[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

[Tabatha]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

As the life of a deer depends upon water,so our lives depend upon God Those who seek Him and long to understand Him find never-ending life . Feeling seperated from God , this psalmst wouldn't rest until he restored his relationship with God.He knew that his very life depended on it.

The writer of this psalm was discouraged because he was exiled to a place far from Jerusalem and could not worship in the temple .During these God-given holidays , the nation was to remember all that God had done for them . Many of these festivals are explained in Leviticus 23.

Depression is one of the most common ailments. One antidote for depression is to meditate on the record of God's goodness to His people. This will take your mind off the present situation. I like to sing the psalms or read the uplifting ones in worship.It will focus your thoughts on God 's ability to help you rather than on your inability to help your self.

Yes, there are times I feel depressed, because where I live there are no strong spiritual churches.
When I am depressed I take advantage of God's antidepressant, I have a promise bible that has my name in many of the verses. It makes it personal. I love to read about God's goodness, it takes me into worship and just sitting in His awesome presence.

[Roxanne]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

HE WAS FEELING PULLED BECAUSE HE WAS LOSING HOPE ..YET HE WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ....HIS SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION.. WAS THAT HE BELIEVED GOD CAN DELIVER HIM FROM ANYTHING.. BUT YET IT WASN'T SHOWN AT ALL ..BUT HE KNEW AND BELIEVED IN GOD THAT IT WOULD COME EVEN THOUGH HIS MIND AND FRIENDS WAS TELLING HIM SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
NO BECAUSE I KNOW GOD WOULD COME THROUGH IN HIS TIME ..NOT OURS...I KEPT IN BELIEVING FOR MY MARRIAGE TO BE RESTORED AND IT WAS ..EVEN WHEN IT LOOKED THE DARKEST ..I HAD NO COMMUNICATION AT ALL WITH MY SPOUSE ..SINCE THE DAY WE SEPERATED ..THEN LIKE ALWAYS GOD COMES THROUGH 2.5 YEARS OF SEPERATION ..I HAVE A RESTORED MARRIAGE TODAY ..AND I GIVE ALL THE THANKS TO GOD ... YOU JUST NEVER EVER CAN GIVE UP AT ALL.. LIVE BY YOUR FAITH ..WHERE YOU KNOW GOD'S WORD DOESN'T COME BACK VOID ...AND BELIEVE NO MATTER HOW MANY TEARS YOU HAVE TO CRY...BECAUSE YOU WILL BE CRYING SOON THE TEARS OF JOY...KEEP PRAISING HIM IN TIMES OF JOY BUT ALSO WHEN TIMES ARE NOT GOOD..IT IS HARD BUT GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH AND HELP YOU THROUGH IT ...NEVER GIVE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Roxanne]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

HE WAS FEELING PULLED BECAUSE HE WAS LOSING HOPE ..YET HE WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ....HIS SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION.. WAS THAT HE BELIEVED GOD CAN DELIVER HIM FROM ANYTHING.. BUT YET IT WASN'T SHOWN AT ALL ..BUT HE KNEW AND BELIEVED IN GOD THAT IT WOULD COME EVEN THOUGH HIS MIND AND FRIENDS WAS TELLING HIM SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
NO BECAUSE I KNOW GOD WOULD COME THROUGH IN HIS TIME ..NOT OURS...I KEPT IN BELIEVING FOR MY MARRIAGE TO BE RESTORED AND IT WAS ..EVEN WHEN IT LOOKED THE DARKEST ..I HAD NO COMMUNICATION AT ALL WITH MY SPOUSE ..SINCE THE DAY WE SEPERATED ..THEN LIKE ALWAYS GOD COMES THROUGH 2.5 YEARS OF SEPERATION ..I HAVE A RESTORED MARRIAGE TODAY ..AND I GIVE ALL THE THANKS TO GOD ... YOU JUST NEVER EVER CAN GIVE UP AT ALL.. LIVE BY YOUR FAITH ..WHERE YOU KNOW GOD'S WORD DOESN'T COME BACK VOID ...AND BELIEVE NO MATTER HOW MANY TEARS YOU HAVE TO CRY...BECAUSE YOU WILL BE CRYING SOON THE TEARS OF JOY...KEEP PRAISING HIM IN TIMES OF JOY BUT ALSO WHEN TIMES ARE NOT GOOD..IT IS HARD BUT GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH AND HELP YOU THROUGH IT ...NEVER GIVE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KelvinJC]

1) He was discouraged because he was losing hope and he is depressed. He lives in the desert in order to escape from the reality. He is experiencing the dryness of the dessert. Overall, David is discouraged.

