Coping With Discouragements (Psalms 42 & 43)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
28 September 2025
The psalmist is cast down. The context is probably the time of Jewish exile.
To be cast down is to be discouraged.
The reasons for being cast down?
The psalmist was separated from the community of believers. Believers need each other. Together they come before the Lord God with joy and praise. Separation from this leads to being cast down. Being loosed from fellowship is like being loosed of a body-limb.
The world was taunting him. It perceived there was no God — no God to help the distraught psalmist. Christians will be taunted by ungodly people. In this life we shall have tribulation. The world will continually say “Where is your God?”
The psalmist looked at circumstances rather than the Lord God. He looked at his isolation and his sadness, and the mocking of the unbelieving world. Looking at your situation and not at the Saviour will not help you.
How did the psalmist resolve his dilemma? He faced the fact that he was depressed. “Why are you cast down, O my soul?” Resolution of problems begins with recognition of problems. He was honest with himself and spoke to himself.
The psalmist used the means God has given, that is, prayer, faith and hope. When cast down, keep praying, keep believing, and keep hoping. God will never forsake you.
The psalmist prayed for his personal issues. But at a deeper level he was in fact praying for kingdom issues. He was cast down because of the sad state of Israel. Israel was God’s chosen vessel for the salvation which was to come to the human race. But Israel was in a terrible situation. How could it be a blessing to the world? The psalmist was cast down because Israel was cast down.
Observe how other Bible characters were grieved when God’s people were in dire straits.
Eli, although not the best of priests, nevertheless realized the importance of the ark of the covenant. When the ark was captured Eli fell backwards and died (1 Samuel 4:18).
The Jews in captivity were cast down. They could not sing the Lord’s songs in a foreign land (Psalm 137:4).
Nehemiah wept and mourned when he heard of the distress of the Jews in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity (Neh.1:3,4). He fasted and prayed. He was concerned primarily for the advance of God’s kingdom through the chosen nation.
See also the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that on at least two occasions he was cast down, not with his personal issues, but with kingdom issues.
At the death of Lazarus Jesus wept (John 11:35). He wept not only for the death of a friend but more significantly for the terrible devastation sin had caused. He saw Lazarus, a man who, like every human being, bore the image of the Creator. Jesus wept when he saw man in his image in a state of death.
In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was in deep anguish. He prayed the Father if it was possible to save the elect other than through his death. But there was no way. It was ordained that Jesus the Lamb of God would die. Jesus was in anguish for the kingdom of God’s sake not for his personal sake.
Whatever your need, the Lord will provide for you. But it is necessary that you seek God’s kingdom first. All the things that people tend to be downcast over shall be attended to. This is what Jesus taught (Matthew 6:25-34). Put God’s interests first and your interests will be attended to.
Give glory to God for you shall yet praise your Saviour, the help of your countenance.