Psalm 42: What Do I Do When I Am Sad?

Introduction

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-cream-trucks-return-colorado_n_62c12a2de4b0a21d8427b3f4 - That sounds like something that would happen in a communist country - not the United States of America - Imagine being a child in 1957 and the news comes on the radio: “No more ice cream trucks…”

Psalm 42 - The writer of this Psalms 42-43 facing something far worse than no more ice cream trucks - No more Jersualem - taken from his home… The response: overwhelming sadness.

We are all acquainted with sadness. Everyone of us have been through seasons of sadness, despair, and even depression.

Psalms are so helpful - real people wrestling with how to live out their faith when life is at its best and life is at its worst.

One author says that the Psalms treat depression more realistically than may of today’s popular books on Christianity and psychology. The psalmists did not apologize for what they were feeling. It was a legitimate part of their relationship with God.

Psalm 42-43 are connected and start Book 2 of the Psalms. Book 1 theme: God rescues his king. Book 2 theme: God rescues his people through his king.

Book 2 - a mixture of psalms - Psalms of David but others as well - during the time of David’s kingship.

If you are in a season of despair or sadness, this psalm a help to you. Two ways to respond when you are in a season of sadness:

Be honest with yourself when you find yourself in despair.

Superscription: sons of Korah. A clan of Levites in charge of the music at the tabernacle/temple. (1 Chr. 6:31)

“Maskil” - Don’t know what it means - a contemplation or an instruction.

Don’t know WHEN this psalm written. MAYBE written when Absalom overtook Jerusalem and David fled Jerusalem.

Maybe the author was present when the ark of the covenant was brought to Jerusalem. A day of great celebration! (2 Sam. 6)

On that day sons of Korah and all Israel knew that God was with his king… and God would preserve their nation through his king.

But now… Something has happened. This son of Korah forced to leave Jerusalem. Forced to leave the tabernacle - the place where he daily served. The place where the presence of God was celebrated. The place where sins atoned for through the daily sacrifices.

Response: overwhelming sadness. Why is he sad? Distance… distance from the place of worship with the people of God - longs to worship again in the tabernacle with the people of God. (vs. 4)

Imagine - not being able to worship with the people of God… Gathering together is a privilege…

Feels distant from God - tabernacle central in ancient Israel worship - presence of God associated with tabernacle/temple. Tabernacle daily visual reminder that God longs to be with His people.

vs. 1 - “As a deer longs for flowing streams...” Away from home, away from the people of God, and what the psalmist desires more than anything else is to experience God’s presence. Away from the tabernacle, he doesn’t feel close to God.

We don’t need a tabernacle to feel close to God, the Spirit lives in us, but we’ve felt like the psalmist feels.

Note the despair: He can’t eat or sleep (vs. 3) Inner turmoil (vs. 5), deeply depressed (vs. 6), overwhelmed - “waves break over me...” Feels like he’s constantly being pounded… (vs. 7)

vs. 10 - taunted by his adversaries - “Where is your God?”

In sadness, asks the same question over and over, “why?” (vs. 5, 9, 11, 43:2, 43:5)

Asks why but never gets an answer. “Why?” is the dominant question in these 2 psalms. “Why?” is normal question when in despair but don’t expect God to always give you an answer. Job didn’t get an answer. Instead, Job got, “Who are you to question me?” (Job 38)

God doesn’t owe you an answer. Your finite brain cannot comprehend what an infinite God is doing in your life and in this world. However, you owe Him your trust because of what He’s done for you.

Be honest with yourself when you find yourself in despair. Acknowledge that you are in a season of sadness. Don’t ignore it. Don’t be afraid to talk with God about it, and don’t be afraid to talk to people you are close with about your struggles.

We need to learn how to support each other in the highs and lows of life.

Beauty of the psalms: We can be honest with ourselves and honest before God.

It’s ok to not be ok. Expect sadness. It’s normal. World is a sad world - sin has corrupted the world - the affects of sin on this world are devastating. We struggle in a sinful world.

Psalmist felt despised and rejected - Jesus did too. Isaiah prophesying about Jesus: despised and rejected - a man of sorrows acquainted with deepest grief. (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus wept over Jerusalem when He considered their rejection of Him. (Luke 19:41-44)

It wasn’t sinful for Jesus to be sorrowful, and it’s not sinful for you to be sorrowful. Affect of living in a broken world.

