When Nothing Seems to Work

The book of psalms in the Bible is often thought of as a book of joyful songs and uplifting praises to God. But the truth is the book is filled with honest expressions of grief, sadness, loneliness, and even despair. The psalmists were very real with God with their hurt. And in most psalms at some point in each heavy chapter there is a shift where the psalmist begins praising God for who He is (by faith) or remembering great things God has done (stirring up faith). And usually after the psalmist begins declaring God’s name or what He has done the rest of the chapter becomes brighter and more hopeful.

That Bible study was so encouraging to me and I used to apply it to every hard situation in life. Whenever things got tough I would take time to praise God’s name by faith and also remember what God has done. And most of the times this helped a lot. But I soon learned that it didn’t always work because some situations were just too heavy. The praising, the remembering, the declaring who He is… these things were no longer enough to lift the depression. But is it Biblical to not experience a shift? Shouldn’t we always improve? This leads to Psalm 88…

Psalm 88 is the saddest chapter in the whole book. It begins sad and it ends sad. There is not a single verse of hope. It’s all bleak. Here is a sampling…

Psalm 88:1-2 – O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
Psalm 88:7 – Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
Psalm 88:9 – My eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you.
Psalm 88:13-14 – But I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Why, O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
And the chapter ends with…
Psalm 88:18 – You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.

The chapter starts rough. It stays rough in the middle. And it ends rough. And yet despite the sadness, the negativity, and the accusations, this was included in the Bible as the Word of God. Sometimes in life things don’t get better, at least not for a while. For some of those in prison for their faith or those who are very sick or those who have endured horrible injustice, they won’t receive comfort for an extended season or until they are on the other side where God will “wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).

Sometimes a moment of praise and remembering who God is and what He has done can be all that it takes to get us out of a funk. Sometimes being honest with God and laying all our complaints out before Him can also be freeing. And sometimes doing everything we think can help (praying, fasting, praising, being real and laying it all out, talking with people, getting counseling, and on and on) won’t be enough. We’ll still remain in the same place like the author of Psalm 88. But the comfort we can hold on to is knowing that God is always hearing us. He heard Psalm 88 when it was prayed. It was a prayer that honored God enough to be included in the Bible.

Sometimes depression, sickness, and suffering can be a mystery that can never be solved or understood. But at least we know we worship a God who sees and a God who cares. We worship a God who treasures when His sons and daughters are real with Him. So do not despair or condemn yourself if you are in a very heavy season and feel distant from God or overwhelmed. You aren’t alone. Psalm 88 seasons happen to the best of us. Sometimes the season is short, sometimes the season is long. Even in the darkest and heaviest moments He is listening to you and He is working.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.