What Do You Really Want?

Psalm 43

I. God, Take Charge of My Case

A. Take my side in the struggles of life. “Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.” (Psalm 43:1)

1. In the struggle of life only one ally is really necessary; start at the top with God. “But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:7)

2. Christ set the pattern and Peter affirmed it. “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:” (1 Peter 2:23)

3. God has a solid record of taking care of those who belong to Him. “For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.” (Proverbs 22:23)

4. The enemies of God’s people offend Him when they abuse His people. “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zechariah 2:8)

B. Stop my suffering. “For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Psalm 43:2)

1. A believer should believe and act on the testimony he has received in his relationship with God. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:7) “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)

2. God renews and refreshes people who trust Him rather than themselves. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

3. The Redeemer makes all things possible. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

C. With God all things are possible and without Him nothing is possible. “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)

II. Give Me the Resources I Need

A. The joyous Christian life depends on understanding that joy and all its causes begin with God. “Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.” (Psalm 43:4)

B. Salvation is the greatest resource and the platform for all other resources. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

C. No setback is final and no disaster is total as long as a believer’s soul is secure in God’s hands. “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

D. Remember the gospel. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

III. Help Me with My Attitude

A. There is no justification for despondency when a believer trusts in God. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 43:5)

B. Ultimately moods and emotions must be governed by theology. “A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:1-3) “If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.” (Psalm 73:15-20)