2) David combats with his spiritual depression through self talk, words addressed tohimself, of hope and that he will eventually have cause to rejoice in God again. He also deliberate remembrance which recalls God to mind. Not only that, he also sings and prays to God night and day to seek for his guidance.

3) Yes! I have had been through depression trials. Depression do take away your believe and faith from God. Because you are so into the situation and you have lost all your hope from God and thinking that He is not helping you.

4) Instead we should make use of this chance to draw closer to God. I had shared my problems with my godly friends and ask them to pray for me. I strongly believe that God has a purpose on everything He has allowed things to happen in my life. One thing i found out is, when you are in trials, the bible gives you all the answer that we needed. If we have faith in God, he will answer according to his will. Remember! Prayers do work!~

[Cheni]

(Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? It appears that he feels as if he is cut off from God or from the blessings of God. He is struggling to keep his spiritual sight and focus on the Lord. He is in preparation for a leadership position within God's kingdom and he is learning that he must depend only upon God, not his friends (who now are mocking his God) or to otherwise place is faith in anything or anyone else but God.

How does he combat his spiritual depression? His spiritual eyes and ears are opening as questions the condition of his heart and mind. He knows (as God is teaching him) that he put his hope in the Lord and to praise him. He brings into memory times of spiritual blessings (deep cries out to deep) when the Lord directed his ways.

Have you ever felt this way? I have felt this way many times as I am in the "wilderness" now praying without ceasing and seeking the Lord. My deep is crying out to deep.

How did you reach out to God at this time? I reach out in all ways, in all things I acknowledge Him, I give thanks for everything even pain and misery, spiritual pain, emotional pain, physical pain, psychological pain, etc. We have to reach out to God in such times as these. These are tiimes of preparation when the Lord is going to bless us. Jesus went to the cross, his life prepared him for it, but he kept his focus on what was on the other side. He died for our sins before he would let us die in sin! With his spiritual eyes set upon this purpose, he overcame this world and endured the cross, and defeated even death. The victory has already been won. We as believers need only to claim the victory - but in order to do so, our deep must cry out to this deep.

[Cheni]

1) He was discouraged because he was losing hope and he is depressed. He lives in the desert in order to escape from the reality. He is experiencing the dryness of the dessert. Overall, David is discouraged.

2) David combats with his spiritual depression through self talk, words addressed tohimself, of hope and that he will eventually have cause to rejoice in God again. He also deliberate remembrance which recalls God to mind. Not only that, he also sings and prays to God night and day to seek for his guidance.

3) Yes! I have had been through depression trials. Depression do take away your believe and faith from God. Because you are so into the situation and you have lost all your hope from God and thinking that He is not helping you.

4) Instead we should make use of this chance to draw closer to God. I had shared my problems with my godly friends and ask them to pray for me. I strongly believe that God has a purpose on everything He has allowed things to happen in my life. One thing i found out is, when you are in trials, the bible gives you all the answer that we needed. If we have faith in God, he will answer according to his will. Remember! Prayers do work!~

Often times the answer is within the question.

- Cheni

This post has been edited by Cheni: 09 September 2007 - 12:11 PM

[Jezemeg]

I believe that the psalmist is feeling the confusion of one who believes totally in God, but who is confused by his own emotional depression and the dark feelings they engender. He is troubled by his feelings of separation yet believes implicitly in God's eternal presence is his life, it is this confusion of emotions that causes him, in my belief, to give voice to these psalms. I have often suffered these periods of depression, being a survivor of both childhood and marital abuse...the difference now that I have handed my life to God, is that I am never without one vital factor...HOPE! The psalmist too, despite at times feeling deep in despair, shares that HOPE that knowledge that his feelings of separation stem from himself, that God has not and will never abandon him. I've learnt, as have many others, that these feelings of despair are temporary and are not to be relied on as a true indication of one's faith. Some of the best known Christian Evangelists have recorded periods of depression. As Christians we should not be hard on ourselves when we experience these darker moods, they are emotions that God has bestowed upon us after all...without the darker periods how could we truly know JOY?
I believe that many Christians, including those who counsel others, place far too much guilt on their fellow Christians who confess to these natural periods of depression...and this does nothing to help the person being counselled...it can spiral them deeper and then they reject God because they falsely believe that their faith isn't 'good enough' for them to be God's child. Instead, when a person is experiencing these natural emotions, he/she should be encouraged to express them, in a similar way as the psalmist here, or in painting or in anyway they are able. In this way they can release this to God, Who isn't in the least offended by His Child's doubts and depression, instead of allowing the emotions to fester inside where they will cause illness both physical and spiritual.

