“Soul-liloquy”
Psalm 42, 43
Bob DeGray
September 19, 2010
Key Sentence
In down times, the soul turns more and more to God.
Outline
I. Cycle 1: Talking to your soul (Psalm 42:1-5)
II. Cycle 2: Contemplating God (Psalm 42:6-11)
III. Cycle 3: Affirming hope in God (Psalm 43:1-5)
Message
During the 1600’s a Puritan preacher and writer named Richard Baxter made his church, in Kiddemeister, England a model of Puritan ministry. His book, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, describes Puritan practices of prayer, Bible study and meditation and a practice called “soliloquy” Baxter says “by soliloquy, or a pleading the case with yourself, you must in your meditation quicken your own heart. Enter into a serious debate with it. Plead with it in the most moving language, and urge it with the most powerful, weighty arguments. It is what godly men have practiced in all ages. Thus David: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, the health of my countenance, and my God." And again; "Bless the Lord, O my soul! and forget not all his benefits!"
This soliloquy . . . is a preaching to one's self; for as every good master or father of a family is a preacher to his own family, so every good Christian is a good preacher to his own soul. The very same method which a minister should use in preaching to others, every Christian should employ in speaking to himself.
‘Preach to your own soul. Enter into a serious debate with it. Plead with it.’ One of Baxter’s Biblical examples of this is Psalm 42, one of the two psalms we’ll look at today. We’ll see in these Psalms how to deal with troubled emotions and negative feelings. We’ll see that the Psalmist expressed these feelings freely to God, but then he remembers God, and tells himself, his own soul the truth about what he is feeling, and pleads with it to hope. He shows us that in down times the believer’s soul turns more and more to God.
These two Psalms began to have a real impact on my life in high school when I first became a Christian. As I struggled with the problems of growing up, blown about by normal emotions and circumstances, these Psalms became a prescription for me: a prayer for my down times. And even as I’ve grown older, I find God can lift up my head, set me on my feet, and strengthen me as I model my conversation with myself and with him after these Psalms.
I know I’m not alone in needing this: there isn’t a believer in this room, who does not struggle at times with being down, angry or bitter, sad or worried. I want to ask you to stop right now and reflect on that truth: there are things you could name today that burden or sadden you. What are those things? You’ll get more out of these Psalms if you are consciously dealing with your own down circumstances using the Psalmist’s approach.
What is that approach? What is a Christian's response to troubled emotions? Do you gut it out? Put your nose to grindstone? Insist that everything’s OK? No - Scripture doesn't say that; common sense doesn't say that. When you are sad or bitter or fearful or angry you need to address the problem, openly and honestly, both with God and with yourself. In these Psalms we see a process, a cycle, that can help you deal with down times and negative emotions. And as you go through the cycle you will be able to turn more and more to God.
I. Cycle 1: Talking to your soul (Psalm 42:1-5)
Let's look at the first cycle, Psalm 42:1-5, and we begin with heading that is found at the top of the Psalm. For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5Why 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 6my God.
Two introductory matters: first, there is some disagreement as to where verse 5 should end. Like most translators, I feel the first two words of verse 6 are better read at the end of verse 5. Since there’s no punctuation in Hebrew, it’s reasonable to read it this way. Second, the Psalm is attributed to ‘the Sons of Korah,’ descendants of Korah the Levite, who rebelled against Moses in the wilderness. We know at least one of his descendants was a temple musician. He or another of Korah’s heirs penned this expression of a troubled heart.
He begins by saying “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” The first feeling identified by the Psalmist is one of longing for God. I don’t at all think this was the first feeling he experienced. Instead this verse serves as a heading or summary for the Psalm. The Psalmist knows as he writes that God is his real need, his real longing, and he uses the Psalm to explore the truth that at a very deep level his soul thirsts for the living God.
When we are troubled, a key thing we need to do is to remember God. We tend to be self focused: we focus on our problems, which may be very real and challenging. But we can’t get our minds off them: ‘how could this happen; how can I feel this way; how can I be so horrible,’ and on and on. But the Psalmist affirms that what his soul really needs is God himself and God’s presence. He paints this wonderful picture of a deer in a drought, longing to get to the stream of water where his aching thirst will be quenched. In the same way the Psalmist longs to be with God to quench the thirst of his soul.
Yet the Psalm shows that he has a repeated struggle to get his eyes off himself and focus on God, remember God, worship God, a change in perspective that can make a huge difference. In the midst of struggle, in the midst of negative feelings, whatever they are, I need to seek God. Whether I know it or not, He is the true need of my soul; I need to turn more and more to Him.
