From Dust to Delight

From Dust to Delight

“My soul cleaveth unto the dust:

quicken thou me according to thy word …

My soul melteth for heaviness:

strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

Psalm 119: 25,28, KJV

Darkness envelopes the soul like a black cloud when depression covers the soul.  Medical reasons, loneliness, bad circumstances, loss of any kind, especially, loss of hope can lead to depression leading to despair and destruction. We don’t know what led to the psalmist’s depression found in our highlighted scripture. We do know he didn’t have the strength to pick himself up—but he did still retain hope, knew where the darkness would be lifted, and his soul renewed in life.

He prayed—

“quicken thou me according to thy word …

strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

I am no mental health worker, doctor, licensed counselor, or pastor, but I understand some suffering, in this black hole, need help from professionals, and can be aided with medication. The Lord uses them as avenues of help and healing. The psalmist didn’t have these at his disposal. He found help and hope in the power of God’s word to lift him from the dust back to delight.

One reason for depression I omitted earlier, is spiritual sickness of sin. The psalmist’s depression appears to have come from sin, his or others, for he—

• Declared his ways;
• asked to be taught the Lord’s ways;
• asked for lying to be removed from his way.

The remedy for the spiritual sickness of sin, leading to depression, is found in repentance and forgiveness.

According to his word …

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation

not to be repented of:

but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

2 Corinthians 7:10, KJV

Depression didn’t exist until sin entered the world. We are mistaken if we believe depression doesn’t happen to Christians. David, Job, and the apostle Paul suffered from this problem—

• David through circumstances and his sin—
• Job and Paul through painful circumstances of loss and/or sickness and persecution.

What brought them through?

• David repented and remembered his redeemer.
• Job kept hoping in his redeemer.
• Paul, he knew his redeemer and kept his eyes fixed on things not seen.

“For our light affliction,

which is but for a moment,

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen are temporal;

but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18, KJV

The same strength David, Job, and Paul had, we have available to us. It doesn’t mean we walk alone. The Lord has given us godly friends to pray for us and encourage us. Greater still, He has given us his Holy Spirit to abide in us, to comfort, and to strengthen us—according to his word—

“I had fainted,

unless I had believed to see

the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD:

be of good courage,

and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the LORD …

The LORD will give strength unto his people;

the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

Psalm 27:13-14; 29:11, KJV

When we believe his word, the Lord quickens or gives life to our spirit through his Holy Spirit. His word is our hope, even when the journey through the darkness becomes long and the light remains a pinhole drawing us forward. One day the light will overcome the darkness—those born of God are overcomers.

“For whatsoever is born of God

overcometh the world:

and this is the victory that overcometh the world,

even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world,

but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

1John 5:4-5, KJV

When you’re laying in the dust, the void of life leaves your mind empty of the Lord’s words of life; when you can’t even pray, here is a prayer for you.

“Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake:

for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble …

Teach me to do thy will;

for thou art my God:

thy spirit is good;

lead me into the land of uprightness …  

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,

to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man …

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

***

Now unto him that is able to do

exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory … Amen.”

Psalm 143:11; 143:10; Ephesians 3:16,19-20.21a. KJV

One final word of encouragement, don’t travel this road alone. The Lord wants to bring you out of the dust and into his delight. In light of eternity, your trial is but for a moment. One day at a time the light will grow until it overcomes the darkness.