Discover Fresh Hope - Psalm 42 and 43 - January 11, 2008

Sunday School Lesson - Discover Fresh Hope – January 11, 2008

This is lesson two (2) in our series “Do You Need A Fresh Start?”

Our scripture is Psalm 42:1-43:5. This Psalm was not written by David but the sons of Korah. Bible scholars are not sure who Korah was but speculate that he may have been a person who came into prominence during David’s life time and could have been in exile from Jerusalem. However, this psalm captures the heart of a believer’s struggle in finding comfort in GOD when circumstances surrounding him or her are difficult. Also, Bible scholars believe at one time Psalm 42 and 43 were one (1) Psalm.

It is not known if the writer was in exile far from the temple in Jerusalem. But it is clear that the writer felt estranged from the worship of GOD and was struggling with doubts and fears. It is important to know that even among these circumstances he was seeking spiritual renewal. There are a lot of unknowns about this scripture but it does highlight the importance of looking to GOD during difficult times.

Depression is an awful illness. But today there are some medications that will help some people cope with depression. People get depressed over many things. In this economic situation many people are experiencing depression. How people handle their depression often determines the end result of their circumstances. Some people shrink and do nothing, some seek comfort in alcohol, illegal drugs but others seek ways to change their circumstance. Some may have to do things they have never done before such as apply for unemployment, food stamps or accept a job earning much less money than they ever have or doing a job they would have never dreamed they would ever have to do.

Some depressed people seek GOD’S help but if GOD seems to elude them, it compounds their struggle. In our lesson we will see the psalmist’s struggle to find comfort in GOD.

Let’s read Psalm 42:1-5:

Longing for God
For the choir director. A • Maskil of the sons of Korah.[1] 1 Ch 9:19

1 As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?[2] Ps 84:7; Ex 23:17 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, “Where is your God?” 4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts. 5 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.

These verses capture the desire of the psalmist’s heart to have a spiritual renewal with GOD. In the Old Testament, the presence of GOD was considered to be in the temple and in the Holy of Holies. Specifically, HIS presence was tied to the Ark of the Covenant. It seems that the psalmist is focused on a certain place to worship GOD and restore their relationship. As we read the words he penned, we can feel his earnest desire to have this relationship restored.

It humbles me to think how blessed Christians are to have the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT and never have to go to a certain place to worship GOD. We simply enter our own sanctuary and cry “FATHER, I need YOU.” No matter what circumstance a believer is in, GOD is always there with him or her. CHRIST promises that “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5-6:

5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.[3] Dt 31:6 6 Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?[4] Ps 118:6

GOD does not say that believers will not have times they may feel alone or abandoned much like JESUS did as HE hung on the cross. JESUS felt like HIS FATHER had abandoned HIM when HE cried out as recorded in Matthew 27:46 “46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?". That brief moment was the moment when HE had to decide whether or not to take matters into HIS own hands or trust the FATHER. Circumstances can be used to test us to the limit and reveal our hearts or limit of our faith and trust in GOD.

We see in our scripture verses the heart of the psalmist and his longing to restore his relationship with GOD. He relates his quest to find GOD to a deer searching for water during a severe drought. The deer’s thirst is unbearable and searches in vain for a sip of water but cannot find any. The psalmist was searching for GOD and couldn’t find HIM. His only moisture and food is from his tears because his quest to find GOD is so intense, he refuses to stop searching. This reveals the attitude of the psalmist’s heart. During this troubling period others would chide him regarding his relationship with GOD. This was an overwhelming situation until the psalmist recalled the time when he was in relationship with GOD and felt the presence of GOD in his life. This remembrance brought him hope.

One of my favorite preachers used to say, “You have to practice in the dark what you have learned in the light.” Dark times will come into all of our lives and these dark times can overwhelm believers. During the storms of life, we need an anchor to hold us securely. That anchor often can be the remembrance of the days when we knew the presence of CHRIST in us and felt secure in HIM.

The remembrance of the psalmist’s former relationship with GOD gives him hope to hang onto and the knowledge that his security was still in GOD. GOD was still GOD regardless of how he felt or the circumstance he was in.

All believers have these moments in their lives. GOD understands our anguish and feeling of helplessness. The question becomes who do we look to for strength and comfort during these dark times? Do we look to the world and embrace solutions the flesh has to offer or do we trust GOD? I must quickly add that trusting GOD during these times does not necessarily mean that a person is idle and does nothing. The psalmist was actively pursuing a renewed relationship with GOD. We need to continue to pray and seek HIS guidance. We need to focus upon restoring our relationship with HIM as we continue to function in life. We need to look to the times in our lives when we knew the presence of GOD in our lives.

Let’s read Psalm 42:6-11:

6 I[3] Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Him, the salvation of His presence. 6 My God, I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me.[4] Jnh 2:3 8 The Lord will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night— a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God, my rock,[5] Ps 18:2; 31:3 “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?” 10 My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?” 11 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.

