Dr. Ligon Duncan explains how the Psalms direct us away from changing circumstances and anchor our hope in the unchanging character of God. In seasons of despair, they remind us that lasting hope is found in his love, compassion, truth, and grace.
The following is a transcript of the video above.
What do the Psalms tell us about hope?
The Psalms are written to people who need hope. Often, people in situations of almost desperation. And the Psalms point us, of course, first of all to hope in God. That’s what the Psalmist says to himself when he is despairing and downcast in his soul. “Hope in God, for I will yet praise him.” (Psalm 42:5 and Psalm 43:5) Times change, but God never changes. He is a God of love and of compassion, of truth and of grace. We can always count on him to be who he is. In the world we face circumstances that can make us feel hopeless if we try to find hope in changing circumstances, that hope is built on the shifting sands, because our circumstances in this life are always changing. And that means we need to anchor our hope in something that never changes. And of course, the great unchanging reality of our lives is God himself. Times change, but God never changes. He is a God of love and of compassion, of truth and of grace. We can always count on him to be who he is. And in the midst of our changing circumstances and situations of despair, as we look to hope in God, we can find a real and lasting hope in every circumstance. That’s where the Psalms point us for our hope.
