If you are feeling down, Psalm 42 is a perfect Psalm to read, because the Psalmist connects deeply with what you are feeling.

The sixth verse says, “My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember You, from the land of the Jordan, and from Mt Hermon, and from Mount Mizar.”

When your spirit is cast down, the beginning of the answer is to remember God. The Psalmist goes on to mention three geographical locations – the Jordan River, the low point in the land of Israel (ending at the Dead Sea); Mount Hermon, the high point in the region (a snow-capped peak of over 9000 feet elevation), and “Mount Mizar.” There is no known mountain named “mizar,” but the word actually means “small,” so the Psalmist with this term probably just means any small mountain. In other words, the whole phrase is a picturesque way of saying, “from the low points to the high points to everywhere in between.” The Psalm urges us, no matter where we are in life, to remember to look to God. When your soul is cast down, remember that you are not alone. God is our help and strength.

Prayer – Inspire us, O God, in all times to look to You in faith. Share on X

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About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.