Psalm 43
Sometimes God doesn't answer prayer as quickly as we think it should be answered. That's especially true when we're in difficult and painful situations, The difficulty increases the feeling that we've waited a very long time with no noticeable answer. And of course, even when the answer does come, it isn't always what we thought it should be.
It wasn't any different for God's people in David's day. Some of them came to the temple to worship early in the morning with heavy hearts, and sometimes the distress was amplified because they felt that they were completely misunderstood by others. They came, after all, just as they were - with all their daily problems and difficulties.
Sometimes their problems might be with other people, or, as in David's case, with other nations. As the psalmist expresses it here, sometimes it seemed like the nations of the world were so unjust that they couldn't or wouldn't deal understandingly with anyone. And sometimes they were even downright deceitful in their dealings. In any case, in such circumstances, sometimes it seemed as though God wasn't looking after His people, as if He had deserted them and wasn't hearing their crying.
But there was nowhere else to turn either. He was, after all, their only Source of help, so they still had to go to Him, whether the problem was with nations or with individuals. It was with these things in mind that the worship leader had the people sing this urgent prayer. He says,"Oh send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle!" They're urgently asking that God would make them aware that they're not just in an earthly tabernacle, but that they were truly in the Presence of their caring God.
God hears and answers a prayer like that! In fact the leader leads the people in anticipation of it. He has them sing, "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!"
Actually, the leader wants the people, when they finally leave the temple that morning, to believe that God always sends out the necessary light and truth. He has them sing, "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!"
Have you had experiences like that? Do you ever feel as if God isn't answering your prayer, as if you've been deserted to an unjust and deceitful world? Actually, it may be that God knows it's necessary for you to have feelings like that. Sometimes, in fact, God may leave you in that situation for just a little while in order to create in your cold heart a real anticipation of what it will be like to be in His presence and blessing again.
Of course He may also do it in order to move you to pray, to beg for His light and truth - perhaps because you had thought you could get along without them for a time. Whatever your case, join the worship leader: call on God - again - for you shall "yet praise Him, the help of your countenance and your God!" Pray today for a soul sensitive to His presence, a soul needing that presence and a soul glad for it when it happens!