Psalm 43, 5 - Remembrance of God’s grace provides a bulwark against downcast feelings in the present.

Reading: Psalm 42 & 43

In this world broken by sin there are many things that can get a person down, even in the church. We do not always live on a mountain, where we feel close to the Lord. There might also be days in our life that we feel rather down, distressed or disappointed. Days during which there is little joy and at times even God may seem to be far away. Indeed there are many things that can sadden life, causing pain, be it in the church, in family life or personal life. In prayer we bring these things before the Lord that He may give a turn for the better, but nothing seems to change. On Sunday we go to church and for a moment the sermon may lift us up, but on Monday it seems to be all gone again. So little joy is left.

How come? Do church members who suffer from this lack faith, lack trust in God? Do they perhaps not live close enough to the Lord? Or is the cry, "Why, O God?" a legitimate cry, even on the lips of church members?

To answer this question, this morning we will turn to the Psalms 42 & 43, where we read about an office bearer, one of the sons of Korah, whose soul is cast down because of the affliction he suffers. He too cries out to God, "Why dost Thou cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" Why, O God?

The question can be asked: was the author of this psalm allowed to take on his lip words like these? Was he? Answering this question I would like to refer to the introductory words of this psalm, "A contemplation of the sons of Korah." A contemplation, i.e. something the Holy Spirit has given us to consider, to meditate upon; in other words to learn from. Yes, in these two Psalms we receive wisdom in prayer. How to draw near to God when we are cast down, feel depressed. For also upright children of God do not always walk around with happy faces. There can also be days that our heart overflows with sorrow or sadness; days that our soul is cast down. Even the soul of the Lord Jesus was exceedingly sorrowful, even to death, when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Next, through this psalm the Holy Spirit will also teach us that there is nothing wrong with wearing our heart on our sleeve. On days that we feel cast down we don't have to hide this from the Lord, as if we could. But also this we may express in prayer. There is nothing wrong with crying out your heart before the Lord. The things you struggle with, the ways God goes with your life. Yes, why, O Lord? Why did my husband die so early, for example? Or, why this handicapped child? Why sometimes so little love and little understanding among brothers and sisters of the same faith? Cry it out to the Lord, beloved. There is no need trying to hide from Him your cast down feelings, no need to show off stronger than you feel.

Finally, Br. & Sr., when at times in this way life indeed gets the most of us, when everything seems to be gloomy and dark, no joy left, let us do the same as what this son of Korah did. Remembering God's faithfulness of the past; His grace and unfailing love, which remain forever, even in the darkest night.

I preach you the Word of God under the following heading,

I. From their content, Br. & Sr., it is clear that the Psalms 42 & 43 belong together, in fact form one psalm which later on, for reasons unknown to us, has been divided in two. While each of this pair can be sung by itself, they are in fact two parts of a single, close knit poem, of which our text is the refrain. You find this refrain also in the verses 5 & 11 of Psalm 42. So one Psalm, a contemplation of the sons of Korah, which was a Levitical family who served at the temple. One part of this family became the temple doorkeepers and guardians, another part the singers and musicians of the temple choir. So the Korahites found their work and station in the temple. We need to know this background to understand fully the sorrow that is expressed in this psalm by one of these Korahites.

The author of this psalm was no longer able to go to God's house. The psalm gives the impression that the author, again for reasons unknown to us, lived in exile, even away from the Promised Land at the upper streams of the Jordan River. A Levite whose life it was to serve in God's temple, but who now lives on foreign ground. No wonder, therefore, that his hearts cries out:

See there, beloved, how this author pours out his heart before the Lord. His soul is cast down, and we can understand it. True, he still clings to God. But it is like the pendulum of the clock, back and forth from despair to hope, from hope to despair. We see here a child of God, struggling in faith with the trials of life.

At the upper streams of the Jordan he sees the cascading waters rushing down from Mount Hermon. Yes, these gushing waters become to the author a symbol of his own misery. Like round about him the water gushes over the rocks and its furious torrent drags everything along, so all God's waves and billows went over him. Yes, it almost seems as if God has forgotten him. Cast down this son of Korah almost feels himself perishing under the afflictions that meet him. Why, O Lord? Yes, in the refrain of this psalm he gives voice to the turmoil of his soul,

He thus expresses what lives within him, at the same time knowing that this outcry will not go unheard. For though speaking to his soul at the same time this is a cry to heaven. "O Lord, hear my cry. Thou knowest how cast down I am." Thus this son of Korah, even though everything seems to be gloomy and dark > he still clings to God, even though he can't understand the ways God goes with his life.

See there, beloved, the riches of faith, even in the valley of life. It is these riches from which we as believers may draw strength; may draw strength when the problems of life get the most of us, and we almost feel perishing under it. Hope in God, His Word believing.

