Yearning for God in the Midst of Distress

Psalm 43:5 - Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 42:5,11 - Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Three times the writer called out to the LORD. That truly is yearning for God. While it is not absolutely known who wrote these two psalms, it is supposed to be more of David's. The title in my Bible for Psalm 43 is Yearning for God in the Midst of Distress. 

I've noticed lately my blogs have taken on a heavier note. I had mentioned this to someone I hardly even knew the other day. Being a fellow believer she confirmed my innermost thought that, despite distress, we have this hope referred to in these three scriptures. 

I go through times of distress like anyone else and I believe I just came out of one of those times. It was a type of oppression in my spirit which I wonder manifested itself in physical ailments. It's at times like this that we are to look to God and rely on Him to get us through. He is so there for us. He stands constantly at the door of our hearts, knocking, wanting us to open the door for Him. I finally called out to Him and I believe He heard. All that is gone. 

I've mentioned this previously: There is an old picture of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. If you Google that description you will see images of Him standing at a door...without a door knob on His side! (I have seen some with knobs. I wonder if the artist might have missed the spiritual significance of the scripture.) He will not enter in unless we invite Him. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:8-9)

The word is near us...the Word who is Jesus is near us always, waiting for the next person to call on His name for deliverance. I'm so glad I responded to His call. I rejected Him big time long ago. It's hard to believe I have changed my stance and how grateful I am. 

There are distressing days occurring. Many don't understand what's happening but they sense it. I'm believing it's during these times some will seek God. There will always be those who will not because they think what we see is just another hiccup in life. Time will tell.

King David knew of distress. He had sinned against God yet God still looked at him as a man after His own heart. If He will do that for him, He will do that for anyone else. When we call on the name of the Lord, He saves us. In the King James Version of these psalms it reads: ...for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Health is defined as: salvation, deliverance, victory.

We have victory in Jesus, as the old hymn goes. He can be our salvation forever. He has gone through the agony of seeking and buying us through His blood shed on the cross, all which He did voluntarily, without complaint, because he loves us with an everlasting love. He is our Deliverer. So I will praise His name forever. My hope is in Him.

If anyone's heart is distressed, for any reason, He is a better choice than alcohol, drugs, psychiatrists, even taking one's own life, to ease the pain. If a person's heart is truly desiring a change, Jesus is the answer.

Psalm 18:2, 19:14 - The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Oh, That Men Would Give Thanks to the Lord, Pt.1

Psalm 107:1-3 - Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 

There countless numbers of examples in the Bible that speak of salvation. Why do we need to be saved? Because we are all sinners. But we need to be told this. We need to understand and the Bible has the examples! As another scripture points out (about creation, but why not about the power of God for all things, too?), For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, (‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭20). So, if there are countless examples of God's redemptive qualities, His love for mankind, His plan for salvation, we are, pretty much, without excuse to know.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

There are five scenarios brought up in Psalm 107. They start out as a time of distress. When a people, or a person, come(s) to a low point in life, God is able to deliver them. He will deliver when we earnestly seek Him to be saved. Just because we say we know who God is does not always mean we really know Him. But God can get us to know Him in many ways. We may not know at first what we are being saved from but the instant we realize we need His help He steps in. For me it was not seeing my sin but being in a turmoil, similar to some of these instances. I called out for the help I realized only He could bring, which I so desired. The understanding that I was a sinner came later. Oh, yes, I did not think I was a sinner! 

We are, as it were, in distress and feeling at our lowest point when God hopes our eyes look up. It's a very well used analogy: where else can we look but up when we are so down. And spiritually we look to God for our help. God has given us some amazing examples all throughout His Word.

So, several examples in one Psalm. Examples of God's salvation. One difference...while these were physical distresses in need of physical help, it points to His spiritual salvation, His free gift to each of us when we choose to receive it.

I will do two examples today and the other three tomorrow. Picture what these people were going through. 

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. (Verses 1-3)

- the hand of the enemy=satan, who is the root cause of our sin, even today

- for all people

- only God can redeem

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Vs. 4-9)

- we wander a wilderness without God

- man cannot deliver, but the Lord can

- He is the Way

- only He thoroughly satisfies with His goodness (through salvation and later His Word)

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons—because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High, therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two. (Vs.10-16)

- our sin ensnares each of us

- when we rebel against God, refuse Him, we are in captivity

- like Israel in their captivity in Egypt...slaves, in bondage

- only God can release us

- when we call out He is merciful

Only Jesus can release any bondage to sin we have. We cannot hope we are good enough. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. We cannot compare ourselves to anyone else because all are sinners and
all sin is just plain sin to God. Because of His goodness and His choice to be crucified for our sins, are we saved, not our own. Our hearts must be inclined first to God...Jesus...allow Him to bring us out of our sinful bondage. 

More examples tomorrow. Let's give thanks to God! His mercy endures forever.