But the Psalmist isn’t there yet, and he honestly expresses his feelings to God. Verse 3: “My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"” The Psalmist was so depressed he couldn’t eat or sleep, only weep, day and night. That’s not an unusual response to strong emotion. It is especially associated with grieving, not just the loss of a person, but any loss. But on top of that the Psalmist is being taunted - maybe haunted is a better word - by the jeers or feigned concerns of those around him, who say: This God whom you serve - where is he? Why isn’t he helping you? Why can't we see his hand?
When everyone seems against you, when every circumstance seems to point to God’s absence, you may begin to say “where is God now? Where has God gone when I need him?’ Don’t be embarrassed by such thoughts. God is a big boy – he can handle it when we tell him we can’t feel him, can’t see him, can't find him in our situation. Nothing we say surprises him or drives him away. This truth is seen in so many Psalms: feelings and circumstances are openly brought before God: I’m angry; I’m bitter; I’m sad; I’m scared. God already knows your heart, but as a loving Father he wants to hear our cries.
But the real benefit comes if you don’t stop there. Having poured out our feelings, we then need to then step back and evaluate them. How does this situation fit with the bigger picture of God at work in my life? The Psalmist does this, in this first cycle, by looking at the past, by remembering. Verse 4: “These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.” He says ‘It hasn’t always been this way: I do remember worship. I remember how I felt the presence of God among his people. Even now I can point to that and value it.”
When our feelings deny the truth, we should intentionally remember the times we’ve really seen God. When the people of Israel crossed the Jordan, Joshua had them make a memorial of twelve stones, so all generations could learn what God had done. The prophet Samuel, raised a stone when God gave victory over the Philistines; he called it Ebenezer, the stone of help.
Where is your Ebenezer? Where is the stone you can point to and say: “Right there is where God showed up;” He gave someone to come alongside, or some unexpected provision or resolution of your situation. For me some of these are huge past provisions, like making a way I could go to seminary, or the opening the door to buy this building. But I’m also aware of recent things, like the people he’s used to pull together this year’s Awana program. How has God provided for you, shown you his beauty and creativity? When you struggle with your emotions, it is good to remember, good to remember God.
And then it’s good to tell your soul the truth. Verse 5: “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’s poured out his troubled heart; he’s remembered the joy of God’s presence; now he sternly addresses his own soul. In the same way, in the midst of negative feelings, you and I need to pull out our souls and question them: Why are you so downcast? Why are you so stirred up? Look at you, soul, you’re in a pit. Don’t you remember, soul, that God is a trustworthy and faithful God? Put your hope in him: he will soon bless you with a renewed sense of his presence and his praise.
Tell yourself the truth, from Scripture, that God is a God to be hoped in, a God of salvation, a God who has loved you with an everlasting love, and shown you that love in Jesus. He rescued you while you were an undeserving sinner and forgave your sin. Tell your soul these truths: they are powerful medicine.
II. Cycle 2: Contemplating God (Psalm 42:6-11)
But even for the Psalmist this remedy did not bring healing on the first application. Like most medicines, the first dose wears off, and you have to apply the truth again. Psalm 42, verses 6-11: My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. 7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life. 9I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" 10My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 11Why 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.
Notice that this time, in verse 6 he begins by remembering God: “I will remember you from the land of Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from mount Mizar.” It’s not clear whether he’s saying ‘wherever I am I’ll remember you’, or maybe that in that place, at the foot of Israel’s greatest mountain, he had had a special encounter with God, so that this place was one of his Ebenezers.
The Psalmist sees that both the struggle and the strength to hang on come from God. Verse 7: “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” He’s been overwhelmed. He feels like he is drowning. Have you felt that way? Out in the deep - alone in the ocean, or in the roaring foam of the falls, where the waters sweep over you, gasping for the next breath? Yet the Psalmist also knows that ultimately these waves and breakers are from God: ‘your waves, your breakers - you sent them, and they’ve rolled over me, and yet in your grace I still hang on.’
In the midst of the storm he affirms God’s love: “By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me– a prayer to the God of my life.” At first it was his tears that were with him day and night, but now he’s realizing that even in the tears, even in the night, God’s loving-kindness does not forsake him. He senses the chesed love of God that Dan talked about last week, God's kindness, faithfulness and mercy. God’s chesed gave him a song in the night: This Psalmist was a musician; God spoke his heart language. So tell yourself these truths in your heart language: that God is your creator, the God of your life. That he loves you and is faithful to you; that He rescues you; in Jesus he offers you pardon for sin and re-creation to eternal life.
