Have you ever felt like everyone was against you? That you can’t please anyone and are at odds with the world? Maybe it’s not people, but circumstances that overwhelm you? You feel things will never be better, or right, or good.

As followers of Jesus, we are to find our strength in the joy of the Lord, but let’s be real. Sometimes life is just not very joyful. As the saying goes, bad things happen to good people. It’s not always our own poor choices that land us in places that can steal our joy and leave us hopeless and depressed.

I’m not sure what David’s circumstances were when he penned Psalm 6. He lived through many years of running for his life, rejection from his own children, and the terrible losses that came because of his own sin. For many years, he waited, not yet realizing the promises God had made to him. How did he work through a depressing state of life and keep his faith?

First, David recognized that his present emotions were not how God wanted or intended him to live. He felt a sense of conviction and cried out for God’s help in his temptation to let his feelings rule his life.

Psalm 6:1-5 – O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed. And my soul is greatly dismayed; but You, O Lord—how long? Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; save me because of Your lovingkindness. For there is no mention of You in death; in Sheol who will give You thanks?

Today we would diagnose David as clinically depressed. His circumstances were such that he felt he was going to die. He was greatly dismayed. The Hebrew phrase is translated as “sore vexed” in the KJV, meaning very disturbed, alarmed, terrified, anxious, and afraid. These emotions were even affecting his physical body—his bones were dismayed! Yet he had the spiritual insight to see that God wanted and could give him victory over his feelings. He cried out for God’s grace and mercy.

Also, David came to the point when he said, “Enough is enough.” He desired to be healed and restored to the joy of the Lord, so he changed his perspective. In essence, he holds himself accountable.

Psalm 6:6-7 – I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; it has become old because of all my adversaries.

The Holy Spirit gives us discernment and wisdom to recognize when we are (for lack of a better word) “wallowing” in our grief and depression. I don’t say that to minimize the events that can cause us to have deep feelings, but as David expresses in this psalm, God can help us get past those feelings and let Him heal us. But first, we must take responsibility for our emotions, and any tendency to let them lead.

Finally, David trusted God to deal with the cause of his depressed state of mind. He stopped trying to fix the circumstances, and instead, set his heart and mind on the goodness and power of God.

Psalm 6:8-10 – Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication, the Lord receives my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; they shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.

I’m not a physician or clinical psychologist, but I do know the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, the One who heals. And so do you, if you are a follower of Jesus. His healing isn’t limited to physical ailments and His power isn’t only applicable to physical circumstances. He is our omniscient Creator, who knows our very thoughts before we think them. He created your mind and emotions, and He can heal and restore.

This psalm of David reminds us to call out to God when we find ourselves overwhelmed with emotions too deep to manage. Be encouraged; you’re not the first one to feel the way you do, and you’ll certainly not be the last one. We have hope for healing because Jesus came to bring us abundant life. Let’s choose to live it.

John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.