Psalm 118 and Hope for the Depressed: Finding God’s Mercy

When Depression Feels Like Drowning

In the depths of depression, many of us have said things like, "I feel like I'm drowning," "I'm so totally exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally," or "I'm sinking and totally stuck." Sometimes it's difficult to express the enormity of the emotional toll depression takes on us. We feel like there is no way out, like no one cares, or we believe the way we feel is how life will always be. I think the psalmist who wrote Psalm 118 may have been familiar with those feelings.

Psalm 118 and Hope for the Depressed: God Hears Our Cry

In Psalm 118 he expresses a new hope for the depressed that overcomes despair. He described being healed, saying,

"I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place."

Psalm 118:5.

Out of the depths of depression he reached out to God, and not only did God answer him, but he also "set me in a broad place." In other words, instead of feeling trapped, or stuck, or like he was drowning, God put him in a spacious place, somewhere he could breathe, somewhere he didn't feel like he was trapped. David's testimony is especially powerful for those who have experienced depression so severe that they've had moments of wanting to die.

Sadly, some people reach these dark places, but this is not God's will. His will is for us to live and to have an abundant life overflowing with His blessings (John 10:10). Even in our darkest moments, we can call on the Lord as David did. His ear is always open to our cry, no matter how desperate or broken we may feel.

“When we call on the Lord in our distress, He answers and sets us in a broad place where we can breathe and hope is renewed.”

God’s Mercy That Endures Forever

Four times David tells us at the beginning of the psalm that the "Lord's mercy endures forever!" That’s not just poetry. It’s a reminder that God’s mercy is constant, even when life feels unbearable. We need to hear it over and over, just like David did. God's mercy does not depend on us but on Him. He is merciful when we feel like we deserve no mercy. He is faithful to us when we are not faithful to Him. He is merciful even when he chastises us.

He may discipline us, and it may be hard to bear. But as the psalmist says, "He has not given me over to death" (Psalm 118:18). He has saved many of us from death and brought us into that "broad place." David's realization that God is always there for him gives him peace about whom to really trust.

Trusting God Rather Than People Who Hurt Us

David says the "Lord is for me" so what "can man do to me" (Psalm 118:6)? If our hope is in God, not men, then we will not be disappointed. How often do we allow the hurt that another person does to us define us? We dwell on that hurt and disappointment instead of turning to the one whose mercy endures forever. We hear this in our words and thoughts because out of our sadness we often say, "Well this person did this bad thing to me" or "If they hadn't hurt me, I wouldn't feel this way." When we place our trust in God rather than people we can experience the kind of strength and salvation only He can provide.

The Lord Our Strength, Song, and Salvation

But David says to "trust in the Lord" (Psalm 118:8-9). He doesn't say to trust in man because they will disappoint us. We can't have confidence in them, but we can in God. When David calls out to God, he says God was his "strength and song and has become my salvation" Psalm 118:14). David quoted Exodus 15:2 where Moses sang his song of victory after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. Moses experienced the same strength, confidence, and trust that David did.

This strength that God gives him isn't just physical, but spiritual. When David speaks of "my salvation", the Hebrew word for salvation is yeshua, from which we get the name Jesus. When we feel mentally devastated by sorrow, when we are at our weakest, even then Jesus can provide us with the spiritual strength to continue. Have we sinned, or failed in our lives, to the point where we feel there is no hope left for us? He will always be our strength and our salvation if we call on Him.

Rejoicing in the God Who Acts Powerfully

The righteous rejoice because of their salvation. And because the "right hand of the Lord does valiantly" (Psalm 118:15). To our modern ears, that seems like such a strange expression. But David repeats it because he wants us to understand this: God acts powerfully on behalf of His beloved people to rescue them. We can rejoice because through His Son we have gained righteousness.

In Psalm 118:17 David says he won't die but that he will live—and why? He lives so that he can tell others what the Lord has done for him. When God rescues us, our natural reaction should be to live our lives to share the fact that "His mercy endures forever!" How many people do we know that need to hear this? How many people are "drowning" in sorrow because they don't realize that God is merciful and compassionate and longs to strengthen them? God will provide for our needs.

David desires to enter the gate of righteousness so he can praise the Lord. When the gate is opened, he praises God because "You have become my salvation" (Psalm 118:19-21). We are reminded of 1 John 1:9, where John tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." What else could we do but praise God for becoming our salvation and cleansing us from unrighteousness?

Jesus the Chief Cornerstone of Redemption

In Psalm 118:22 we read,

"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."

While David may have been referring to himself in this verse, New Testament writers considered it to be a prophecy of Jesus. This is echoed in Isaiah 28:16. Rejected though He was by those He came to save, Jesus became the "chief cornerstone." A cornerstone was the stone that builders used to guide the construction of their buildings. As such, Jesus' sacrifice is the very foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-21). This cornerstone of salvation causes David to rejoice.

No longer does David see days filled with unrelenting distress. Psalm 118 is his song of hope for the depressed. Now he announces to everyone who will hear him,

"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Are you able to wake up in the morning and rejoice in your day? When was the last time you felt gladness in your heart that you could live another day? When you have steadfast faith you can face trials with hope. David's praise causes him to express his total dedication to the Lord.

A Life Dedicated to God’s Purpose

In Psalm 118:27 David says to "Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar." Literally, this is how an animal was positioned before it was slaughtered on the altar as a sacrifice. David pictures his own life in this way. He is totally dedicated to whatever purpose God has set him apart for. It is his intention to fulfill God's designs for his life. It is a symbolic expression of devotion and surrender to God.

David repeats twice, "You are my God, and I will praise you" (Psalm 118:28). Why this emphasis? Notice that word, "my." It's there because the relationship David has with God is deeply personal. This is not a far-off God who is barely aware of His people. David's God is His God, living and true, faithful and ever-present. Because David's God has lifted him out of his distress and spared his life, because David's God has strengthened him and is merciful, and because his God has brought him salvation, David will praise Him. All of Psalm 118 expresses a hope for the depressed who find God's mercy.

Are we reaching out to the God to whom David reached out? Are we seeking salvation from our distress? I’ve been in places in life where I felt like I was sinking. But even then, when I called out to God, I found real hope to keep going. David knew that same thing: hope comes from God’s mercy, not from how we feel. If you are drowning in despair, seek Him as David did, and when you seek Him with all your heart you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Are you desperate for Jesus? God bless you on your journey of seeking.