Are you going through a
particularly tough time right now? Do
you feel like God is far away and not seeing what’s happening in your
life? Maybe then you can relate to how the
psalmist is feeling in Psalm 42. He
brings a raw emotional honesty to God that should encourage us to not be afraid
to go to God with our hurts. There’s no hint of macho pride or denial. And yet we will see that he looks beyond his
present condition to find comfort and hope.
Psalm 42:5
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
For I will yet praise Him,
My Savior and my God.
Things to think about:
· The psalmist
alternates between looking at his circumstances and looking to God
· Present, Past, Future
· Present
o The psalmist is
hurting and he’s honest with God about how he’s really feeling right now
§ Verses 5, 6,
11 – my soul is downcast
§ Why have you
forgotten me?
§ All you waves
and breakers have swept over me
§ My tears have
been my food day and night
o Are you in a
place now where you can empathize with the psalmist’s feelings?
§ If not now,
can you recall a previous time?
o Have you or
someone close to you been through depression?
§ It’s
important to get those feelings out and dealt with!
§ God is big
enough to shoulder our disappointments and even our blame
· Past
o Verse 4 –
these things I remember as I pour out my soul, how I used to go out to the
house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and
praise among the festive throng
o
The psalmist finds solace in looking back
to happier times
o
What event or period of time is anchored in your memory as a
memorial to God’s goodness and faithfulness?
·
Future
o
Verses 5, 11 – For I will yet praise Him
o
Above all, we have a faith rooted in HOPE. Whatever is going on today isn’t the end of
the story.
§ A dead man on
a cross isn’t the end of the story, neither is His tomb with a boulder placed
in front of it
o
Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess
for He who promised is faithful.
o
How does being able to look to a bright future help you work
through the dark times?
o
How can we encourage others who are struggling right now?
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