Why Speaking to Your Soul is So Important (Psalm 42:5, 11)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. When No One Else is Around

Some of you... talk to yourselves, don't you? In most cases, when no one else is around, you talk (out loud) to yourself, right? Yep. You know who you are. Maybe you give yourself a pep talk: “C'mon. You know you can do this.” Maybe you ask yourself questions: “Okay. So what are you going to do now?” Then afterwards, maybe you chastise yourself: “You bonehead! What were you thinking?” Whatever it sounds like in your life, and even though some people might judge you (not me though), for you, talking to yourself is something positive; something helpful. Well, let me suggest this morning that all of us should be talking to ourselves. Or more specific-ally, all of us should be speaking to... our soul. That's my advice in light of Psalm 42.

II. The Passage: “Why are You Cast Down, O My Soul” (42:1-11)

Turn there if you would. Psalm 42. As you can see from the information provided just before verse 1, this is not a psalm by David. It's by a group of men known as the Sons of Korah. They were probably Levites who were contemporaries of David in the 11^th and/or 10^th centuries before Christ. But I want you to take a look at what they wrote in verses 5 and 11 of Psalm 42. As you can see, those verses are exactly the same. Both begin with the same question...

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation [6] and my God.

So 3000 years ago, this songwriter was... talking to himself. Or more specifically, he is speaking to his soul. What is he saying to his soul? First he asks two, connected questions: 1) 'Soul, why are you cast down?' (or we might say downcast), and 2) 'Soul, why are you in turmoil (or disturbed or restless) within me?' But those two questions are then followed by one, powerful encouragement: 'Soul, hope in God!' And that encouragement (or exhortation) is supported by a few comforting truths. He wants his soul to hope in God because 1) “I shall again praise him”, 2) He is “my salvation”, and 3) He is “my God”.

Now there's more that could be said about verses 5 and 11. But let me first do this. Let me first answer a question you might be asking: “What is the soul?” Today, we use that word in many ways. But what did this son of Korah mean when he used that term? Well, the “soul” is both your inner life force and the inner you. Thus, the Hebrew word used here is often translated “life”. Additionally, I think it's helpful to note that the idea of the soul is closely connected to the word “heart”. As we saw a number of weeks ago, for the Hebrews, to talk about the heart and the soul together is to talk about everything you are: your mind, your feelings, your affections, your appetites, your will, etc.. So with that in mind...

Let's go back and talk about 'the more' that could be said regarding verses 5 and 11. I think what would be extremely helpful is to understand these verses in light of their context. So let me read through this short psalm, and as I read, to offer some commentary that I hope will be helpful to you in terms of understanding why this songwriter is downcast and disturbed. Look back with me to Psalm 42. Let me read, this time beginning in verse 1...

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul [everything that I am] for you, O God. [2] My soul [everything that I am] thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? [that is, at the Tent of Meeting or at the Temple, where the God of Israel dwelt among his people in a special way] [3] My tears have been my food day and night, while they [and we'll learn more about them] say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” [4] These things I remember, as I pour out my soul [that is, his feelings, his hurts, his hopes—here are the things he remembers]: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude [of people, of worshipers] keeping festival. [5] Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation [6] and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you [God] from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. [these geographical references tell us the songwriter is far from home, in the extreme north of the country, near the headwaters of the Jordan River] [7] Deep calls to deep [or the 'depths summon the depths', and this is heard] at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me [in short, he's drowning in difficult circumstances. But...]. [8] By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. [9] [But listen to the turn here...] I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppress-ion of the enemy?” [10] 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?” [that is, if the songwriter's god was real, why hasn't he shown up and delivered the psalmist... And it's this reality that drives him back to that inner conversation...] [11] Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

So hopefully that gives you a fuller understanding of what's driving him to speak to his soul; why he's so thirsty for God and the salvation... and the restoration... that only God can provide. But that doesn't necessarily explain his approach here, does it. Why is talking to himself? Why is he speaking to his soul? Let me share three ideas that I hope will help us with that question:

First, in addressing his soul he is addressing the reality and root of his problem. The issue is not ultimately his geographical position far from home. Similarly, the issue is not ultimately the oppression of his enemies. Both are real and painful. But at the end of the day, the real issue is the absence of hope within his soul. As you can see from the psalm, the writer doesn't hesitate to address his circumstances and his enemies. But airing his grievances and pointing his finger will only get him so far. That's why twice in this psalm, he addresses his soul.

