This outline that I made of these Psalms and preached from several years ago was a blessing to me recently.
Text: Psalm 42-43
Because God alone is our hope, we must place our confidence in Him.
I. The Longing of the Psalmist
A. The Intensity of the Longing (42:1-2). David, as the author likely is, explains a longing that surpasses all others. He describes his longing as a deep thirst. The thirst is the thirst of a deer that has been hounded by the dogs and has fled before their ravages. Imagine the scene. A deer racing from the pursuing hounds, its sides heaving with its exertion. His coat steaming with the heat of its exertions. His tongue parched with a desperate longing for the water that would assuage the deep thirst. Yet he fears even the pause that would enable him to drink, lest he be overtaken by the howling beasts. It is a thirst that seems to be unquenchable. Have you ever had a deep thirst? Have you had such a thirst?
I can remember a time of such deep thirst. I was competing in the Joslin’s Canadian Open Grappling Championships. I competed in a match that went the distance and had no breaks. I went all-out. The thirst that I felt after the match was incredible.
Yet the longing that David had was not simply for the assuaging of a dry tongue, it was a thirst for Almighty God Himself!
B. The Object of His Longing (42:1-2). He longed with all his being for God Himself. He describes God as the living God. What a wonder that we serve the Living God! How much a desire do we have for God Himself? Everything else in this world seems to exalt itself over the knowledge of God. David experienced such a struggle. We see this intense longing for God within the context of incredibly trying circumstances. David experienced this longing while in the throes of great dejection, yea even depression. Now just because David went through such struggles does not make it right, yet this psalm gives us a picture of a great saint going through what many of us ay have gone through in the past and will likely go through in the future.
II. The Dejection of the Psalmist
A. The Extent of this Dejection To what extent had this dejection of the psalmist gone?
1. Sorrow (42:3,5,6,11; 43:2,5) We see David overcome with sorrow. Is this not one of the first things that overtakes us in such times? Indeed, how often is sorrow such a great part of depression. Each so often leads to the other.
2. Sleeplessness (42:3) Such was the depression and sorrow of David that it invaded his sleep. Ever had this happen to you? When this is the case, how frustrating it can be! Even great believers of the past struggled with this difficulty. Jonathan Edwards, for example spent long periods of life in the throes of insomnia. I have felt its ravages myself.
3. Disquiet (42:5,11; 43:5) This disquiet refers to an inner turmoil of soul. What turmoil of soul accompanies depression!
B. The Causes of this Dejection (The ultimate cause of this dejection, as we shall see, is turning our selves and our focus from our true Hope, God.)
1. The Mockery of the Wicked (42:3,10) How the taunts and jeers of the wicked can get us down! Is it right that this is so? Of course it is not, but we still often are influenced by their taunts.
2. The Longing for Fellowship (42:4) David wrote these psalms more than likely when at some period of separation from the fellowship and religious devotion in the temple. How a longing for fellowship can get us down, but this does not make it right. Do we fellowship with those believers that God has placed in our local church? Do we come together in worship of God and fellowship with other believers?
3. The Fixation upon Self (42:5,11; 43:2,5) Really, in many ways, almost every depression finds its roots in a fixation on self. David displayed a definite fixation on self in this time of depression.
4. The Circumstances of Life (42:7) David certainly realized the sovereignty of God in the midst of this struggle. When times are bad so often because of our skewed perspective, they seem much worse. Here the psalmist describes his state as though wave after wave of trouble has overtaken him.
5. The Deceit of the Wicked (43:1) A deceptive man can bring us to depression in many ways, particularly when we are taken in that deception-fooled. The purchase made. The story believed. The idea accepted. We also think about the times when deceivers spread stories about ourselves or loved ones. Sometimes the rumours seem insurmountable.
6. The Injustices of the Wicked (43:1) It seems that the psalmist was being accused unjustly by the wicked around him. How this can get us down.
