The Cry of a despairing Heart

Introduction

There are many unpleasant things about life in a fallen world. One of those things is despair, that sense of dread that everything is wrong with no chance of being made right. Despair can come quickly or it can build up over time. A sudden catastrophic loss of job, family, or security can result in a quick plunge. A slow trickle over time, such as sustained health issues that ruin the former quality of life and independence can build up over time. This is true for believers and non-believers alike. There is no one the believer can experience, or feel like he / she that the unbeliever can’t relate to: the feeling of abandonment by the God who loves them. Such seems to be the case in this psalms here.

Background

This is a psalm of Asaph. It is an individual lament psalm. We don’t know the background of this psalm other than the writer was in despair. He was at a low point in his life. Some commentators connect this to psalm 73 which Asaph describes how we almost stumbled.[1] That is certainly possible and would point to hope in Yahweh and joy as the end of the road. That said, we need to prayerfully and carefully consider this psalm. This psalm writer is neither in a state of joy nor still in the depths of despair when this psalm ends. This psalm ends with the writer on a journey.[2] We can break this psalm into 4 parts:

The psalmist state of despair (vs. 1 - 3)

The psalmist wonders where God is (vs. 4 - 9)

The psalmist remembers God works and redemption (vs. 10 - 15)

God’s power in creation and shepherding of His people (vs. 16 - 20)

Exposition

Verses 1 - 3: The psalmist begins by crying out to God. He cries out with intensity from the depths of his heart. Silent internal prayer is insufficient. The nature of his situation is such that he bursts forth with a loud voice. He does so with the confidence that the Lord hears and listens to his prayer. Even in his despair, he will not fail to seek the Lord. With raised hands he calls to his God day and night for help and will accept no comfort until he receives a response. Yet as it mediates of God, he grow fainthearted on this inside. One commentator put it this way: “Why does God let things go on as long and as tragically as they do without giving any tokens of his interest and concern?”[3]

Verses 4 - 9: So great is the psalmist despair that thinking on what the Lord has done actually brings more distress. The psalmist is thinking of how things used to be, before he arrived in his current state. His thinks back to the time when Yahweh’s goodness was positively felt. He remembers how he used to sing to the Lord and wonders how things can be as they are now. Why the Lord has abandoned him? What has happened that the Lord’s favor is gone. He no longer experiences blessings. Life is below where he believes it should be. Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness, His steadfast love, is missing. Whatever happened to the promises of God? The grace of God is gone, perhaps because the Lord is angry.

Verses 10 - 15: The psalmist is in despair because the Lord is not dealing with him (and the people?) as He did before. At this point he begins to consider what Yahweh had done in the past. He fills his mind with Yahweh’s great acts of power in times past. This is the God who brought his fathers out of Egypt and drove out the nations before them. He exclusively gave His law to Jacob and covenanted with Israel exclusively. He placed His presence in Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. Yahweh unlike all other “gods”. He alone is the true God, absolutely holy in character who has given is a holy way to His people. The ways of the LORD are right. He is far above all other gods (Ps. 97:9).

Verse 16 - 19: All of creation trembles at the mighty power of Yahweh. All powers are subject to him. Creation does his command, with the red sea giving as an example. His hand may not have left a mark but His power was real. Yahweh leads his people. They can trust in Him.

Practical Application

In over moments of greatest despair, we must cry out to God like never before. We are not turn to nothing else. The LORD is God even in our despair and we can cry out to Him. He hears and will never turn away His people. In turning to Him we must do so knowing that the LORD is unchanging. While He may have delayed His response, it is coming. If you ever feel overcome with despair, know that God is not forgotten. He is there even when we don’t “feel” His presence. He cannot fail His people. He won’t do so.

[1] Arthur E Cundall, Psalms-Malachi, (Nashville, TN: A. J. Holman Company, 1973), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 69.

[2] H. C. Leupold. Exposition of the Psalms, p. 554. cited in Psalms II, (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Psalm 77".

[3] H. C. Leupold. (1969). Exposition of the Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker. cited in Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms 42–106: An Expositional Commentary (p. 638). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.