Title Overcoming Despair / Psalm 13:1-6
Content Overcoming Despair / Psalm 13:1~6 Rev. Kiho Um
There is a story like this in the Christian legend. One day the devil put out an advertisement to put his tools up for auction. Upon hearing the news, buyers gathered like a cloud, and there was a strange looking tool marked 'not for sale'. When the assembled people asked, 'Why is this not for sale?', the devil answered: “I can give you all the other tools, but I cannot give you this. Because this is the most useful tool I have. This object is called 'desperation', and even if you have it in your heart that cannot be reached by anything else, you can easily break through it with just this. Putting this into the heart of a person opens the door for me to plant anything I want.” It is a meaningful illustration that cannot be passed on just for fun. When we are in despair, like this illustration, the devil can get into our minds more easily than any other way, and he can use us as his plaything.
In John Bunyan's book, there is a castle called 'Castle of Meetings' and its owner was a giant named Despair. Goethe said, "Where man despairs, no god can live." In other words, despair is the biggest obstacle that not only brings us down to reality and makes us unable to progress any further, but also distances us from God. As we well know, the author of this text, David, was a man who had been in great trouble for a long time. But he always appealed to God, whether in a desperate situation or when he was depressed.
In today's text, he prays, 'Has God forgotten me?' and 'Has God forsaken me?' Even in his dying state, he offered prayers of supplication and supplication to God. As David lived, he became a fugitive and a conqueror, and he wept and sang. Like David, our lives have ups and downs. Sometimes healthy and ill, sometimes rich, sometimes poor, sometimes successful and sometimes unsuccessful.一喜一悲 一喜一悲. Life is a cycle of happy and sad events. Life is about climbing the head of life, crying, laughing, sad and rejoicing. But, as Wenalk said, people are more deceived by despair than deceived by hope. And I am afraid of the self-made despair. When something fails, they become pessimistic and think that the road ahead is blocked. So, what should we believers do when a desperate situation unfolds?
First, be patient and have hope (verses 1-2).
“How long” in the text also confirms that the tribulation period is limited. It is for this reason that it is a desperate situation but rather full of hope. Just as we can only know what love is when we are abandoned by our loved ones, and what it means to be human when we are betrayed by others, when we feel abandoned by God is when we can discover the image of God. The time when you feel completely forsaken is when God is within you. Even in the dark environment that comes from time to time, what we need to know is that the way to light is clearly open before us. Although trials are harsh, remember that they are stepping stones that will help you take the leap to a better life.
Second, pray that your eyes may be opened (verses 3-4).
In verses 3 and 4, “Remember me, O LORD my God, and answer me, and open my eyes, lest I sleep in the sleep of death… ” he said. Here we find that David never fell, even in despair. Rather, he resisted sentimentality and put his hands together in prayer to the living God. And in this prayer, David's amazing faith shines. David called “Yahweh” “my God.” For David, God was not far away. He was a very close person, a person with a personal relationship. To him, God was a living Father who directly visited him, was by his side, knew everything and helped him.
God is merciful and mighty, without lack or failure. Nevertheless, we fail because our faith in God is blinded and we are separated from God by ourselves. David, knowing this, first prayed, “Open my eyes.” The eyes are above all a sign of an active force. When a person is ill or sad, the brilliance of the eyes darkens (Psalm 6:7), and when a person is restored to life, they shine again (1 Samuel 14:27, 29). When these eyes are opened and we can see the hand of God's providence, we can absolutely trust and give thanks to God in any adversity. I hope that your eyes will be opened in the dark alleys of life, that you will see the hand of God in your presence, that you will be freed from all despair and filled with hope and courage in life.
Third, sing the joyful praise of salvation (verses 5-6).
“But I have put my trust in Your lovingkindness, and my heart will rejoice in Your salvation” (verse 5). This is a passage where you can feel the joy of ultimate hope that David found in despair. All doubts, loneliness, anguish, fear, and sorrow vanish by trusting in God completely, and David confesses that he praises God in his salvation and love. No despairing situation could destroy David, who could have been happy with God alone. True faith dispels all doubts. True faith overcomes all despair and leads us to hope and success. May we overcome despair by trusting fully in a God who delivers us from the hand of our enemies, comforts us, loves us, and blesses us. And, like David, I hope that we will become saints who praise God with joy because of the God who is with us.
Even at this time, God speaks to those who are desperate in the trials of tribulation, pain, and problems. “Do not be afraid, be strong and courageous, I will be with you” (Joshua 1:9) Are you in despair right now? Even if all the pain and suffering in the world come like waves, worry and anxiety like a typhoon, and sadness and discouragement like a flood, don't be shaken. Please don't get flustered and don't be discouraged. Let's become saints who have patience and hope like David, pray to see God's providence, and rejoice because of the one God who promised salvation.