The psalmist was depressed but even in this state, he was recalling the things that gave him confidence in GOD. He was calling out the names of the places that reminded him of the promises of GOD – the Promised Land. GOD had delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and brought them to the Promised Land. GOD had manifested Himself mightily during their journey to the Promised Land and in occupying that land. These were anchors to him during these troubling times.
There are times believers have to remind themselves of the promises and provisions of GOD. Again, believers must practice in the dark what they have learned in the light.
In verse 7, the psalmist attributes what is happening to him as coming from the hand of GOD. He used the word “Your”. But even though he attributes what is happening to him is from GOD, he looks to GOD as his deliverer and his rock. He looks to GOD as his solid rock of protection and refuge.

The psalmist believes that GOD has forgotten him during this time when his enemies have oppressed him, crushed him and poked fun at him because of his continued reliance upon GOD.

Then the psalmist ends with verse 11 as he did with verse 5. Why should any of this depress him or cause turmoil within him because his hope was in GOD. He acknowledged GOD as his Savior and GOD and he praised HIM.

The psalmist is verbalizing the turmoil he feels as he encounters life’s circumstances. They seem to overwhelm him and he is depressed. He reminds himself of the anchors of GOD’S presence and he clings to the hope and faith that he has in GOD. This is exactly what we have to do during dark times. It is okay to talk to GOD and express our deepest concerns we have with HIM. Verbalizing our innermost thoughts is good. When we internalize and hold in our concerns regarding GOD, often, we are headed for spiritual trouble. We need to verbalize or write our concerns regarding GOD and go over them with GOD. When we have the right relationship with GOD, we do not try to hide any ill feelings or questions or things we do not understand. When we express our true feelings to GOD, it opens the possibility of producing a deeper relationship. We must look to GOD to provide the answers. When we record our true feelings, we can look back and see how GOD responded and met our needs during times of despair.

When my wife and I went through the workbook “Experiencing God” written by Dr. Blackaby, I told GOD I was going to be dead honest with HIM in expressing some of the areas I had problems with HIM. I did and it has been one of the most freeing spiritual experiences in my journey with CHRIST. During this time of spiritual honesty, solutions did not necessarily come immediately but once I expressed my concerns or hang-ups with GOD, it opened the opportunity for us to work on solving them. I had to be open to HIS instruction to help me understand the solution. In pursuit of the relationship with HIM, the answers and understanding to the questions or problems were revealed.

I encourage all believers to be honest with GOD and tell HIM the problems they have with HIM. Until you open up and reveal your concerns, notions or hang-ups you have with GOD, you cannot continue to grow spiritually and mature as a believer. They are barriers to spiritual growth and development.

It is all about relationship; your relationship with GOD through CHRIST. GOD’S Word is your anchor along with the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. Seek to really know HIM through a loving, intimate relationship. That means yielding your well to HIM and allowing HIM to guide your life. To allow HIM to guide your life means you must trust HIM and have confidence in HIM to do so. That is why you must get to really know HIM and not to just know about HIM.

Let’s read Psalm 43:1-5:

1 Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man. 2 For You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression? 3 Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to Your dwelling place. 4 Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise You with the lyre, God, my God. 5 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.

As mentioned earlier, Bible scholars think that originally Psalm 43 was part of Psalm 42. They believe that originally Psalm 42 was a three (3) stanza writing therefore Psalm 43:1-5 is the third stanza of this writing.

Notice that verse 5 ends the same as verses 5 and 11 in Psalm 42.

The psalmist, to me, seems to be talking to himself – “Why do I need to go around in turmoil and depressed when I know GOD is my deliverer. Have I done anything that has caused YOU to reject me?” He is asking GOD to reveal any sin that he has done that has resulted in all that is happening to him. That is a legitimate question. We need to ask GOD to examine our lives and reveal any wrong in our lives. This is necessary because there may be something in our lives that is a barrier to our relationship with GOD. GOD gets our attention in many different ways. Sometimes there is nothing wrong but GOD is allowing us to be tested to allow us to see our heart and true relationship with HIM as revealed through circumstances. It is no fun but rewarding when we get through that period in our journey.

The psalmist asks GOD to send HIS light among the darkness he is experiencing. GOD’S light reveals truth and dispels error. GOD’S light shows us the path as we journey the treacherous path of life. These words reveal the heart of the psalmist, that even though he is experiencing darkness, he looks to GOD for guidance. He wants to be restored to full relationship with GOD and worship GOD as he remembers their relationship before this dark time came into his life.

The psalmist ends again with his trust, confidence and hope in GOD.
I can tell you it is easier to write about this looking back to the dark times in my life rather than when I was experiencing the dark times.

GOD is our refuge and our strength. GOD allows HIS children to experience dark times to strengthen their relationship with HIM and to learn of HIM. Some of us are more hardheaded than others and GOD has to deal with us differently to give us the opportunity to have a deeper relationship with HIM. HE will never abandon HIS children and HE will not give them a serpent when they ask for a fish.

GOD’S desire is for all HIS children to be spiritually mature. Believers have to remember that GOD did not create us for time but for eternity. Earth is the proving ground for what is yet to come. What is yet to come is for all eternity whereas life upon earth is temporary.

I know of many Christians that keep a journal of their spiritual journey. This is something you may want to consider for this New Year.