Read Psalm 42 and 43 at Bible Gateway.
I could not discover the chiastic structure of Psa 42, but combined with Psa 43, they did form a chiastic structure:
1a) Psa 42:1-5, The psalmists’ plea/ doubt cast on God/ remembrance/ encouragement to hope:
1a.1) Psa 42:1-2, The psalmists’ plea: My soul thirsts for You, O God, when shall I appear before God; {n}
1a.2) Psa 42:3, His tears day and night while his enemies question “Where is your God?”;
1a.3) Psa 42:4, He remembers, as he pours out his soul, going to the house of God with joy + praise:
1) Psa 42:4a, When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me; {n}
2) Psa 42:4b, I used to go with the multitude to the house of God:
1a) For I used to go with the multitude/ I went with them to the house of God; {n}
central axis) With the voice of joy and praise;
2a) With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast;
1a.4) Psa 42:5, Why are you cast down + disquieted O my soul? {n} Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him;
1b) Psa 42:6-8, Because my soul is cast down, I will remember God in my distress:
1b.1) Psa 42:6, O my God, my soul is cast down within me; {n}
1b.2) Psa 42:6b-8, The psalmist will remember God in his distress:
1a) Psa 42:6b, Therefore I will remember You from the Jordan + Hermon + Hill Mizar;
1b) Psa 42:7a, Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; {n}
2b) Psa 42:7b, All Your waves and billows have gone over me;
2a) Psa 42:8, Therefore I will remember Your lovingkindness:
1a) Psa 42:8a, The Lord will command His lovingkindness;
1b) Psa 42:8b, In the daytime;
2b) Psa 42:8c, And in the night;
2a) Psa 42:8d, His song shall be with me— {n} A prayer to the God of my life;
1c) Psa 42:9a, I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? {n}
1d) Psa 42:9b, Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
2d) Psa 42:10a, As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me; {n}
2c) Psa 42:10b, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
2b) Psa 42:11, Why are you cast down + disquieted, O my soul? Hope in God:
2b.1) Psa 42:11a, Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? {n}
2b.2) Psa 42:11b, Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God; {p}
2a) Psa 43:1-5, The psalmists’ plea/ doubt cast on God/ assurance/ encouragement to hope:
2a.1) Psa 43:1, The psalmists’ plea: Vindicate me + please my cause + deliver me from the ungodly;
2a.2) Psa 43:2, You are my strength; Why do You cast me off? {n} Why am I mourning because of the enemy?;
2a.3) Psa 43:3-4, Let Your light + truth lead me {n} to Your holy hill + tabernacle + altar [to You] my joy {n} + praise;
2a.4) Psa 43:5, Why are you cast down + disquieted O my soul? {n} Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him.
In the center of the structure, the Psalmist realizes that the question he keeps asking of God, Where are You, God? Why have You forsaken me, God? Why have You cast me off, God? is the same question his enemies are reproaching him with. He realizes that he himself is casting doubt upon God in agreement with his enemies, the wicked and the ungodly! This is his turning point. He takes his cast down soul in hand, and tells himself, “Wait a minute. What am I saying? I have a reason to hope instead of being disquieted. God is my help who is going to come through for me!” He remembers the last time he was in God’s presence with the ekklesia at the feast day, and his great joy and praise for all God’s goodness toward him (the 1A pair). He assures himself that he will be there again, rejoicing in God (the 2A pair).
When we are in distress, we might hear doubting, accusing thoughts. We might even speak some of them in our distress. But the way back to faith, is to realize that we do not have to agree with everything we hear. We can “take that thought captive” and speak the truth to ourselves instead, just as the Psalmist has done. ♥
Leave a Reply