From Sadness To Singing
Psalm 13:1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
[2] How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
[3] Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
[4] Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
[5] But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
[6] I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
It has been said that songs and music are the language of the soul.
Music has the ability to quicken your heart rate; it can cause you to relax.
It can alter your mood, it can cause you to feel depressed, or it can cheer you up.
Music can excite your emotions or it can help you to meditate upon the Lord. It can cause anxiety or relieve anxiety.
Whether we realize it or not, music affects us.
That’s why it’s so important to listen to the right kind of music and ask the right kind of questions.
How does it affect me emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually?
If the kind of music that I’m listening to is not helping me, then I’m not going to listen to it.
Because it’s just not worth the risk! Why would I listen to something that is hazardous to my spiritual health?
I’m not going to take the chance.
The Bible talks about music. As a matter of fact, music was important to the people of Israel.
They sang and the played musical instruments as they marched into battle.
They sang after they won the battle.
Exodus 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
[2] The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Music is powerful!
David played music to soothe the heart of King Saul when he had been tormented by an evil spirit.
That evil spirit would leave for awhile, and Saul was strengthened physically and emotionally. (See 1 Samuel 16)
Years later it was David who needed encouragement. He was depressed and he was suffering emotionally because he was battling with the spirit of despair.
And in Psalm 13 we hear this man crying desperately for God to help him.
He was in a situation or circumstance that he obviously felt like he just couldn’t deal with it anymore.
There are a lot of folks who feel this way today. They are troubled in their spirit. They’re stressed to the limit. They’re over worked and under paid.
They’re having family problems; teenage problems, money problems, etc…
Depression is having a field day. It’s attacking all ages, cultures, and genders.
I’ve come to tell you; don’t lie down to that spirit. Don’t give up your spiritual walk with God to entertain depression.
Sing your way out of it! Worship your way out of it!
Music won’t solve your problems, but listening to the right kind of music sure will encourage you; it sure will make you feel better.
And when you feel better about yourself, you won’t be stressed and depressed.
It’s not a good feeling when you feel like nobody cares, or that you’ve been forgotten or forsaken, and that all your efforts to hear from God are useless.
That’s how David felt. He was struggling with depression.
I’ve walked into somebody’s house today! You need to know something; God still knows who you are. He has not forgotten you. He has not forsaken you.
He knows where you live. He knows your name. He knows about your situation.
David was so depressed that He actually felt like God had forgotten him.
Psalm 13:1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
Some historians believe that at the time David wrote the 13th Psalm that he was running from Saul.
The men of King Saul were hunting David like an animal.
He constantly had to look over his back to make sure that his enemy wasn’t able to catch him by surprise.
He had come close to death so many times but somehow managed to escape.
And now he is weary; he is drained physically, mentally, and emotionally.
He is running on fumes and it was during this time in his desperation for help that he writes, God, when are you going to help me.
Who am I talking to today? You’ve been disappointed, you have faced traumatic failures, you’ve suffered severe losses, you have felt isolated and disillusioned, and you’ve been wondering why God let you get in the shape that you’re in.
Can I tell you that God wants to pick you up? He wants to encourage you. He wants to heal you emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
And He’s the only one who can.
Because whether you’re saved or not, life is still life! And in life we all share similar experiences, we all experience sorrow and loss and disappointments.
But you’ve got to stop letting life do something with you and start doing something with life.
That’s what Jesus was talking about when He said I’ve come to give you life and to give it to you more abundantly.
That’s why Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
It’s through those difficult times in life that God will give you strength to get through it.
Anybody ever prayed and couldn’t find God?
David could not find God. He felt like God had forgotten him. But I want you to notice something; that even though he felt like God had forgotten him that was not his main concern.
He knew that God was able to help him. And it’s true that he did feel like God had forgotten about him, but he wanted to know for how long.
God, how long are you going to forget about me, will it be forever.
My point: David never gave up on God.
Whatever happens; however you feel, don’t give up on God.
David didn’t understand what was going on. God wasn’t turning his back on him; he was turning his back toward him.
What do you mean?
The day came when Jesus turned his back to us, [not from us but to us] at the whipping post and He bore stripes for our healing and redemption.
Can I tell somebody that God is not turning his back from you, he’s turning it to you.
Don’t give up on God. For by his stripes we are healed, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
No wonder Paul said, rejoice in your tribulation. God’s turning his back to you. He’s offering healing in whatever aspect you need it.
Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
When God puts our sins behind His back, he is not overlooking them; He’s taking care of them. He’s getting rid of them.
He turns his back and says, the price has been paid; you can be healed physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
It is normal to fell forsaken when we feel forgotten and all of our efforts seem to be useless.
You talk about feeling hopeless. You talk about despair.
This is what David was going through.
Psalm 13:2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
David is telling us something here. He’s telling us that it’s just not wise to counsel ourselves.
We need the counsel of wise elders and especially of God.
David counseled himself because he didn’t feel like he had any other option.
He’s running for his life. He didn’t feel like there was anybody to turn to for help, so he turned to himself even though he knew that wasn’t the wisest thing to do.
But he was hungry to hear from God. He wanted God to counsel him. He wanted God to encourage him and he wanted God to clear the sorrow from his heart.
But he felt like God had forsaken him.
When we start feeling like God has forsaken us or let us down there’s something we need to remember.
There is One who is touchable and approachable when were struggling with feelings of infirmity.
Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
In His humanity, Jesus felt abandoned. (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
We know that he wasn’t forsaken, but he felt like he was.
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, … My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Because He suffered and endured, now He can give us strength in our times of trouble.
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Look at what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [9] Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
Paul is telling us that things are not as bad as they seem to be.
The Three Hebrews suffered the fiery furnace but they weren’t destroyed.
