“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation” (Psalm 42:5 ESV).
The sons of Korah wrote Psalm 42 to express deep spiritual longing during a season of separation from corporate worship and the felt presence of God. In verse 5, the psalmist spoke to his own soul. Rather than ignoring his discouragement, he confronted it. He asked probing questions about his inner turmoil and then redirected his heart with a command: “Hope in God.” His emotions were real, he felt cast down and disturbed, but he did not allow those emotions to have the final word. Instead, he preached to himself. He reminded his soul that praise would come again because God was still his salvation. Like David, who once “strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (1 Sam. 30:6), the psalmist modeled a holy dialogue, examining his despair, confessing it, and re-centering his hope on the Lord’s saving presence. He looked inward to diagnose his sorrow, and then he looked upward to anchor his hope.
We all talk to ourselves. The question is not if we do, but what we say. When we feel cast down, we often rehearse fears, replay disappointments, or magnify problems. But this psalm teaches us to interrupt that downward spiral. We can ask ourselves hard questions: “Why am I anxious? Why am I restless?” Then we can speak truth: “Hope in God.” Our hope cannot rest in our performance, our plans, or our feelings. Those shift like sand. But God remains our salvation. When we intentionally redirect our inner dialogue toward Him, our perspective begins to change. Like a child whose face brightens at the sight of a loving parent, our hearts lift when we look to the Lord’s countenance. So when discouragement comes, let’s preach to ourselves. Let’s choose hope. After all, we all talk to ourselves, but we can learn to let God’s Word guide our self-talk.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess that our souls are often restless and discouraged. Teach us to examine our hearts honestly and to redirect our hope toward You. When we are cast down, remind us that You are our salvation. Help us to speak truth to ourselves and to fix our eyes on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.