Psalm 43:1-5 “Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men. For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, to your tents. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God. Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Saviour, my helper, and my God.”

There are some Hebrew manuscripts that have Psalm 42 and 43 connected as a single Psalm, and we can see why! At the very least, we understand why one was put after the other.

The Psalmist is facing opposition from ungodly nations and yearns to be back in Jerusalem. He cries out to be led by God’s light and truth, for then his righteousness will allow him to come and worship again in Jerusalem! God is his hope, his joy, his helper, and his savior.

We need to be led by God’s light and truth too. Those metaphors could refer to Jesus, the Spirit, or God’s Word. We rely on all three to live righteous lives!

John 14:17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

John 8:12 “Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ”

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

For additional worship: Psalm 42 (I Will Praise Him Again)