III. The Hope of the Psalmist- God David realizes that this depression is not right, there is no true reason for him to stay in such a state. He strongly rebukes himself on three occasions in these two psalms. He clearly shows that such a condition is the result of an improper view of God. He reminds himself of several blessings of God throughout this passage that should cause his depression to turn to joy and praise.
A. His Presence (42:5) The psalmist speaks of the help of His countenance. This refers to the blessings of God’s presence. What a blessing that we as believers have in knowing that our God is with us. Christ has said that He is with us always, and He has sent the Spirit to minister to us through His Word.
B. His Past Provision (42:6) David calls to remembrance the past blessing of times with God. He remembers times when he spent hours of sweet communion with His God. How has God helped us in the past? Can He not be trusted in the present?
C. His Loving-kindness (42:8) “Lovingkindness is a noble life-belt in a rough sea. The day may darken into a strange and untimely midnight, but the love of God ordained of old to be the portion of the elect, shall be by sovereign decree meted out to them. No day shall ever dawn on an heir of grace and find him altogether forsaken of his Lord: the Lord reigneth, and as a sovereign he will with authority command mercy to be reserved for his chosen.”- C.H. Spurgeon
D. His Leading (43:3-4) David realized his utter dependence upon God, even to the point of leading him into confidence in God. Oh that we might pray that God would do such a work in our hearts that we would desire Him! Light, truth, joy and praise are seen as dependent upon God Almighty.
E. His Salvation (42:11; 43:5) The salvation spoken of here is not soul salvation, but salvation from the despondency of life. Such salvation is not seen in the absence of difficulty, but in the thick of it! The health of the countenance is God! He brings health to the depressed visage! It is not found in ourselves or in changing the circumstances of our life; God alone is the hope and confidence!
So as you live your life and the circumstances of life surround you, place your desire upon God Himself. Place your dependence and confidence in Him alone to fulfill the greatest and deepest of life’s desires with Himself. May He become our passion! May we turn our gaze from all else to Him!
Because God alone is our hope, we must place our confidence in Him.
I. The Longing of the Psalmist
A. The Intensity of the Longing (42:1-2). David, as the author likely is, explains a longing that surpasses all others. He describes his longing as a deep thirst. The thirst is the thirst of a deer that has been hounded by the dogs and has fled before their ravages. Imagine the scene. A deer racing from the pursuing hounds, its sides heaving with its exertion. His coat steaming with the heat of its exertions. His tongue parched with a desperate longing for the water that would assuage the deep thirst. Yet he fears even the pause that would enable him to drink, lest he be overtaken by the howling beasts. It is a thirst that seems to be unquenchable. Have you ever had a deep thirst? Have you had such a thirst?
I can remember a time of such deep thirst. I was competing in the Joslin’s Canadian Open Grappling Championships. I competed in a match that went the distance and had no breaks. I went all-out. The thirst that I felt after the match was incredible.
Yet the longing that David had was not simply for the assuaging of a dry tongue, it was a thirst for Almighty God Himself!
B. The Object of His Longing (42:1-2). He longed with all his being for God Himself. He describes God as the living God. What a wonder that we serve the Living God! How much a desire do we have for God Himself? Everything else in this world seems to exalt itself over the knowledge of God. David experienced such a struggle. We see this intense longing for God within the context of incredibly trying circumstances. David experienced this longing while in the throes of great dejection, yea even depression. Now just because David went through such struggles does not make it right, yet this psalm gives us a picture of a great saint going through what many of us ay have gone through in the past and will likely go through in the future.
II. The Dejection of the Psalmist
A. The Extent of this Dejection To what extent had this dejection of the psalmist gone?
1. Sorrow (42:3,5,6,11; 43:2,5) We see David overcome with sorrow. Is this not one of the first things that overtakes us in such times? Indeed, how often is sorrow such a great part of depression. Each so often leads to the other.