[Patricia A]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43)


[*]What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle?


[*]How does he combat his spiritual depression?
[*]Have you ever felt this way?
[*]How did you reach out to God at this time?[/quote]
[/list]

[Stan]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

I believe that he is feeling a seperation of himself and his God. He knows the joy of praising Him but the feeling is now gone and he is alone in his greif and it is ovewhelming him. He calls out to God anyway know that his God will not leave him no matter where he is driven.

He combats his depression by singing praise to God and asking him to allow him to be with Him and to see Him. He praises God for allowing him to be with those who have taught him to praise God and seek after Him.

YES! I have had times when I feel that God is not near to me and that my prayers are going unanswered. I feel the depression of not being in a praising time to my God, but we are never alone even Jesus cried out on the cross, MY GOD< MY GOD , why has thou foresaken me. We are never alon God is still there we just have to reach out and continue in prayer and thanksgiving to Him and He will answer us.

I reach out to God in prayer and ing getting with fellow believers and praising God and giving Him thanks for all the things He has done for me in the past and it suffices me and allowes me to over come the depression and get on with seeking God and His will for me.

[nancychua]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

1). During his spiritual struggle, the psalmist felt the dryness in deep despair and in darkest mood. He felt the total separation from God but knowing in faith that God will never abandon and leave him no matter what circumstances he will face.


2). He combats his depression by singing praises to God , by seeking and focusing his thoughts on God 's ability to help you.

3). Yes, there were times when I feel hopeless in my stormy life that I couldn`t even praise Him and thank Him for the pains and sufferring. But as I look back through the goodness and faithfulness of Jesus on the Calvary, I`m still fortunate than others and yet Jesus had suffered and die for my sins. So I must cling to His promises & divine revelation knowing that He is with me bearing the pain for my sufferings. As I seek Him and He will surely cover me under His wings and shall carry me through my trials. I need to pray unceasingly and accept whatever situation I must face for God knows my needs and hearts desires.

4). By fasting and crying out to Him thru prayer will saturate our mind and embrace our thoughts to God. It will help us to transform into renewing mind and soul with His word. By praying will help us increase our faith that God will work thru our life and rekindle His holy love within us. He will cure our lethargic faith and help us to return back to Him to walk in Spirit and in Truth.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?

The psalmist is spiritually thirsty, craving for a quenching of his "depressing" condition. He is thirsting for a filling from God. Looking and seeking for a refresing in his dry land. He remembers better days and his current situation brings doubt to his mind. Oh, "where is God now in my current situation?"

But he pauses, takes a step back, and takes time to really look at his situation. He reminds himself to put his hope in God. The uplook is always better than the outlook. He makes a choice to turn his hard times into a time of rejoicing and singing, remembering the hope that is his in God. He gives praise in the middle of his life's storm.

Have I been there? Yes!

How did God reach out to me? Through the love and support of His family and the precious written Word.

[davidjjj]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43).

What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle?

The following words that describe the Psalmist feelings are from the NASB NIV and NLT (he sounds like a pretty miserable dude!):

Sad, downcast, deeply discouraged, thirsty, tearful, in darkness, tossed aside and oppressed, broken hearted, disturbed, like his bones are shattered, downcast, rejected.

How does he combat his spiritual depression?

The Psalmist remembers the wonderful times he has had with God (42:4)

He tells himself to be hopeful because there will be a time when he will again praise God as he did in the joyful times (42:5,11, 43:5)

The Psalmist knows that key to what he is facing is turning his focus not to just past experiences with the LORD but to focus on the LORD Himself i.e. “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember You” (42:6)

The Psalmist remembers God, and in the dry state he is in he seeks the Lord who is like precious water in a barren land (42:1) the Lord is his delight (43:4)

He knows the Lord is will protect him from the onslaught –he is his stronghold, he knows that the Lord will give him stability- He is his Rock

Experiences are up and down but the Lord is not- I love Jack Deere’s encouragement “don’t rejoice in your commitment to the Lord Jesus- rejoice in the Lord Jesus”

The psalmist remembers that the Lord is for him not against him (see 42:8) the Lord is his Savior and his God (42:11) NB how the psalmist again and again says “my…Savior…my… God” etc

The psalmist prays for help in his spiritual depression (43:3-4)

Have you ever felt this way?