Daniel suffered the lion den but He wasn’t destroyed.
Peter suffered death threats and jail, but he wasn’t destroyed.
John suffered in a pot of boiling oil on the Isle of Patmos, but he wasn’t destroyed.
Hold your head up, it’s not as bad as it looks, you may be suffering, but you can’t be destroyed.
For if God be for you, who can be against you?
David was going through a difficult time in his life so he began to sing.
Psalm 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
[6] I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
In spite of the trials, burdens and disappointments in life, you can have a song in your heart.
I’m talking about a song that is unexplainable.
It’s not subject to your emotional state. It doesn’t require the absence of trouble.
But it can display itself in the most unusual times and under the harshest of circumstances.
But it’s there in your heart, and it’s ready to bubble over to soothe your soul.
Paul and Silas were in jail in the midnight hour and they prayed and sang praises unto God and when they did God sent an earthquake that shook that place and immediately opened all the doors and every one’s bands were loosed.
When your faith is in God you can sing a song of praise.
Even though had some questions he had a song of trust in his heart. He knew that God could deliver him.
Trust is the deepest dimension of faith in God. The Bible is a book of faith. Faith is extremely important in your walk with God.
Because during those hard times, it’s faith that causes you to trust God and remain committed to Him.
It’s one thing to say that I have faith in God when everything is going well.
But it’s another thing to example that faith when I’m going through hell on earth.
There is a song of trust that will carry you through the dark times.
David knew and trusted in the mercy of God. He had witnessed God’s gracious dealings with the people of Israel from the days of his childhood.
He had experienced God’s mercy in his encounter with Goliath on the battlefield when God delivered the giant into his hand.
But little did David realize that he was yet to explore the depths of God’s mercy in his later years for it would be some years later that David’s sin with Bathsheba would be exposed by the prophet Nathan and he would have to throw himself upon God’s mercy.
David cried out to God in bitter and heartfelt repentance for his terrible sin.
In that moment he discovered the purest dimension of God’s mercy; he deserved only death and judgment but received forgiveness and grace.
You may deserve to be judged, but God is offering mercy today.
Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
[12] Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
The song in David’s heart was a song of praise and rejoicing.
The sweet Psalmist of Israel made beautiful melodies with his harp and singing, but perhaps his sweetest songs were the ones in his heart.
It doesn’t matter if you can play or sing, there’s a song of praise that you can possess when you confidence is in God.
You may be going through troublesome times, but your heart can be filled with the joy of the Lord in a heartfelt song of praise.
The apostle Paul told the Ephesians in 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
He said sing a praise to the Lord.
God has given us the song of praise we just have to start singing it.
David had a song of salvation in his heart. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
Out of all the things that we ought to be thankful for; salvation ought to be first on the list.
David rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord.
We have something to be thankful for.
No matter what we’re going through. No matter how many things go wrong.
We have something to be thankful for.
I’m not where I used to be. I’ve been forgiven. I’ve been baptized in Jesus name. I’ve been filled with the Holy Ghost.
I’m not perfect, but I am saved. I have something that David did not have. I have the Holy Ghost.
We have a new song of salvation.
Psalm 96:1 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
[2] Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
I’ve come to tell you stop bellyaching and sing.
Stop complaining and sing. Stop gripping about everything about the church and sing.
Stop taking it out on everybody else and sing.
Sing a new song unto the Lord.
Psalm 98:1 O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
[2] The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
Rev. 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Can’t nobody sing your song but you. Because nobody came out of the stuff you came out of.
You have something to be thankful for. You have something to sing about.
Rev. 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
It’s time to Rejoice! Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!
David realized that he had a lot to be thankful for.
He had a song of gratitude in his heart for the blessings of God, who dealt with him bountifully. [vrs. 6]
Understand: If we choose to dwell on our problems and troubles to the degree that we allow them to become the center of our lives and the topic of our family conversation, we will develop a sense of despair that will lower us into the depths of depression.
Despair; sadness; hopelessness; gloominess; dejection.
And before we know it we will find ourselves in a dilemma of pain and sorrow so deep and difficult that we won’t be able to get ourselves out of.
But if we choose to dwell on the blessings and the grace of God in our lives, the pain and the troubles will all soon be over.
Whatever you choose to focus on will be the ongoing object of your attention.
Make sure that what you’re focusing on can give you happiness in the times of trouble.
Even though David felt so low because of his troubles he was able to lift himself above his troubles through praising God for his blessings.
That’s the kind of song God has given to us.
We can have a song of praise in our hearts for the blessings of God.
Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Conclusion:
I would imagine that everybody has experienced the feelings of despair.
David felt like God had forgotten about him. He felt like God had forsaken him and he felt like all his efforts were useless.
But he would not give up. He prayed for God to consider him and to hear his cry.
But I want you to notice what else he prayed and asked God for.
Even though he felt forsaken, he knew that this was a walk of faith and not feeling, and he prayed and asked God not to let his troubles affect his spiritual growth.
He said, don’t let my problems keep me from being saved.
Somebody today needs to refocus.
David prayed, God enlighten me. Don’t let this problem come between me and you.
Don’t let this problem put its foot on me, let me put my foot on it.
Let me rise above it.
As long as David stayed focused on his troubles and problems his song was a song of despair.
But when he changed the object that he was focusing on, that he was talking about, it changed his song.
He started singing a song of praise and trust for God’s mercy, salvation, and blessing.
He changed his focus and when he did, his song changed from a song of sadness to a song of joy!
We need to change our focus. And instead of focusing on our problems, our hurts, and our troubles and disappointments, start focusing on the goodness of God, it will change our song from a song of sorrow to a song of praise and joy.
Changing our focus changes our song, and that lifts us from distress and depression to a state of confident faith and trust in God.
