A fortress is a place of security in times of attack. Rest in the fortress does not mean absence of war; it means protection during war.
Spiritual reality:
There is a shield for the believer who trusts, and a fortress for the believer who comes under God’s authority. But if we step out of trust—into unbelief, bitterness, or rebellion—we step out from behind the shield.
### [Bridge]
> The plans I have for you are for good,
> A future and a hope in My Word.
> You will call, and I will answer,
> Seek Me, and you will find.
This comes from Jeremiah 29:11–13:
> “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
> thoughts of peace and not of evil,
> to give you a future and a hope.
> Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
> And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Notice:
1. God knows His thoughts even when we do not.
Israel is in exile. They might think God has abandoned them. God says, “I know what I’m thinking about you: peace, not evil; future and hope.” Our feelings and circumstances are not a reliable gauge of His thoughts.
2. Future and hope –
The Hebrew for “future” is often acharit – the end, the outcome. God is not only concerned with your present comfort but with your ultimate outcome. Hope is tied to God’s end goal, not your immediate relief.
3. The response He requires –
The New Testament echo is Matthew 7:7:
> “Ask… seek… knock…”
Both passages reveal the same spiritual law: God’s good plans are entered into through persistent, wholehearted seeking. The promise of a future and a hope does not encourage passivity; it calls for earnest prayer.
### [Outro]
> Hope in God, forevermore,
> His mercy and truth endure.
> Hope in God, our refuge and strength,
> A very present help in trouble.
This is the language of Psalm 42–43 combined with Psalm 46:1 and Psalm 117:2:
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.”
Mercy (Hebrew: chesed) and truth (Hebrew: emet) are covenant terms. God is bound by His covenant love and His faithfulness. They endure beyond all seasons.
“Refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” comes directly from Psalm 46:1. The phrase “very present” can be rendered “well-proved” or “abundantly available.” God has a proven track record of showing up in trouble.
Spiritual reality:
Hope is not ultimately in a change of circumstances, but in the unchanging mercy and truth of God, and His proven presence in the midst of trouble.
---
Hope in the waiting is not automatic. There are conditions we must meet and steps we must take. I will outline four practical steps.
### 1. Speak to Your Soul with God’s Word
The psalmist did not allow his emotions to rule him. He addressed them with the Word of God.
You must learn to speak Scripture aloud to your own soul.
Do not let your inner monologue be dominated by feelings, fears, or accusations. Replace it with the Word of God.
Practical action:
Write down 3–5 key verses from this teaching (e.g., Psalm 42:5; Lamentations 3:24; Psalm 46:1; Jeremiah 29:11–13; Psalm 31:24). Read them aloud daily, addressing your own soul.
### 2. Settle the Question of Your Portion
Many believers are double-minded because they have not settled what their real “portion” is. They want God, but they also want their security in human systems, relationships, or achievements.
Jeremiah said, “The LORD is my portion, says my soul.”
That is a decision of the will.
If God allows shaking to come—loss, delay, change—He may be removing false portions so that you can say with truth: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25).
Practical action:
In prayer, renounce any false portion you have depended on as your ultimate security—money, career, a particular relationship, ministry, reputation. Say to the Lord: “You are my portion. If I have You, I have my inheritance.”
### 3. Wait Actively: Seek, Call, and Knock
Waiting does not mean passivity or spiritual sleep. According to Lamentations 3 and Jeremiah 29:
This includes:
Practical action:
Set aside specific, regular time each day to seek the Lord during your waiting. Make this non-negotiable. Bring your situation before Him, but also worship Him for who He is, not just for what you want Him to do.
### 4. Take Refuge: Move Under His Shield and Fortress
God is described as “shield,” “fortress,” “refuge,” “very present help.” But you must come under His covering.
This involves:
You cannot claim God as fortress while insisting on living outside His will.
Bitterness opens breaches in your fortress wall (Ephesians 4:26–27).
Accept His timing and His methods, even when they differ from your expectations.
James 4:7 gives the order: “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Submission is what brings you under the shield. Then resistance becomes effective.
Practical action:
Ask the Holy Spirit to show if there is any area where you are resisting God’s will, harboring unforgiveness, or tolerating known sin. Repent specifically, and then consciously commit yourself into God’s care as your refuge and fortress.
---
Derek Prince taught that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Our proclamation aligns our mouth with God’s Word, and releases His authority into our situation.
### Proclamation
Say this aloud, thoughtfully and deliberately:
> The LORD is my portion; therefore I will hope in Him.
> My soul may be cast down, but I speak to my soul: Hope in God.
> I will yet praise Him, for He is the help of my countenance and my God.
> The LORD is good to me as I wait for Him,
> and to my soul as I seek Him.
> God is my refuge and my strength,
> a very present help in trouble.
> His mercies are new every morning;
> His faithfulness is great toward me.
> His plans for me are plans of peace and not of evil,
> to give me a future and a hope.
> I will call upon Him, and He will answer.
> I will seek Him, and I will find Him,
> because I search for Him with all my heart.
> Therefore, I am strong, and my heart takes courage,
> for my hope is in the LORD,
> now and forevermore.
> Amen.
### Prayer
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
I come to You in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see my heart. You see the areas where I am cast down and disquieted.
I confess that many times I have looked at my circumstances instead of Your character.
I have allowed fear, doubt, and discouragement to speak louder than Your Word.
Today, I choose to bring my soul under the authority of Scripture.
I say with Jeremiah: “The LORD is my portion; therefore I hope in Him.”
I renounce every false portion, every false security, every idol of the heart.
I lay down my demand for my own timing and my own way.
Holy Spirit, strengthen my inner man.
Teach me to wait on the Lord, to seek Him with all my heart,
to ask, to seek, to knock, and not to give up.
Father, be to me what Your Word declares:
my refuge and my strength,
a very present help in trouble,
my shield and my fortress.
I thank You that Your plans for me are good,
to give me a future and a hope.
I choose to hope in You, to praise You even before I see the outcome.
Let Your mercy and truth surround me.
Lift up the light of Your countenance upon me.
Cause my face to be radiant with the hope that is in You.
I commit my waiting, my future, and my life into Your faithful hands.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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