It’s NOT ok to stay in hopelessness. Seasons of sadness are common, but a life of hopelessness is not what we are called to.

A life of sadness = constant despair where you convince yourself that nothing good can come out of the life God has given you. Not true.

Staying in sadness shows a lack of faith that God is able to deliver you.

You KNOW it’s not OK to stay in despair, but how do you get out?

Tofu - needed the sweetness of a chocolate chip cookie to remind myself tastebuds that there’s something better… The sweetness of hope… Something better… You don’t have to stay in despair because of hope.

Accept your present reality with your eyes set on your future hope.

Some psalms reflect back. “I was in the pit, and you answered my prayer and you brought me out.” This psalm written in the midst of despair, we don’t know if the psalmists cries are ever answered. Psalm written WHILE he’s living through the despair.

The psalmist situation doesn’t change, and sometimes your situation that caused the despair won’t change either. You might be in a “new normal.”

Your situation might not change, but you can change - your perspective, your hope, your faith...

While your situation might not change in this life, you do know that you can set your eyes on a FUTURE HOPE where everything that is broken and sad will be made right. That’s our guarantee.

When I find myself in despair:

I will not embrace insufficient sources of comfort.

The psalmist laments, cries out, etc., but he stays focused on God - presses in to his relationship with God rather than turning from God.

“I thirst for God...” (vs. 2), “Put your hope in God, I will still praise Him...” vs. 8 “The Lord will send His faithful love...” “Put your hope in God, I will still praise Him...” (vs. 11), 43:1-2 - “Vindicate me… You are my refuge...” 43:5 - “I will still praise him...”

Temptation when in despair to turn to insufficient sources of comfort: sleep my blues away, binge on Netflix to forget my troubles, alcohol, drugs, pornography, ungodly counsel, going in debt to buy something you don’t need in an attempt to buy some joy… Attempts to cover the sadness with stuff that doesn’t actually cover the sadness…

Instead, embrace the God of all comforts. (2 Cor. 1:3) - He comforts us so we can comfort others with His comforts. Comfort as you pray, study the Bible, surround yourself with other believers who have walked through what you’re walking through.

God is enough for you in your sadness. He is able to renew your joy. (Ph. 4:13 - I can do all things in Christ… even make it through seasons of sadness…)

Never met a person who said, “I didn’t find hope and comfort in a relationship with Jesus...”

I will focus on Gospel hope more than I listen to the platitudes of man.

Gospel hope: God will give you an eternal inheritance. God will finish the work that He began in you. God will not leave you. God is with you. God will bring you into His presence. God is using this season to sanctify you.

Platitudes of man: You’ll get over it. Snap out of it. You’ll be ok. Try harder. Just smile. Cheer up. It could be worse. You think you have it bad. It’s all in your head. You shouldn’t feel so bad. I don’t understand why you’re not over it. It’s time to move on.

Listen on what God has told you more than what man is telling you. God is telling you that He knows your sadness, but keep on placing your hope in Him.

When encouraging someone who is in despair, don’t give platitudes, give Gospel. Gospel: “I know where you are. Let me help you by praying for you, crying with you, and telling you about my Savior.”

I will not waste the wait.

The situation that caused the despair might not change. You might be waiting until God calls you home for life to get better, but don’t waste the wait.

While I’m waiting:

I will hope.

I will pray.

I will pursue intimacy with Christ.

I will obey.

I will live on mission. (Missionaries removed from their country of service… Their location changes, but not their calling.)

I will live. (Jeremiah 29:5) - Some died in captivity - God - “Situation not changing. Live for the sake of those around you.” Keep praying, keep hoping, and keep ministering.

As you choose to hope, pray, pursue intimacy with Christ, and live, God will comfort your heart and lift your spirits.

43:3: “Send your light and your truth… bring me to your holy mountain...”

The psalmist served a great king, but King David could not keep him in the presence of God. This king could not rescue this psalmist.

But… God would ultimately send His light and His truth - Jesus - made a way for us to come into the presence of God - to come to the holy mountain by dying the death that we deserve and rising again from the dead.

You might be in a season of sadness, but the One who is bringing you home - into the eternal presence of God - is going to turn your sadness into joy. He is going to “wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

He will bring you home, He will comfort you, He will give you joy. Turn to Him today.