Introduction
This psalm is another psalm of lament, we’re not told who the author is, but the psalmist appears to lament over unjust treatment and so, they ask God to deliver them from the unjust judgement of men.
Some commentators believe that this psalm and the previous psalm actually belong together as one psalm.
‘Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked. You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’ Psalm 43:1-5
The psalmist begins by asking God to vindicate him, that is, judge him, to take up his cause, Psalm 7:8 / Psalm 26:1. He felt that the way he was being treated by an unfaithful nation was unjust and merciless.
David felt like this when his son, Absalom turned against him, 2 Samuel 15:31 / 2 Samuel 16:23 / 2 Samuel 17:14 / 2 Samuel 17:23.
The people of this unfaithful nation were deceitful and wicked, but the psalmist recognises that God is their stronghold, Psalm 18:2 / Psalm 28:7. The psalmist feels as though God has rejected him, he felt alone and abandoned, Psalm 22:1 / Isaiah 19:6 / Hosea 8:3 / Hosea 8:5 / Revelation 3:16.
They ask God why they should go on mourning because of the oppressions they receive from their enemy, Psalm 42:9. They ask God to send His light and His faithful care, in other words, they seek God’s presence and favour, during their time of distress, Psalm 4:6.
The psalmist knows that God’s light and care will lead them to God’s holy mountain, where God dwells. This would be the tabernacle, which symbolised the presence of God in Israel, Psalm 15:1. This also implies, just as the previous psalm does, Psalm 42:1-11, that the psalmist is in exile somewhere.
They know that God’s light and care will lead them to the ‘altar of God’, 2 Samuel 6:17, this implies that the psalmist is confident that God will answer their prayer and they can go and offer a sacrifice to the Lord, Exodus 27:1-8 / Psalm 42:4 / Hebrews 13:10 / Hebrews 13:15.
They look forward to being in the presence of God with other believers to worship God, who is their joy and delight.
In the Old Testament, it was common practice to praise God with musical instruments in worship, Psalm 33:2-3. David was famous for playing the lyre, 1 Samuel 16:16-23.
Notice how personal the psalmist thinks of God, they say, ‘O God, my God’, Psalm 22:1. Despite going through all kinds of troubles, the psalmist didn’t lose sight of who God was and what He meant to him.
Since the psalmist had just reviewed their hope in God, they concluded by questioning why they were in despair, James 1:2-3 / 2 Timothy 3:12.
This is the same question, the previous psalmist asked when they were going through a difficult time, which infers that the writer of this psalm is the same person, Psalm 42:5 / Psalm 42:11.
The psalmist speaks to themselves again and reminds themselves to put their ‘hope in God’. They have full confidence that God will answer their prayer because they say they will praise their Saviour and God again. They have full confidence that they will be in God’s presence once again.
Some translations end this verse with the words, ‘the help of his countenance’, Psalm 4:6 / Psalm 11:7 / Psalm 21:6 / Psalm 44:3 / Psalm 89:15, which means, the psalmist is hoping that God would look favourably upon them.
Conclusion
Despite being in despair, the psalmist asked God to send them His light, which would lead them back into the presence of God with other believers.
Jesus is the light of the world, and as the light, He asks us to follow Him in order to get out of the darkness, John 8:12. However, Jesus also says that Christians are the light of the world, who should let their light shine in order that others would see it and encourage them to come to Him, Matthew 5:14-15.
The church would be much more effective if all Christians shined every day of the week. It’s just sad that some only shine on Sunday mornings. Jesus says, ‘you’re the light of the world’, not just your place of worship. He says, ‘let people see that light, ‘let your light so shine before men.’
And as one of God’s stars, we’ve to reflect on the brilliance of God’s holiness in this dark world, because the world is filled with crooks and perverts, Philippians 2:14-15. God wants big stars in this dark world we live in, Ephesians 5:8-14.
Sometimes people of the world will criticise the light and sometimes they will argue with the light. Sometimes they will mock the light, but we’ve got to keep on shining.
Remember that Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world’ not for the Jews only, but everyone else as well. Jesus doesn’t care where we come from or what our background is, He says eternal life is available to everyone and anyone who would believe in Him, John 8:12 / John 12:46.
