His Encouragement #15- Help? Health? or Both?

I’ve joined my blogging friends for a new facet of my blog, called His Encouragement, inspiring scriptures shared each Thursday. My hope and my prayer is that these scriptures each week will bless your heart and encourage your soul.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my 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.

Psalms 42:5, 11, Psalms 43:5 KJV

Have you ever been discouraged? I know you’re laughing now, because frankly, who hasn’t? Life doesn’t go the way we planned. Circumstances change. Expectations are not met. Dreams are crushed. This life gives us plenty to get discouraged about.

As I thought about discouragement today, these verses immediately came to mind. However, I was thinking they all said the same thing.

They do not.

The first one is different than the other two. The first thing I did was look up the word “disquieted.” It means to be in a rage, mourning, in an uproar. Definitely the complete opposite of the peace and stillness that God wants us to have.

The writer is encouraging himself in the Lord. He is giving himself a pep talk. Do you give yourself a pep talk? I do. Almost daily. He reminds himself to hope in God. Reminds himself to praise God, and then he reminds himself why.

This is where the verses differ.

The first one says “for the help of his countenance.”

The other two say, “who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

Did you notice that the first one says “the help of HIS countenance?” As in God’s. To remember God’s countenance can help us not be discouraged. As his child, he looks on us with love, and mercy, and pity. He’s looking through the eyes of a Father.

The other verse says, “who is the HEALTH of MY countenance.”

Discouragement can lead to bad health and a sorrowful countenance.

When you get discouraged and disquieted. Remember to put your hope back on the Lord and praise him for who He is and the blessings he pours out on us everyday.

What scripture is encouraging you today? Share it with us!

Check out these other blogs for more encouragement from God’s word for your Thursday.

Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective 

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Becca @ The Becca Files

Jenny @ Author Jenny Lynn

Rebecca @ Rev. Rebecca Writes