There have been many times when I have felt down, discouraged, dry, and overwhelmed by circumstances

How did you reach out to God at this time?

Sometimes in unspoken prayer, sometimes intentionally waiting and focusing my attention to the Lord- being still and knowing that God is my God and He is Sovereign in every circumstance.

[lulu 1931]

1. He feels that God has forsaken him and he misses his spiritual being. He is questioned about his God and this may form some doubts in him.
2. He talks to his inner self and reasons with his feelings..questions his inner feelings
3. Yes about 5 years ago when my husband had heart surgery many people including my six children prayed for him but in no avail. He died after about 8 hrs of struggle and he was not responding to our voices. I thought that God had forsaken me and I became very bitter...I had always attended Church and tried to live a godly life. It took me many months to finally get back to prayers and attending Church. I think that with the help of my church friends and prayers I am back on track with God. I have had some great experiences with Bible Study and Disciple classes. Maybe this is what God had wanted me to do..

[JustJeff]

What led to the Jews captivity was their rebellion against God. The emptiness that they were now feeling was the same feeling Yahweh must have had when they abandon Him. I find that when I am in despair it is because I have forgotten my need to go through tribulation in order to gain the experience that I lack to be what the Lord needs me to become. It is the flesh trying to gain superiority over the spirit. I find it needfull to recall His benefits during this dry time and to know that as I go through, I soon will come to the oasis, the well of living water. I see this in these Psalms.

[masika]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?
The Psalmist is thirst for God, when we feel lonely or depressed, we should meditate on God’s word.
He is also feeling discouraged. In the face of discouragement, our only hope is in God.
There are a times when I have felt like that, I always turn to the Word of God for encouragement.

[Nurice]

Verse 9: 'I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"'

My paraphrase: "Why me? Why me? Why me?" Then he changes to "Why you?":

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."

He remembers how God has always been there for him and thinks, "How foolish of me to doubt him."

Pastor Ralph asks, Have you ever felt this way? Many times. The last time just a couple weeks ago. But God always reminds me of who he is, and I fuss at me a little and ask myself, who am I to be discouraged when I have such a faithful God who is always there for me? As verse 8 says:
"By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life."

Both Psalms end with praise: "I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." It's hard to praise God and be depressed at the same time. Praise lifts it every time for me.

Lois

[Patricia A]

2. Psalms 42 and 43

The psalmist is extremely depressed as he is searching for God but can't find Him. His search is like that of an extremely thirsty deer searching for water. His enemies taunt him asking about the whereabouts of his God.

He talks to himself about God and remembers his communion with God in the past and he sings and praises God.

I have felt this way many times and my greatest peace during these times comes from reading God's Word and praying.


Remember what Jesus Christ went through for us. Remember what the apostle Paul experienced, yet remained focused on the eternal rather than the temporary. When we maintain faith and keep our focus on God's love and the hope He has given us for eternity, Christians can weather the storms of life.

[Commissioned]

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle?
The psalmist is feeling alone and that his protection has been taken away, he no longer feels that God is near and is afraid of being overtaken by his enemies.

How does he combat his spiritual depression?
He combats his spiritual depression by praising God in spite of the condition of his spirit.

Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time?
I have been in situations where I found myself out of God's will and experience a state of depression. Repentance and praise brought me out in such times.

[EuniceC]

The psalmist can relate the forces of nature around him to his depression, they seem to reflect his depression, it is like everything around him reminds him of where he is now, at the bottom of the pit. If you like me, have been there before, the feeling is exactly as the psalmist describes it, at the lowest end of life, looking round, all is dark, and it sometimes looks like it is going to be like that forever. At this time, we remember the good times not with joy, but a longing of what we don’t seem to have anymore.
The only way out, as the psalmist did, was to begin to focus on light. And Jesus said “I am the light of the world, he who follows me will have the light of life”
He starts to call on the lord to lead him out of this depression. We can only come out of this deep depression when we focus on the light of Christ, when we seek him, ask Him to get us out of there.
I was recently in hospital and during that time, I could not read my bible or even pray as I should have. As a lover of the psalms and David himself, in the times of pain when it was almost unbearable, I found myself “chanting” the psalms throughout the night. I would pray the psalms as they came into my head, and I found this to be so comforting, so rewarding, so calming, I could actually feel the presence of God with me in those times, it was just like David said, “do not hide your face from me O Lord”, “your face O Lord, will I seek” and then I was “confident that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” the song of the psalmist got me out here!!