"Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king . . . ."
"It's the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you ‘Be of good cheer’
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It's the hap-happiest season of all . . . ."
Andy Williams
. . . . and on and on it goes! The airwaves are glutted with all sorts of lyrics and tunes designed to get people into the ‘holiday spirit’. Yes, it’s the "hap-happiest season of all . . . ." and yet for so many of us, it is also the saddest time of the year as well. All of the hustle and bustle--the time constraints we place upon ourselves of preparing for Christmas--("Are you ready for Christmas, yet?")--All of the family gatherings intended to be so warm and uplifting (are they?)--All of the gift giving and receiving (will there be enough money to cover everything?). Where does it end? Has the season that should be the most wonderful time become the most exhausting and depressing time of the year, instead?
I’m fairly certain king David never celebrated ‘Christmas’ as a holiday per-say, but there are places in the Psalms that are so melancholy, maybe even downright depressed. Psalm 42: is an example:
"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God. [NIV]
I want to drink God,
deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God alive.
I wonder, ‘Will I ever make it–
Arrive and drink in God’s presence?’
I’m on a diet of tears—
tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
people knock at my door,
Pestering,
‘Where is this God of yours?’
These are things I go over and over,
emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
right out in front,
Leading them all,
eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
why are you crying the blues?" Psalm 42:1-5a [MSG]
The Psalmist had been thrust into a dark mood (some scholars place the historical setting at the time when the people of Israel were being forcibly removed from Jerusalem and Palestine to go into exile). The present circumstances were causing the writer to reflect upon pleasant memories of the past, mingling them together with the present doubts, fears and recurrent puzzling questions being repeatedly thrust into his face as jeers: "Where is your God [NOW]?!" And he was deeply troubled and disturbed--so much so that even the ‘heart-talk’ that he used within himself to lift his spirits just didn’t seem to ‘cut it’:
"Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God!"
Even rehearsing everything he knew about his mighty God--full of grace and majesty seemed not to lift him out of his doldrums. In fact, all this wonderful knowledge crashed in upon him so that he was ever more deeply "crushed"! What to do?
Jesus, the Lord experienced at least on one occasion (probably even more often) a circumstance that was comparable to the Psalmist’s. During His crucifixion, Jesus suffered beyond what any one of us could ever imagine. At one point, His agony and inner turmoil seemed to have passed beyond the threshold of endurance and He cried out; "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!?" (Matthew 27:46 [NIV]). Here was utter despair--the feeling of total abandonment. And yet only a short time later as He breathed His last, this total sense of hopelessness which had earlier expressed itself in complete desolation was altogether defeated--replaced with an almost calm, even serene (but loud) statement of resignation; "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:45). What had happened--how was this turned completely around?
People who are familiar with the events of Jesus’ death on the cross, will almost immediately recognize the content of Psalm 22:. It is almost a blow by blow description of the events of the day Jesus died. In fact, it opens with His heart-rending lament of stunned dismay:
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent." Psalm 22:1-2
Take note that in the midst of His suffering and deepest despair and desolation, Jesus seems to remember something--It is a faint ray of hope that changes everything! :
"And yet you are holy,
making your home amid the praises of Israel."
Psalm 22:3 [a paraphrase]
Did Jesus remember to praise God even as He suffered, realizing that His Father inhabits the very praises of His people? Was this the vital link that lifted the Son of God out of the darkest pit of doom and despair?
Could it be that the writer of Psalm 42: came to understand this as well? His former timid half-hearted remark finally became a robust affirmation of confidence:
"Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God!" Psalm 42:11 [MSG]
Understanding that God promised to love him all during the day and sing songs to him in the night (sweet God lullabies whispered in his ear all night long?-See v.8), made praising Him possible.
What about us as we experience times of high stress and anxiety (like Christmas)? Is it possible to establish a vibrant and vital link to the God who loves us so dearly, by expressing gratitude, thanksgiving--even praise to Him? Who knows, He might surprise us with a joy unspeakable!
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