The Fight: Psalms 57 & 142
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When David was on the run, hiding to save his life, he wrote two psalms about living in caves. During that period, sometimes he felt hopeful and encouraged (Psalm 57), and at other times he felt hopeless and discouraged (Psalm 142). In both, he is up and down, fighting for faith.
In the encouraged one, Psalm 57, David starts out positive, with a little negative creeping in, and combatting that with more hopefulness:
He starts with the idea that "in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by" (1). That’s hopeful.
Then he reflects that "My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts..." (4). That's not good. A little discouragement is creeping in.
But he counters it with, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!...They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves" (5-6). When the discouragement creeps in, he looks to God.
And he concludes with "My heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! I will awake the dawn!" (7-8). He’s going to get his day started with an internal fight for joy based on truth about his close relationship with God.
So: he starts positive, negativity creeps in, and he fights for faith and joy successfully.
On the other hand, Psalm 142, the discouraged cave psalm, has its own little dance. It starts negative this time, fights back with a little positive, and then gets discouraged again:
"I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him" (1-2). He's discouraged in the cave.
Then he fights back: "When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!" Hopeful.
But that doesn't cheer him up because his “way” is littered with enemies: "In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me...no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul" (3-4). Back to bleakness.
Then he realizes he overstated his despair. The "no refuge" comment brings conviction: "I cry to you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my refuge...'" He's fighting for joy.
But it doesn't last long. Thinking about crying to the Lord just makes him feel alone again: "Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!" (8).
Then, he begins to hope against hope: "Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name...for you will deal bountifully with me" (7).
We learn a lesson here. Though you hope in God, in the victory won for you by Jesus Christ on the cross, you still have to fight as well. Encouragement doesn't just happen as soon as some accurate theology is stated. Christians must faithfully cling to the faithful God and fight for encouragement by the power of his Holy Spirit. It's not about deciding to be happy and never being discouraged again. That's not faith. Faith is in the fight.