HANDLING DEPRESSION GOD’S WAY
PSALM 42:1-11
In Psalms 42 and 43 God gives us the
same verse three times (42:5, 11; 43: 5).
“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.” (Psalms 42:5)
In each verse there is:
1.
Self Conversation - “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou
disquieted in me?
2.
Godward Anticipation -“Hope thou in God…”
3.
Divine Celebration - “…for I shall yet praise him…”
4.
Hopeful Expectation - “…for the help of his countenance.”
DO NOTE THESE FOUR THINGS IN PSALM 42
1.
THE PSALMIST’S INWARD DEPRESSION (vv 3, 5a, 6a, 7, 9, 10, 11a)
“O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee
from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 7
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy
billows are gone over me.” Psalm 42:6-7
(The Psalmist takes himself by the nape of the neck and gives himself a good talking to. In v. 5 he asks "why?" After honestly raising the question and facing the fact he has a problem, he pours out his soul to God, describing the depths of his oppression. He sees himself underneath torrents of water and unable to keep his head above his burdens. The spring thaw allows the snow on Mt. Hermon to melt, the Jordan rolls tempestuously, and he sees himself carried along and beneath it all.)
(The Psalmist takes himself by the nape of the neck and gives himself a good talking to. In v. 5 he asks "why?" After honestly raising the question and facing the fact he has a problem, he pours out his soul to God, describing the depths of his oppression. He sees himself underneath torrents of water and unable to keep his head above his burdens. The spring thaw allows the snow on Mt. Hermon to melt, the Jordan rolls tempestuously, and he sees himself carried along and beneath it all.)
2.
THE PSALMIST’S GODWARD AGGRESSION (vv 1, 2, 5b, 11b)
“As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O
God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalms 42:1-2
(It is good to come to the place where we desperately need the Lord! Does God allow depression in order to get us to a place where there is no where to look, but UP? Too often it is hard for Him to get us to call upon Him! He waits and waits for us to cry out. Jesus stretched out His hand to Peter when he was sinking in the lake, but only after he had cried out, "Lord, save me!"
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalms 42:1-2
(It is good to come to the place where we desperately need the Lord! Does God allow depression in order to get us to a place where there is no where to look, but UP? Too often it is hard for Him to get us to call upon Him! He waits and waits for us to cry out. Jesus stretched out His hand to Peter when he was sinking in the lake, but only after he had cried out, "Lord, save me!"
3.
THE PSALMIST’S BACKWARD RECOLLECTION (vv 4, 6b)
“When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me:
for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God,
with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.” Psalms 42:4,6
(It is uplifting to recall past blessings. Purposefully we need to reach into our history and remember all the Lord has done for us. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" - Romans 8:32)
for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God,
with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.” Psalms 42:4,6
(It is uplifting to recall past blessings. Purposefully we need to reach into our history and remember all the Lord has done for us. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" - Romans 8:32)
4.
THE PSALMIST’S FORWARD ANTICIPATION (vv 5b, 8, 11b)
5 “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.”
hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
8 “Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”
11 “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.” Psalms 42:5-11
(HOPE is essential to mind's well-being! God's promises are multitude for today and for the future. He says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." He is the good Shepherd who leads us through the valley with all manner of goodness and mercy, and, will cap it all with us dwelling in His house forever. Hope builds when we take God at His Word and truly believe in His unfailing care.)
-Dick
Christen
