When Depressed

When Depressed

Psalm 42-43

MESSAGES @ WHISPERING HOPE
OCTOBER 2011

2ndWhen Depressed: Psalm 42-43, Samuel Ong

9thWhen Guilty: Psalm 51, Michael William

12-15thSpecial Session of the General Conference

16thThe Entertainment World: Colossians 3:1-2; John
10:10, Rev. Dr. Andrew Tan

23rdWhen Anxious: Psalm 55, GohKeatPeng

30thWhen in Doubt: Psalm 73, Annette Arulrajah

PSALMS

 Collection of 150 songs of praise, prayers
and spiritual poems. Hymnbook and
prayer-book of the Jews.

 Divided into 5 books, which parallel the
Torah. Psalms 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106;
107-150.

 Psalm (English) = Psalmos (Greek) =
Tehillim (Hebrew) = musical praise or
song of praise.

 Korah collection = Psalms 42-49; 84-88
except 86.

SONS OF KORAH

 The Korahites were Levites, descended through Kohath,
Korah’s father (1 Chronicles 6:22-48; 9:17-32; 2
Chronicles 20:19). They were employed in the
performance of temple music.

 When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, Korah
led a rebellion of 250 community leaders against Moses
and perished by God’s judgment with the other leaders
and their families (Numbers 16; Jude 11). For some
reason, the sons of Korah were spared

 It seems, from their later employment, that, in gratitude
to God for his mercy, they must have dedicated
themselves to producing and performing the music used
to praise God at the wilderness tabernacle and later in
the temple in Jerusalem (Numbers 26:11).

PSALM 42-43: STRUCTURE

 42:1-5
 Lament, 1-4
 Refrain, 5

 42:6-11
 Lament, 6-10
 Refrain, 11

 43:1-5
 Lament, 1-4
 Refrain 5

DEPRESSION

 An ever-present reality

DEFINITIONS

 Severe despondency and dejection,
typically felt over a period of time and
accompanied by feelings of
hopelessness and inadequacy

 A condition of mental disturbance
characterized by such feelings to a
greater degree than seems warranted by
the external circumstances, typically with
lack of energy and difficulty in
maintaining concentration or interest in
life.

CAUSES (1)

 DRYNESS – sense of thirst
 Forced absence from the temple of
God, where God was worshipped, 42:1-
2
 The taunt of unbelievers, 42:3
 Memories of better days, 42:4

CAUSES (2)

 DROWNING – sense of being
overwhelmed
 The overwhelming trials of life, 42:7
 Failure of God to act quickly on our
behalf, 42:9
 The taunt of unbelievers, 42:10

CAUSES (3)

 DISHEARTENED – sense of being
misjudged
 Attacks from ungodly, deceitful and
wicked persons, 43:1

SYMPTOMS

 Tears, 42:3

 Fatigue (downcast), 42:5, 11; 43:5

 Emotional disturbance, 42:5, 11:43:5 –
troubled, in turmoil, sighs

 Feeling overwhelmed (Drowning), 42:4

 Feelings of rejection: distant from God,
42:9, 10, 43:2; mourning, 43:2

 Murder in the bones, 42:10

SYMPTOMS (2)

 Low or irritable mood most of the time

 A loss of pleasure in usual activities

 Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

 A big change in appetite, often with
weight gain or weight loss

 Tiredness and lack of energy

 Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate and
guilt

 Difficulty concentrating

SYMPTOMS (3)

 Slow or fast movements

 Lack of activity and avoiding usual
activities

 Feeling hopeless or helpless

 A big change in appetite, often with
weight gain or weight loss

 Repeated thoughts of death or suicide

 Low self-esteem

DEALING WITH DEPRESSION (1)

 FACE UP TO YOUR FEELINGS
 42:9
 43:2
 Refrain: Why so downcast? Why all
these sighs? 42:5, 11; 43:5
 Escapism
 Defensive walls


 REMEMBER THE PAST
 42:4
 42:8
 Remember the faithfulness and
goodness of God


 SPEAK TO YOURSELF
 Be logical: Why are you cast down?
 Be realistic: I will YET praise him, 32:5
 Be patient: Hope in God or Wait for
God.
 Be firm: Stop wallowing in self-pity


 PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE
 43:1-4
 “But even though absent, how present God
turns out to be,” being mentioned twenty-two
times in the two psalms, with a series of titles
suggesting a personal relationship: the living
God, the face of God, your God, my God, my
living God, my rock, God in whom I take
refuge, God my exceeding joy. “God is
omnipresent in a poem that complains of his
absence” and “ironically, the pain of
separation is a way of feeling the presence”.
(Schaefer, Psalms, 109).

When Depressed

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