But you’ll say ‘those are just words: they don’t touch my feelings.’ And I’ll say ‘give it time; even the Psalmist kept falling back to the depth of his despair.’ Verse 9: “I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
He amplifies his complaint from the previous cycle: people are asking all day: ‘where is your God?’ And this opposition feels like agony in his bones; “Why have you forgotten me? Why have you abandoned me!” Now was that true? No. But they were true feelings, and the Psalmist had the freedom to express them - as do we in our prayers, expressing all that we feel.
But again, in the back and forth of this conversation, we too need to be willing to challenge the truth of those feelings: “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.” Put your hope in the right place, in God who is your Savior. The word ‘savior’ means ‘rescuer’ and is the root of the name Jesus. The Psalmist affirms the promise of God to rescue his people; he claims that promise for himself. He tells his soul ‘you will again praise your Savior!’ And you should tell your soul the same thing: “God created me for his praise and is saving me for his glory. Soul, you might as well praise him now, because he’s worthy, because he is a Savior who will save.”
So he’s been twice through the cycle, pouring out his troubled heart, remembering and then experiencing the goodness of God's presence, and telling his soul the truth. He’s expressed his negative thoughts and troubled feelings, but countered them with the truth about God, questioning his own soul and it’s emotions in the light of that truth. But the cure is not yet complete, so the treatment continues in Psalm 43, verses 1 to 5. In most Hebrew texts there is only one Psalm here. What we call Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are combined.
III. Cycle 3: Affirming hope in God (Psalm 43:1-5)
They really belong together. Listen to what the same Psalmist says: Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. 2You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me?Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? 3Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. 4Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. 5Why 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 again pours out his heart to God, but now his complaints are more specific. He says to God: “you see my circumstances; rescue me. You see I’m living in an ungodly nation. You see I’m opposed by deceitful and wicked men.” You and I can definitely relate to that today. We feel this need for rescue from ungodly times, a culture opposed to the truths we’re telling ourselves. And we do at times face the opposition of deceitful people, and for some here the deceit and wickedness have come from those closest to them. And the Psalmist is honest about this: “I don't just feel forgotten by you, God, I feel rejected by you. Have you left me? Are you working against me?”
But even as he pours out his heart for the third time, he now expresses the faith and hope this process has been building: “Send forth your light and your truth: let them guide me.” He’s seeking the present reality of God, turning his heart from his feelings to the Scriptures. Light of course is a universal symbol: light is what reveals, darkness is what conceals. When I pray ‘send forth your light,’ I’m praying for God to reveal himself. And he does so through his Word, by which he also sends his truth. Jesus says “Your Word is truth:” It reveals His faithfulness and reliability. As truth, God can be trusted, counted on, he keeps his promises. We rely on God's word, and his integrity.
These foundations cannot be shaken no matter what I feel. That’s why spending time in the Bible is so important to our emotional stability. We need the bedrock of God's unchanged character and revealed promises, to provide an objective foundation when my feelings are trying to tell me lies.
This is what we heard when we sang: “Laden with guilt and full of fears, I fly to Thee my Lord; And not a glimpse of hope appears but in Thy written Word; The volumes of my Father's grace do all my griefs assuage; Here I behold my Savior's face in every page.”
As we flee to his Word, we come full circle, into his presence: “let [your light and your truth] bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.” This is what the first cycle remembered and longed for. We may still be in the pit of circumstances, but now we have tremendous hope that we will experience the presence of God; we will meet with God, who will be our joy and our delight. Why? Because God has revealed his light and his truth, in his Word, to us and to our souls.
So this third time, having poured out his heart and remembered God in the present tense, he can address his soul with the same words but new conviction “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.” In down time the believer’s soul more and more turns to God. We don’t deny our troubled feelings and negative emotions, but we challenge them by being diligent to remember that it wasn’t always like this.
We challenge them by being diligent to perceive his loving-kindness in the present moment. We challenge them by looking to his word for his light and his truth, which are the antidote to the lies our souls want to believe. In the end, though the circumstance you are in, the hurtful people, the grief and pain have not changed, you have changed: you see God, rediscover longing for his presence. As he satisfies that longing, your soul is substantially healed.
The story is told of Alice Bendon, imprisoned at Canterbury, England, for being a Protestant during the reign of the Catholic queen, Bloody Mary. At first she was calm, but then she was let down by a rope into a pit, a dungeon. There she fell into the most abject depression, wailing, and asking over and over why God afflicted her so heavily. Then one night she remembered the verse: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why so disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” We’re told she repeated it over and over; it so lifted her heart, that she stood and shouted it there in the dungeon, and remained there joyful, in the midst of suffering.
That’s the power of this remedy: though it cannot cure circumstances, it can cure hearts, and set men and women on their feet again. In down times, the believer’s soul turns more and more to God.