2. Sleeplessness (42:3) Such was the depression and sorrow of David that it invaded his sleep. Ever had this happen to you? When this is the case, how frustrating it can be! Even great believers of the past struggled with this difficulty. Jonathan Edwards, for example spent long periods of life in the throes of insomnia. I have felt its ravages myself.
3. Disquiet (42:5,11; 43:5) This disquiet refers to an inner turmoil of soul. What turmoil of soul accompanies depression!
B. The Causes of this Dejection (The ultimate cause of this dejection, as we shall see, is turning our selves and our focus from our true Hope, God.)
1. The Mockery of the Wicked (42:3,10) How the taunts and jeers of the wicked can get us down! Is it right that this is so? Of course it is not, but we still often are influenced by their taunts.
2. The Longing for Fellowship (42:4) David wrote these psalms more than likely when at some period of separation from the fellowship and religious devotion in the temple. How a longing for fellowship can get us down, but this does not make it right. Do we fellowship with those believers that God has placed in our local church? Do we come together in worship of God and fellowship with other believers?
3. The Fixation upon Self (42:5,11; 43:2,5) Really, in many ways, almost every depression finds its roots in a fixation on self. David displayed a definite fixation on self in this time of depression.
4. The Circumstances of Life (42:7) David certainly realized the sovereignty of God in the midst of this struggle. When times are bad so often because of our skewed perspective, they seem much worse. Here the psalmist describes his state as though wave after wave of trouble has overtaken him.
5. The Deceit of the Wicked (43:1) A deceptive man can bring us to depression in many ways, particularly when we are taken in that deception-fooled. The purchase made. The story believed. The idea accepted. We also think about the times when deceivers spread stories about ourselves or loved ones. Sometimes the rumours seem insurmountable.
6. The Injustices of the Wicked (43:1) It seems that the psalmist was being accused unjustly by the wicked around him. How this can get us down.
III. The Hope of the Psalmist- God David realizes that this depression is not right, there is no true reason for him to stay in such a state. He strongly rebukes himself on three occasions in these two psalms. He clearly shows that such a condition is the result of an improper view of God. He reminds himself of several blessings of God throughout this passage that should cause his depression to turn to joy and praise.
A. His Presence (42:5) The psalmist speaks of the help of His countenance. This refers to the blessings of God’s presence. What a blessing that we as believers have in knowing that our God is with us. Christ has said that He is with us always, and He has sent the Spirit to minister to us through His Word.
B. His Past Provision (42:6) David calls to remembrance the past blessing of times with God. He remembers times when he spent hours of sweet communion with His God. How has God helped us in the past? Can He not be trusted in the present?
C. His Loving-kindness (42:8) “Lovingkindness is a noble life-belt in a rough sea. The day may darken into a strange and untimely midnight, but the love of God ordained of old to be the portion of the elect, shall be by sovereign decree meted out to them. No day shall ever dawn on an heir of grace and find him altogether forsaken of his Lord: the Lord reigneth, and as a sovereign he will with authority command mercy to be reserved for his chosen.”- C.H. Spurgeon
D. His Leading (43:3-4) David realized his utter dependence upon God, even to the point of leading him into confidence in God. Oh that we might pray that God would do such a work in our hearts that we would desire Him! Light, truth, joy and praise are seen as dependent upon God Almighty.
E. His Salvation (42:11; 43:5) The salvation spoken of here is not soul salvation, but salvation from the despondency of life. Such salvation is not seen in the absence of difficulty, but in the thick of it! The health of the countenance is God! He brings health to the depressed visage! It is not found in ourselves or in changing the circumstances of our life; God alone is the hope and confidence!
So as you live your life and the circumstances of life surround you, place your desire upon God Himself. Place your dependence and confidence in Him alone to fulfill the greatest and deepest of life’s desires with Himself. May He become our passion! May we turn our gaze from all else to Him!
Because God alone is our hope, both in fulfilling our greatest needs and in overcoming the times of despondency, we must place our confidence in Him alone!
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