When It Is Not Well With My Soul

This beloved psalm is a divinely prescribed antidepressant for the soul. We all get
depressed at times and allow the circumstances of life to steal our joy. Rather than praising God and trusting Him, we question Him and complain about the troubles and difficulties He has ordained for our lives. In Psalm 42, the Psalmist honestly admitted he was discouraged and distressed and his heart was fluctuating between faith and doubt, hope and despair, and peace and distress. In light of the ups and downs of life, he modeled how not to be controlled by our feelings or let our joy be dictated by our circumstances. When we are sad because of our feelings, our enemies, and/or our trials, we have a simple choice to make. We can either throw ourselves a pity party or give ourselves a pep talk. What we choose makes all the difference in how we respond to the problems and pressures of life.

1. THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION (vv. 1-4; 6-11; 43:1-4)
A. ABANDONED BY GOD
B. ANTAGONIZED BY ENEMIES
C. AFFLICTED BY TRIALS
2. THE CURE FOR DEPRESSION (vv. 5, 11; 43:5)
A. SELF-CONTEMPLATION
B. SELF-CONFRONTATION