[Originally written in April of 2020 during the early months of COVID-19]
OK, I admit it – I’m depressed. Well, maybe not depressed, but certainly in a funk. And maybe I’m using the word ‘funk’ because I don’t want to use the dreaded “D” word – depression. To be honest, I don’t feel like I’m walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death – it’s more like the Basin of the Twilight of Funk. Anyway (semantics aside), I’m down – and this is unusual for me.
When I heard that the COVID-19 stay-at-home order was being extended through Sunday, May 3rd, I inwardly groaned. And then when I read some experts think there may be another outbreak of Coronavirus in the Fall, I groaned out loud. “How long, O Lord?” was one of the laments of the Psalmist. We would be more apt to say, “Really, God – you’ve got to be kidding me.” I know there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel keeps getting longer!
Now there may be someone reading this who is rebuking me for admitting that I’m down. “You’re a Christian – good grief! – you’re a pastor, what kind of example are you setting for the church you serve?” Well, hopefully, a good and godly and credible example. It’s OK to acknowledge your funk or depression or despair or dejection or sadness. It’s OK to own these thoughts and feelings – just don’t let them own you. You can be honest about them without surrendering to them. Just because the watchman on the wall calls out that an army has surrounded the city doesn’t mean he has surrendered the city. Being surrounded by those things that would damage your soul doesn’t mean you have to surrender to them. Such a notion is grounded in bad theology and an inadequate knowledge of human nature and human experience.
Those who are down are often encouraged to read the Psalms. And great encouragement it is! So many of the Psalms begin with someone having a problem they can’t overcome on their own. Then they cry out to the Lord and the Lord delivers them and this is followed by a shout of praise. Many Psalms follow that pattern in one way or another. Whatever the problem is, it is resolved by the end of the Psalm. Even if deliverance hasn’t come and the author of the Psalm is still in hot water, he has had a revelation of God and his soul has come into faith and he has a glorious assurance that the Lord will deliver him and shouts of joy come from him as he waits upon the Lord to do what He has promised. Absolutely awesome! In one way or another the Light always breaks through.
Except Psalm 88. Psalm 88 is unique among the Psalms. It begins in darkness, it meanders through the depths of darkness, it ends in the darkness. There is no breakthrough or deliverance, there is no revelation or light from God, there is no worship or shout of joy. Psalm 88 is a real oddball. See for yourself –
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 O Lord, the God of my salvation,
I have cried out by day and in the night before You.
2 Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry!
3 For my soul has had enough troubles,
And my life has drawn near to Sheol.
4 I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit;
I have become like a man without strength,
5 Forsaken among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And they are cut off from Your hand.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
In dark places, in the depths.
7 Your wrath has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah.
8 You have removed my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an object of loathing to them;
I am shut up and cannot go out.
9 My eye has wasted away because of affliction;
I have called upon You every day, O Lord;
I have spread out my hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.
11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, have cried out to You for help,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O Lord, why do You reject my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?
15 I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on;
I suffer Your terrors; I am overcome.
16 Your burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have destroyed me.
17 They have surrounded me like water all day long;
They have encompassed me altogether.
18 You have removed lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in darkness.
Psalm 88 is a real faith-booster, right? We can see his sorrow and all that has been taken from him. What we don’t hear is God’s revelation. What we don’t see is God’s deliverance. – there is no shout of joy. Who included Psalm 88 in Israel’s and the church’s praise book and why? Talk about a buzz-kill!
I am so grateful for Psalm 88. Admit it, be honest – you don’t always hear from God; you don’t always have the Light breakthrough; you are sometimes left in the darkness and in the silence. This Psalm is for you. This may sound weird, but I am so blessed and encouraged and comforted by the fact that the author of this Psalm didn’t get his miracle. But here’s what I want you to notice and rejoice in and be encouraged by – he begins in verse 1 by addressing the Lord: O Lord, the God of my salvation…
All of his complaining, all of his lamenting, all of his sorrows are addressed to the Lord and in the presence of the Lord. This psalmist is full of faith! Yes, he is full of faith because he has not allowed his trouble and the darkness and the silence keep his soul from God. It is to God and in the presence of God and in the hope of God that he pours forth all his depression and funk and despair and questions. So, own your depression and funk – but don’t let it own you. Had the author of this Psalm allowed his depression to own him, he never would have penned this Psalm. He was surrounded, yes. But he didn’t surrender.
Don’t surrender. Cry to the Lord.