Second, by addressing his soul he is practicing healthy objectivity. The writer here has already made it clear that he feels like he's drowning under the painful circumstances that God is allowing in his life. And as you may know, when someone feels that way, the subjective (the feelings, the emotions, the inner wounds, that) usually colors everything. But if you can step away and ask, “What encouragement or advice would I give to someone else if they were going through this same trial?”, sometimes that movement toward objectivity helps us gain perspective. I think by addressing his soul, the psalmist is doing exactly that. And he does this because...

Third, by addressing his soul he is addressing that part of us in which God does his greatest work. With verses 1 and 2 in mind, if the psalmist were literally panting, literally thirsty, then water would satisfy that craving. But if your soul is hungry, then God is our only true nourishment. We live in a world that feels that starvation of the soul. So many are hungry for something real, something deeper, something true and secure, something soul-satisfying. But sadly, so many are looking to meet that need with something (or someone) other than God.

But our souls were made for God; and God is for the soul. You see, when God feeds the soul with things like hope, hope only he can give, everything changes... even if our circumstances do not. We see more clearly, we walk more firmly, we endure more boldly... we rest more securely. Our deepest needs are in the soul, and so it's there that God does his greatest work

III. “Able to Save Your Souls”

But what about your soul? Is it downcast this morning? Is in turmoil? Restless? Of course, God's word gives us other examples of souls that are unhealthy. Jesus himself told a parable about a man who also... spoke to his soul. But the encouragement this man offered his soul was not based on God's greatness. It was based on earthly abundance. These are the man's words...

And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."' [20] But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' [i.e., what good will they do you] (Luke 12:19-20)

In one way or another, all of us struggle in regard to our souls. And in one way or another, all of us reassure ourselves, don't we? But (please hear me) reassurances rooted in human wisdom or human strength or our temporary, earthly resources or success, such reassurances cannot help our souls, especially in the end, when the God before whom each of us must give an account, when he says, “your soul is required of you”. No personal merit or earthly solution can help us on that day. You see, on that day, and on every day we struggle until then, there is only one hope for your soul: to hope in God; to hope in Him as your salvation and your God.

But when you keep reading past the Psalms, you eventually discover the One to whom every psalm ultimately points. He is the one who said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28–29) Doesn't that sound good? He is the One who purchased that rest through his own turmoil, praying hours before his painful death, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death...” (Matthew 26:38). But through that agonizing death... and through his glorious resurrection, God reassures us that, “We have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul...” (Hebrews 6:19). “Therefore,” writes James, “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21) “For you,” writes Peter, “were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)

Brothers and sisters, friends, Jesus Christ is our hope in God. Only He can shepherd for today and save for eternity everything you are; that is, your soul. So please... talk to yourself; out loud if that helps. In light of Jesus Christ, speak to your soul this morning. Don't fixate on your circumstances. Don't simply play the 'blame game'. Don't obsess over things you cannot change or may not be seeing clearly. Instead, go deeper. Get down into your heart and soul, and with biblical objectivity (i.e., looking through God's lens) ask your soul, “O my soul, why are you rest-less... why are you envious... why are you angry... why are you worried... why are you despondent. Hope in God... the God who came down to us in the person of Jesus... the God who saved our sin-sick souls by dying in our place; by drowning under the breakers and waves of God's wrath... but also the God-man who now lives, that “sure and steadfast anchor” for our souls.

Brothers and sisters, friends, in faith, pant for Him. Thirst for Him and the living water he offers each of us freely. Please receive or go back to that rest for your souls today. Of course, we also know that Christ is coming back, isn't he? That means each day you can rejoice... as you tell your soul (using the psalmist's words), “...for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.