Where Do I Go When I Hurt? Part 1
Psalm 42
Psalm 42:1-11 (NKJV)
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
A young boy had misbehaved and was sent to bed by his mother. Just 5 minutes later he cried out Mom, I’m thirsty, can you bring me a drink of water? No, go to sleep. Five minutes later. Mom? What? Can I have a drink of water? She says I told you no and if you ask again, I’m going to have to spank you. Five minutes later Mom? What??? When you come in to spank me, would you bring me a drink of water?
Have you ever been thirsty? I mean really thirsty. Your lips become dry. Your mouth is parched. Maybe your lips are even cracked from the dryness. But this is no water available.
Psalm 42 is referred to as a Maskil. A Maskil is a teaching, Psalm. While many of the Psalms are written by David, I believe this one is written by a different one; while many of the Psalms are written as praises to lift to the Lord this one is written to teach God’s people some specific truths that we need to understand. We need them
- When we are going through a time of discouragement
- When our walk with the Lord has become dry and plain
- When we are experiencing a time of depression
- When we are simply going through the motions and life has lost its meaning
Have you ever been there? More important, are you there right now?
The writer of this psalm is in a dark place. Many of us know what that is like. Because we have had a loved one who has gone through a very dark time—or on an even more personal level—we have been through this kind of darkness. I have several facts about depression. Let me share a few.
- Depression affects approximately 19 million Americans annually. About 10 percent of the population. By the way, these are only the ones who seek treatment.
- Nearly twice as many women are affected as men.
- The fastest-growing group using antidepressants today is children—under the age of 5.
The Psalmist gives us 3 questions here for us to consider. Let us look.
- Where can we go when we need to meet with God? When do we need to hear from God? V. 2b.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
The writer here is in great need/pain. He is at a time in his life when his spiritual life has apparently dried up. He is thirsty. He says, My soul pants for you O Lord just as a deer pants for water. The word pant means to breathe quickly in a labored manner.
A deer pants for water when he has been running. Perhaps running to safety, maybe just tired but definitely in need of REFRESHMENT, and when a deer experiences this, they move as quickly as possible to take care of that thirst. They want water.
The writer here is in the darkness of his life and he says v. 3 my tears have been my food day and night.
3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”
He is too troubled to eat, the streams are streaming down his face; he can taste them constantly. And to top it off people are saying to him all day long, “Where is your God?” “Where is your God?” They are watching him. They watch us. They are testing him. They test us. Don’t you love it?
When Job was going through so many difficulties—he had lost the farm, His house, cattle, then his whole family—everything—his health, his friends did this exact thing to him. They said, call out if you will but who is going to answer you? Even his wife turned against him and said Why don’t you just give up, just curse God, and die? I think this is where we get the phrase, With friends like this who needs enemies? Too many of us when we see that someone is down—they are hurting—we only make matters worse. Men are saying to him all day long—where is your God now? Where is your God?
The psalmist remembers—he says it here—v.4.
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
These things I remember. How I used to go with the multitude. I was the one leading the way to the house of God. And he seems to answer his own question. Where can I go and meet with God? ……. right here…at His house.
- He then poses a 2nd question and again he poses the question to himself. This time he says in v. 5
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.
Psalm 42:5 (HCSB) Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.
“Why are you downcast O my soul? Another version says why am I so depressed? Why am I so discouraged?” Perhaps you have asked that question before. It is a common question that believers ask. And they ask many times because of one of several myths. Lies that we as believers have bought into.
Several myths.
- We believed that when we came to Christ, our lives would be easy. We believe that God owes us something. One TV evangelist told his listeners to put pictures of the things they wanted on their refrigerators
- A Cadillac
- A diamond necklaces
- A husband
- A house
Or whatever and then claim it in the name of Jesus. People shake their fists in the air and demand that God do a particular thing.
What we miss is an important truth. God is with us in our suffering. Immanuel. When all is well, we say we are blessed, God is with us. Let me give you a different truth here. God may be with you more in your suffering than He is in our times of prosperity. You just have not realized it.
- A second myth. When we came to Christ, we believed that our happiness was based on circumstances. It is not. It is based on trust. You see there is always going to be something wrong. But it is a matter of focus. A matter of perspective. But sometimes we believe in our circumstances more than we believe in God. And we forget how much God has helped us in the past.
Again, he answers his own question. Why am I so discouraged? So depressed? Here is the answer. Put your hope in God. The word is Elpis. Not Elvis. Elpis means hope. When we say hope—I hope for this, I hope for that, we are speaking of desire. But in the NT, Elpis means desire plus expectation. Jesus is our hope—I not only desire to be with him, I expect to be with Him.
- A third myth. We accepted the belief that Christians cannot/should not be depressed. Believers are not immune to this thing called depression. Nor are we immune to cancer. Or heart disease.
3rd question. V. 9.
9 I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
Why have you forgotten about me? We usually ask this question when we see a friend who seems really blessed, Things are going really well, yet we know they have been living like the devil. And we do not like it. We shout at God. Lord, have you forgotten about me? Have you forgotten my address? Can you not hear me? I have been there. You have been there. The psalmist asks why must I continue mourning.
My bones hurt. My enemies make fun. They ask again, Where is your God? Why am I down? What can I do? Here it is. Put your hope in God.
The story is told of a young man who was searching for God when he came upon a priest who was praying by the river. The young man interrupted him and said sir I want God more than anything in my life. Can you help me?
The priest jumped up, grabbed him by the arm, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head underwater. After holding him there for a minute the priest pulled him up out of the river. The priest again said, “Tell me, what do you want?” He said I want God more than anything else. He then dunked him another time asked the same question and then again, each time holding him under even longer. He then raised him out of the water and the man was kicking and screaming…… struggling to free himself. The young man coughed up water and was gasping to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the priest said now “Tell me, what do you want? The man replied “Air!” answered the man. I want air more than anything. The priest said, very well, now “Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air.”
Most of us do not really want God more than anything else in the world. We want Him especially when things are not going very well. When we are in trouble. When we hurt. When we cannot pay our mortgage. When life is caving in. But what happens when everything gets fixed? What do we want then? Not God. We put our focus on other things. If you are going through a struggle right now. Listen to these words from a pastor several centuries ago. “Don’t let your trials be wasted on you.” Whatever you are facing, give it to God. Ask Him to walk with you all the way through it. And whatever you do, never give up on God.
