"Despondency"

David begins this psalm in discouragement, feeling miserable. We have often asked God the very same question, “How long, Lord?” Even believers have felt neglected or forgotten by God. When this happens, we often fall into deep despair. But God did not forget David; He did not hide His face from him either, but David felt like He had. Sometimes we can create our own reality from our strong feelings of abandonment.

David felt like God had forgotten him and was hiding from him; but this was according to David’s feelings, not according to fact. We can’t always trust our feelings and should never accept the reality of feelings as real.

David is looking for deliverance from his anguish. It’s normal to be discouraged. As acceptance takes place, sorrow subsides, giving way to joy again. Sometimes, however, depression can lead to hopelessness instead of acceptance. That’s despondence… perpetual, downwardspiraling hopelessness. Like most of us at times, the psalmist feels down. It is that age-old “nobody seems to care” syndrome. of looking to the Lord. The more we think about the problem, the more depressed we get. When we try to work things out in our own flesh, what happens? Exactly what happened to David: Sorrow, strain, frustration, and worry became his constant

I’m convinced it is these mutual feelings that cause us to be drawn to the psalms on our blue days. We often see ourselves in David’s psalms, in his deepest lows and his highest highs.

Our biggest problem is when we take counsel in our own souls, to look inside ourselves instead companions. When will we ever learn to leave our burdens with the Lord and let Him work out the details? When we pray about our situation, we get release, then peace comes. We transfer the weight from us to our Lord. God tells us to cast our burdens upon Him. 1

Peter 5:7 tells us, “Cast all your anxieties on

Him, because He cares for you.” God is honored when we persistently and desperately cry out to Him. And He often waits until our prayers are desperate before He answers us. It all comes down to God’s perfect timing, and our need for the fruits of the Spirit, especially patience, faith and self-control. Without the Holy Spirit working in our lives developing these characteristics in us, we will struggle. We need the light of God to shine upon us and to give us His wisdom and knowledge. In Ephesians 1:17-19, the apostle Paul says, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.”

As he talks to the Lord about his complaints, David seems to recollect and redirect them. Instead of viewing the Lord as being removed and unconcerned, David requests that He “consider and answer” him. David calls the Lord in verse 3 – “my God,” showing the distance is now gone in David’s mind. Also, instead of the despondence and distress that had become David’s heart attitude due to his attempts to work things out, he now asks the Lord to “enlighten my eyes,” meaning, “to cause to shine.” David’s countenance had lost its “shine.” His face, and especially his eyes, had become hard, flat, and dull. He longed for God’s brightness to reflect itself once again from his eyes. When we don’t see an end to our trial, it seems as if we will faint. If we are not enlightened by God, we will fall asleep, and often, spiritual sleep leads to spiritual death.

After his prayer, David came to a place of confidence and trust. Why? Because David had changed. God had “dealt bountifully” with him. We must recognize that God uses trials to transform us, not our surroundings. God wishes to train us, to mold us. He uses the distressing circumstances to benefit us rather than destroy us. He deals bountifully with us … deep within where no one else can see or touch.

The apostle Paul came to realize from his “thorn in the flesh” as he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that weakness is not a symptom of a terminal disease. It is simply tangible proof of our humanity; it is the platform upon which God does some of His most magnificent work. If the daily grind of despondency has begun to drag you under, let me encourage you to get better acquainted with this unique song of new hope. David realized that he could always trust in God’s mercy. And he told his heart to get busy rejoicing in the salvation God gave him. He moved from feeling abandoned by God and being depressed to singing for joy. Scriptures tells us over and over again that God still loves us and will be faithful to us, no matter what we are feeling. This confirmation can be not only a comfort to your soul, but it will lift you off your face and put you back on your feet.

“Oh Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me.”

(Psalm 13:1-6)