Psalm 42Why Does God Allow Hard Times? (Psalm 42 Explained)

Transcript

In the second part of Psalm 42, the psalmist feels like God is drowning him. He uses such language as the tallest mountains of Israel to show waterfalls that are just beating him up. He cries out deep calls to deep. It's language of a man who submerged in water and is drowning. Jonah cries out this very thing when he was cast overboard into the ocean. And what this psalmist is trying to communicate to us is that he's experiencing the disciplines of God.

Now, the disciplines of God doesn't necessarily mean he's done anything wrong. In fact, being disciplined by God proves the legitimacy of you being a child of God. It should be assurance of your salvation. Which may seem strange, but even from an earthly perspective, a good father is not going to let his child touch a hot eye. He's not going to let him wander off of the side of a mountain.

He's going to put boundaries in place and punishments to stop his child from getting hurt. And how much more is the heavenly father's love for his children that he beats us back with the rod to keep us from getting hurt and from going outside his will for our lives. That's what the author of Hebrews is saying when it says God disciplines or chasens those who he loves.

And God will allow hard things to befall his children for the purpose of them growing and learning how to be closer in their walk with God and to depend on him more. So as this psalmist cries out, "Lord, I'm drowning." Look what he immediately says in the next verse. By the day the Lord commands a steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

And when the psalmist is drowning and experiencing something that he doesn't like, he turns to God. This word steadfast love is referring to the covenantal love that God has for his people where God himself says he will be faithful. So the psalmist in his dire straits is looking towards God's salvation and he says, "I say to God, my rock," it's language that says, God, you're never changing.

You're immovable. You're a fortress that I can trust in. But then, ironically, he immediately says, "Why have you forgotten me?" And if that doesn't speak to the human condition of knowing who God is, and yet not understanding what we're going through, I don't know what does. We can all relate to this. And he cries out again, "Why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me?"

And when the psalmist is struggling with the tough things he's going through, he's not trusting his feelings, but instead looks towards God and brings his hard questions to him. He says, "Soul, hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." And he goes on to say in Psalm 43, Lord, send your light and your truth. Let them guide me. So hard times have to bring us to God, not away from

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