PSALM 142

1 A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me. 4 Look on [my] right hand and see, For [there is] no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, “You [are] my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

PSALM 142:1-7

ALONE!?!

Have you ever been depressed? Faced the day, looking for light, but only finding darkness? Tried to stir out of bed, but couldn’t get the energy to keep on going? Couldn’t eat or couldn’t stop eating. Found yourself throwing a pity party. Dwelling incessantly on all that is wrong. For those of us who have been here (for whatever reason) it can feel like a prison. No one wants to be that way. The words of David that were so pointed today is where David cries out in verse seven, “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name.”

David was going through some of the most challenging times of his life. He was on the run for his life. Those who were former friends and allies have become his enemies. He doesn’t know who to trust. Those he thought would have his back, have stabbed him in the back. He feels alone and abandoned. He’s practically homeless, living in a cave.

So what do you do when you feel depressed? When the world is not all as it should be. You have been anointed to be a king, but you find yourself homeless, just trying to figure out your next move? You go to the Lord in prayer and you share your burdens. You note that even though your friends have become our foes, you haven’t been abandoned by the one who cares for your soul. You trust in the promises of God and call out to Him alone who can deliver you.

One of the most helpful and soothing things you can do when a mood of melancholy/ depression settles in on you is to pray and sing praise to the Lord. You might say, “I don’t feel like it.” But our feelings don’t always indicated the truth. God’s word is truth and so there is no better place and no better time to meditate on it that when we don’t “feel” it. We can share our feelings with the Lord, but it is important that we practice the truth right behind our feelings. “Refuge has failed me… You are my refuge.”

We can worship God when we don’t feel it, because He is worthy when we feel it and He is worthy when we don’t. Allowing our minds to move beyond our circumstances to the LORD, help us to see things in a greater perspective. Sometimes we need to cry and grieve and express the hurt and while good friends can be comfort at those moments, there is no better ear to hear our pain than the LORD’s. No better place to go to refuge than in the LORD.

I am grateful for this Psalm today. I’m not depressed, but I have been there and I imagine if I should live long on this earth I will be there again. I was just recently made aware of a project where an artist is writing music to the Psalms. They just releases a work based on Psalm 142 and I thought I’d share it here.

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful for your word today as it acknowledges that good and godly people also wrestle with depression and go through hard times in life. I am grateful for the way you care for us. Thank you that you are worthy of worship when I feel like it and when I don’t. Someone I confess in those moments that I don’t especially feel it, I look back and see you were doing in my soul more in the moment than I could fathom. I am grateful for your grace and patience with me today. I pray for those who struggle with depression. I know they hurt Lord, I ask for your great grace and relief. Be the refuge for those who have no refuge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.