No, that's not the advice you would hear when visiting a psychiatrist. Perhaps he would say, "Let go all your concerns, try to stand above it. Just ignore what people say. Seek some relaxation and try to forget about things. Be more concerned about yourself than about others." You know all those good advises, don't you? But do they really help? After all, all these advises are given with the aim to find once again inward strength in ourselves. Once you have found again that inward strength, the rest will brighten by itself.

Yet in faith, Br. & Sr., we know that it doesn't work that way. We will never find strength in ourselves. But where then to start?

Do what the author of Psalm 43 did. He had a close inward look at himself. He saw the turmoil of his soul, which he did not hide or cover up. But he cried out to heaven, "Lord, why? Why is everything so dark? Why can I no longer see any light? Thou art my stronghold, but why then hast Thou cast me off?"

Br. & Sr., it should be noted here that the author complaints not first of all about physical need, but about spiritual need. He is oppressed, since God seems to be so far away, seems to have forgotten him. His soul longs earnestly, yea faints the holy courts to see, mid festal throngs and music swelling. But here he is in exile, far away from Jerusalem, from the communion with his God. That's what makes his life so dark and gloomy.

See, beloved, when we are concerned, so often it is the things of this life that get us down, about which we can't stop worrying. But why? Has God not promised us that He will provide always!

Now one may say, someone who has what he wants can easily say this. But if you were in my shoes, you surely would talk differently. And yet, beloved, when we cling to God He will provide. Yes, it is only with Him, our faithful covenant God, that we will find shelter in the darkness of the night. His grace is never ending. And therefore, remembrance of His grace indeed provides a bulwark against cast down feelings in the present. Yes, when thinking of God and His unfailing faithfulness towards us sinful children of His, there is every reason to ask our soul,

No, this does not mean, that all of sudden all disquiet is gone. It may still storm within us. We may not straight away feel at peace again. But the first step on the road to that peace has been set. A start has been made, by going to Him, the only One who can give us true rest: God, who has become our Father through Christ. Christ who once said, "Come to Me, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."¹

II. I now come to my second point. In the first point of the sermon we addressed the question, "Where to start?" Secondly, having made this start, we will now try to answer the question whether because of this things will indeed change for the better? Does it really help?

In our text the advice is given, "Hope in God!" Yet someone may say, does this really change things? True, man lives by hope. But how often does our hope not vanish into thin air. Yet, beloved, this does not apply to the Christian hope, of which Christ is the foundation. Those who in their life do not reckon with God may at times hope for the better. An uncertain optimism keeps them going. But often they do nothing else than grasping at straws. Their hope has no foundation.

But read now Psalm 42 & 43. The author clings to God, Whom he knows to be the faithful God of the covenant, Who does not forsake the work of His almighty hands. This God never let His children alone in their worries. He never let the billows of afflictions close above their head. He will command His loving kindness in the daytime. And in the night His song shall be with me - a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42,8). Therefore, beloved, hope in God, your faith retrieving. He will still your refuge be!

This is not something like 'who knows' or 'perhaps'. No, the author is sure that his hope is not in vain. For the LORD will send salvation. How? He does not know as yet. But He trusts in God whose promises are pure and trustworthy. It is this sure knowledge that provides the author a bulwark against his cast down feelings in the present. Only think of God's grace so often shown in the past, and always undeserved. Therefore whoever hopes in God, never hopes in vain. In the concluding part of this psalm the author confesses, "For I shall yet praise Him. The help of my countenance and my God." The help of my countenance > this has something very personal in it. God will help face to face. Nothing will come in between Him and me. Again: how? The author does not know at present. But He clings to God's faithfulness. The LORD, Who even though I walk 'mid troubles sore, He will restore my faltering spirit².

He, the Almighty One who rules from on high, says to us children of little faith: fear not, even though you have to pass through waters or to walk through fire. For I am with you. You are Mine³. Don't say, my way is hidden from the LORD, my just claim is passed over by God. God has forgotten me. Heaven seems to be closed.

See there, beloved, how the author finds rest, rest in God, even though his present situation as yet had not changed. The revelation of God's redeeming power is still to come true in his life. But inwardly he has already found rest. For God is my Helper. Yes, Br. & Sr., that's now what it means to live by faith.

III. I now come to my third and last thought, whereby I more or less want to return to where I started this morning. Namely the question whether it is still true that those who are depressed, by what ever has happened in their life and do not seem to be able to come over this depression > do they lack faith. Do they not put enough trust in God? After all that I have said in the second point of the sermon, one could still come to this conclusion. Yet I firmly believe that it is a wrong conclusion. And I say this on the basis of this Psalm.

