By Karen Holland
Psalm 42:5 … Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.
One Sunday during worship my heart was singing, “Praise You, Lord Jesus for the help of Your countenance, for the light of Your face, for Your smile!” I knew it was from Psalm 42:5. The Lord had shown me in the past the connection between His countenance, the light of His face, His favor and His smile.
Psalm 44:3 … For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them, and smiled upon them.
Psalm 89:15 … Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence {face}, O LORD.
What I didn’t notice until later when I looked this up again was that Psalm 42:11 and Psalm 43:5 were similar but not exactly the same as Psalm 42:5.
Psalm 42:11, 43:5 … 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.
Did you see the difference? Instead of praising Him for the help of His countenance – His smile, it’s ‘my’ countenance! It’s as if the Lord’s antidote to a downcast soul is to start praising Him for the help of His face, presence, favor, or smile. Try it and see if it doesn’t help your countenance. This really put a smile on my face!
Psalm 34:5 … Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Praise You Lord Jesus for the help of Your countenance, for the light of Your face, for Your smile! Praise You Lord Jesus for the help of ‘my’ countenance, ‘my’ smile!