Ira Baptist Church
Sunday, August 3

      • Psalms 19.7-9NIV2011

      • Psalms 19.10-11NIV2011

  • Your Words Are Wonderful (Psalm 119)

      • John 6.35NIV2011

  • As The Deer
  • Afflicted Saint To Christ Draw Near
  • He Will Hold Me Fast

      • Romans 15.13NIV2011

  • In the dumps, melancholy, gloom, dejection, sadness, woe, depression.
    These are places we all get. For some, a few times in their life. For some, a few times a year, or a month, or a week.
    Disclaimer - there are times and severe cases of medically-induced depression. Things like post-partum depression, trauma-induced depression. There are psychological tendencies to depression as well.
    None of those are to be ignored, and it is very clear that we cannot lump in every single experience into one general category with simplistic remedies and helps.
    But none of those experiences are new to our age, neither are any of the experiences of those emotions. And the Psalms give a large amount of time to covering them, probably none more clearly than Psalm 42 and 43.
    Christians, God’s children, are not exempt from these things either.
    I myself go through some very deep seasons from time to time. I’ve never known quite why. Part of it probably runs in my family. My great-grandfather struggled with deep depression as a believer, yet lived a full and productive life. Part of it may be circumstantial - we all have our hard things, and I have a short list of some very difficult things in life that can bring me down for a season. And part of it is unexplainable - sometimes life can be moving forward with joy and fulfillment, and then I’ll just wake up and have a few days where I could stare directly at the sun and still not see the light. God has been good in helping me, and my wife and close friends are good at knowing when I’m in a tough spot - and I’m willing to share that because I know many of you probably experience similar.
    One of the most famous english-speaking preachers, Charles Spurgeon, suffered deeply with depression.
    I have suffered many times from severe sickness and frightful mental depression seeking almost to despair. Almost every year I’ve been laid aside for a season, for flesh and blood cannot bear the strain, at least such flesh and blood as mine. I believe, however, the affliction was necessary to me and has answered salutary ends.
    Specifically of his pastoral work, he said this:
    Who can bear the weight of souls without sometimes sinking to the dust? Passionate longings after men’s conversion, if not fully satisfied (and when are they?), consume the soul with anxiety and disappointment. To see the hopeful turn aside, the godly grow cold, professors abusing their privileges, and sinners waxing more bold in sin—are not these sights enough to crush us to the earth. . . . How often, on Lord’s-day evenings, do we feel as if life were completely washed out of us! After pouring out our souls over our congregations, we feel like empty earthen pitchers which a child might break.
    Even in the Bible, we read of men and women who suffered deep seasons of sorrow and depression.
    Psalm 31:10 ESV
    For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
    Hannah, in 1 Samuel 1, is found weeping and pouring out her soul year after year because of he lack of children.
    Here, we find another Psalm which deals with these deepest of sorrows. Not by David, but by the Sons of Korah.
    Second book of Psalms
    In first, 37/41 are David.
    In second, only 18 of 31 are David’s - 8 are of these sons of Korah.
    Korahites were Levites - employed in the temple service, and specifically in the temple music. Interestingly, their family lineage was troubled. In the book of Numbers, during the time of the exodus, Korah led a rebellion of 250 elders against Moses and tragically perished under God’s judgment.
    That we see these men here, not only in service to God in the temple music, but writing psalms that would minister to the soul for thousands of years, is in itself a picture of God’s grace to the lowest of lows.

    A downcast soul is a common experience, but there is room and reason to fight for hope in God yet again.

    1. Room to Wrestle with Hope

    A. Desiring but not Seeing God - 42:1-2,9

    Psalm 42:1–2 ESV
    As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
    Psalm 42:9 ESV
    I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

    B. Weeping for Truth - 42:3

    Psalm 42:3 ESV
    My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

    C. Remembering What Might Be - 42:4

    Psalm 42:4 ESV
    These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

    D. Sinking, but it’s God’s Water - 42:6-7

    Psalm 42:6–7 ESV
    and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

    E. Attacked, but knowing your team - 43:1

    Psalm 43:1 ESV
    Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!

    2. Reason to Fight for Hope

    Three repetitions of the “turn” - hope in God, for I will yet again praise Him.

    A.

    B.

    C.

      • Psalm 31:10NIV2011

      • Psalm 42:1–2NIV2011

      • Psalm 42:9NIV2011

      • Psalm 42:3NIV2011

      • Psalm 42:4NIV2011

      • Psalm 42:6–7NIV2011

      • Psalm 43:1NIV2011

Ira Baptist Church
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