For note well, beloved, and I have said this already earlier on in the sermon, also with the author of this psalm, the emotions swing like the pendulum of the clock: back and forth, from despair to hope, from hope to despair. Yet the bottom line is ever and again: his hope and confidence in the LORD. Yes, Psalm 42 & 43 portray us a child of God who struggles in faith with the trials of life, whereby at times his soul is indeed deeply cast down, and yet faith does prevail, even in the valley of life. For outwardly nothing had changed as yet.

See, beloved, that's what we all too often expect. When you put your hope in God, things will change all of a sudden. But in fact this means that we are prescribing the LORD the way He should go with us. LORD, please give me what I wish. But, that's not how it works, beloved. The LORD has not promised us that as long as we trust in Him everything will be rosy. Even as our faithful covenant God He may lead us along difficult paths, through valleys with dark surroundings. Why? The LORD does not answer this question. But what He does promise is that even in that dark valley, He will be there to lead us through safely, as long as we cling to Him. Therefore, hope in God, His Word believing.

Yes, then emotional storms may erupt, also in the life of an upright child of the LORD. There is not always that straight away acceptance of the way God goes with our life. Faithful acceptance often is fruit of much struggle and prayer, used by God to bring us closer to Him.

Therefore when children of God in the valley of life ask their 'why's' > Why, O LORD? - we should not straight away condemn this. Even our Lord Jesus Christ put this question on the cross.

So we may ask, "why, O LORD?" As long as we don't do so in rebelliousness against God, but instead with the attitude of a child who does not understand Father's actions and who in faith struggles with the way Father goes with him.

That's the first thing we may learn from this psalm. And therefore being depressed or cast down is not necessarily a matter of lack of faith. Let us keep that in mind when we visit members of the congregation who at times feel down in the dumps. After all, life is not always easy to cope with. Often there are lots of things that can sadden us also within the church. Let us have an open eye for this and wherever possible try to help and understand each other, instead of condemning each other. Yes, let us examine ourselves whether there is the real love for each other, also in cases where we may differ from opinion with a brother or sister. Instead of making all kind of harsh statements, let us rather rejoice in the unity we have in Christ. Yes, only then church life can flourish. Yes, behold, how good and pleasant is the union, when brothers live together in communion.

We saw that the first thing, which Psalm 42 & 43 will teach us, is that at times life can indeed be a real struggle. Even to the extent that there can be moments in our life that the Lord seems to be far away. Yes, at times we may even question whether the LORD has forgotten us and has left us to our fate, like the author of this psalm experienced it, Psalm 42,9 "…" Br. & Sr. whenever you struggle with questions like these: remember your Saviour, who also struggled with that same question. Whilst hanging on the cross the terror of God's waves and billows came rushing over Him and the terrible agony and isolation of hell. All this made Him too cry out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Yet He was really forsaken by God, since the full burden of God's wrath against sin was poured out upon Him. Thus Christ suffered absolute forsakenness. And this, beloved, for you and me. As we confess it in the Form for the Celebration of the Lord's Supper, He was forsaken "that we might be accepted by God and nevermore be forsaken by Him."

True, then in days of deep sorrow and difficulty we may from time to time feel forsaken by God. The world may even increase our sense of isolation by taunting us: where is your God now when you really need Him? And yet we need never doubt our rich communion with God. He is near also in the valley of life. Yes,

No, as I said before, this does not mean that things all of a sudden will change. Sometimes the sadness remains. But through prayer we will change and find inward strength again. The conclusion of this psalm makes this wonderfully clear. It points us to the lasting fruit of the faith struggle this author went through.

In prayer he has expressed to the LORD all his sorrows, all his worries, the darkness of his soul. But having done so the light breaks through. He speaks to his soul in an encouraging and correcting way,

He thus puts a hold to all kind of sombre considerations. There is no need to be cast down. Hope in God, the God of salvation! My Helper and My God. Yes, so confesses the author, "I shall yet praise Him." Praise God, even though his situation had not changed yet.

See, beloved, that's what faith does. Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen⁶. It this faith which also the prophet Habakkuk confessed, when he said, Hab. 3, 17 & 18, "…"

See, beloved, then the road we may have to travel in life might be difficult, but never forget God is near, even in the deepest valley. Learn from this psalm that whenever you are cast down say to God how you feel, even when it is sometimes with stumbling words. For He will hear. Therefore don't give up, but cling to God, who will command His loving-kindness in the daytime and in the night His song shall be with me - a prayer to the God of my life. Yes,

Amen.

¹Mt. 11, 28 (NIV)

²Psalm 138 : 4 (rhymed)

Last modified: December 01, 2002