ladyjockey - 2014-03-05 8:16 AM Psalm 43:1-5 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, 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? Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and 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. 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. The Psalmist's emotions were like a roller coaster of hills of delight and valley of depression. Up and down, Up and down. Have you ever felt like that? Hills and valleys.......sometimes both in the same day! You ARE my God of my strength immediately followed by Why do You cast me off? In some people ,there are physical reasons for their manic behavior; a chemical imbalance or a brain tumor. But often discontentment and despair are self induced. The fact is , today you can choose to praise or choose to pout. Why do we get so down, so disquieted? The first clue is the author's use of personal pronouns in this psalm, In five verses, he used the pronouns I,me, and my seventeen times. One reason we can be depressed is having an unhealthy fixation on ourselves, my problems, my feelings, my needs, me, me, me..... If you look closer you will discover not only the cause of depression but the cure. The psalmist began with the plea in the valley, but five verses later he was praising God on the hills. He came to realize a healthy attitude can change a disposition, it's not about us; its about God! It's not about your weaknesses; God is your strength. Like this psalmist , cry out to God. Focus on His deliverance, His defense, His absolute dependability. YOU CAN TRUST HIM. Remember, it's not about you. Then instead of following feelings or friends, trust Him to direct you in the way you should go. He will lead and guide you with His Word because His Word is truth. Before you know it, you have traveled, from praying to pondering, and now you are praising Him in unrestrained joyful worship. What started with me ended with God! FOR IT IS WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. HAVE A VERY BLESSED WEDNESDAY!! PRAISE GOD!!