Faith, grief, Weekend Wisdom

Weekend Wisdom: Psalm 42

Michele Kearns

(Disclaimer: This post is NOT intended to diagnose or treat anxiety or depression. If life gets too rough during the holidays, please reach out for help. One resource is National Suicide Hotline:  1-800-273-8255. Other resources are listed below this post and in the menu above.

With Thanksgiving a week away, some people will need help with anxiety, depression, or just seasonal blues from all the busyness.

This Psalm was brought to my attention as one of the Biblical tools for use when I stumbled upon Pastor Mike Winger’s video – Biblical Tools for Dealing With Sadness and Depression.

Mike informs us that through out these verses, the Psalmist talks to himself and then answers himself. Pay attention to what he tells himself.

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.

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.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 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.

Psalm 42 (NIV) Biblegateway

I love Pastor Mike Winger’s channel. It is very informative as it encourages you to think Biblically about all of life’s mountains and valleys.

His weekly live videos answer a question on a topic and then he takes 20 questions that were submitted in the chat by viewers.

Final Thoughts

May this holiday season be filled with lots of joy and special memories. But if you need help, please seek it.

And, remember God always, always shows up.

Related Resources:

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. Michele is the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.