Psalm 42-43

Psalm 42-43

Why Despair?

I.                    When we experience despair in life, we must seek true hope in Christ; that means we must desire God and confront our despair (42:1-5)

a.       The psalmist finds himself in exile, physically isolated from Jerusalem, the temple, and feeling spiritually isolated from the presence of the Lord. The result is that he’s so emotionally distressed and depressed that he’s not eating or drinking, but subsisting on a diet of his own tears, while others around him mock he and God. He feels thirsty for God, but helpless to quench his thirst, like deer during times of drought, who panted and suffered in thirst as they searched for water in dried-up brooks. He remembers the joyful times of leading processions to the house of God during festivals, and is moved to pour out his soul in prayer to God, wondering if they’ll ever happen again. But even as his emotions are getting the better of him, the psalmist stops and confronts himself in his own despair and discouragement. Instead of letting his emotions continue to speak to him, he stops, gathers himself, confronts his despair, and speaks to his heart and soul asking why he’s holding himself captive to his own discouragement. He hasn’t found relief from his despair in anything because nothing adequate to fulfill our most fundamental human need of worship and fellowship with our Creator. Despair, discouragement, and depression can result from many different causes in life, forced isolation, feelings of uselessness, feelings of powerlessness, and realization of lack of control. But none of the things in life which produce those feelings can bring true peace, joy, purpose, or fulfillment in our lives. We will all be discouraged, some more intensely than others, but we must confront our despair within ourselves, and see it in the context of who God is, who we are, and how continually desiring Him and hoping in Him, His power, and His presence, is the first step to the only solution to despair. (Ps. 42:1-5; Deut. 30; 1 Kings 19:1-4;    Ps. 62:8; 63:1; 84:2; Joel 1:20; Matt. 5:6; 6:31-33; 11:2-3; 26:69-75; 27:43; John 4:10-14, 32-34; 7:37-39; 15:11;      Gal. 5:22; Phil. 4:4; 1 Tim. 4:7b-8; Rev. 21:6; 22:17)

II.                 When we experience despair in life, we must seek true hope in Christ; that means we must remember God and be overwhelmed in Him (42:6-11)

a.       Just as the psalmist had to confront his despair, he must also confront the reality of being overwhelmed which lies beneath his despair. He likens his circumstances and feelings to being overwhelmed by the power of a storm, torrents of water, waves that continually knock him down and threaten to drown him, as he’s isolated, reviled, and mocked by his enemies. But he lays his heart bare before God, pours out his discouragement to Him, and looks back from where he is to see the place and time he rested in God’s presence. Confronted with the reality of his being overwhelmed and exposed in his weakness, he’s set on solid ground and encouraged by the reality of God’s sovereign control to accomplish His glory and His children’s good. God will absolutely and loving, lay far more on us than we can handle, but His purpose is to turn us to Him. God doesn’t always change our circumstances, but He will change our attitudes towards life when we faithfully pour out our hearts to Him and trust in Him. We will be overwhelmed in life, but by facing our trials, turning to God, and trusting in Him, we can be overwhelmed in Him and His grace, by which He promises us unbroken communion with Him in Christ, by which we conquer in the trials and tests of life. (Ps. 42:6-11; Deut. 32:4;            Ps. 18:1-3; 22:1-2; 66:10-12; Jonah 2:3-4; Matt. 27:46;  John 15:18-20; Acts 4:27-31; 5:40-42; 16:25; Rom. 5:1-5; 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 10:12-13; 2 Cor. 1:8-9; 12:7-10; Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 4:4-7; 1 Thess. 5:17; Heb. 12:1-13; Jas. 1:2-4,13-18)

III.              When we experience despair in life, we must seek true hope in Christ; that means we must trust God’s faithfulness and not worldly false cures (43:1-5)

a.       Suffering, despair, discouragement, and depression are realities for everyone who walks this broken earth. If we react in those times of despair by turning to the false cures of the world, we only cover the wounds in our hearts and let them fester. God alone is our strength, our exceeding joy, and the only One who gives purpose to life. We must grow to understand that God uses our weaknesses and difficulties to turn to us to Him and demonstrate His strength, and He will be faithful to keep us into eternity. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Light of the world. When we’re on His path and walking in His light and truth, we’ll still encounter and experience despair; but we’ll see it for what it is, and rejoice in true hope in Christ. (Ps. 43:1-5; Exod. 34:6-7; Ps. 23:6; 26:3; 27:1; 30:5; 40:10; Jer. 29:11-13; Matt. 7:13-14; John 8:12; 14:6; 1 Pet. 1:3-9; 4:12-19)