Psalm 88 Page 925

1
God Understands Grief

• Psalm 88 Page 925

2
What Is Grief?

• Grief is the normal process of reacting to a
  loss.
• The loss may be physical (such as a death),
  social (such as divorce), or occupational (such
  as a job). Emotional reactions of grief can
  include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and
  despair. Physical reactions of grief can include
  sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical
  problems, or illness.

3
Grief Is Personal

• No two people experience grief in the same way.
• My Story.

4
A Part of Our Story

• Grief is a part of the human experience.
• Grief is also a part of the spiritual experience.
• It is often during the grief of losing people
  that people turn to, or away from, God.

5
Psalm 88 Page 925 a Psalm of Lament

• A lament or lamentation is a song, poem, or piece
  of music expressing grief, regret, or mourning.
• Written by Heman the Ezrahite.
• He has a long term illness or depression.
• I did not find any Pslams grieving the death of a
  loved one.

6
Psalm 881-4 Page 925

• O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry
  out before you. PS 882 May my prayer come
  before you turn your ear to my cry. PS 883 For
  my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near
  the grave. PS 884 I am counted among those who
  go down to the pit I am like a man without
  strength.

7
Psalm 885-7 Page 926

• PS 885 I am set apart with the dead, like the
  slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no
  more, who are cut off from your care.
• PS 886 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the
  darkest depths.
• PS 887 Your wrath lies heavily upon me you have
  overwhelmed me with all your waves. Selah

8
Psalm 888-10 Page 926

• 8 You have taken from me my closest friends and
  have made me repulsive to them. I am confined
  and cannot escape PS 889 my eyes are dim with
  grief.
• I call to you, O LORD, every day I spread out my
  hands to you.
• PS 8810 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
  Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
  Selah Think on that.

9
Psalm 8811-14 Page 926

• Is your love declared in the grave, your
  faithfulness in Destruction? PS 8812 Are your
  wonders known in the place of darkness, or your
  righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? 
• PS 8813 But I cry to you for help, O LORD in
  the morning my prayer comes before you. PS 8814
  Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face
  from me?

10
Psalm 8815-18

• 15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close
  to death I have suffered your terrors and am in
  despair. PS 8816 Your wrath has swept over me
  your terrors have destroyed me. PS 8817 All day
  long they surround me like a flood they have
  completely engulfed me. PS 8818 You have taken
  my companions and loved ones from me the
  darkness is my closest friend.

11
What Can We Learn?

• Your Answers
• God can take the blame even if it is not true.
• God is always approachable.
• We need to take time to listen and change
  perspective.
• Grief is often raw and illogical but God still
  listens.
• We need to look to Jesus for answer to the
  questions of grief and loss.

12
God Knows Grief

• At the start I said that grief is a human and
  spiritual experience.
• Grief is also an experience that God shares with
  us.
• What does John 316 say??

13
God Knows!

• God knows what it is like to lose a son.
• More than that, He knows what it takes to
  sacrifice a son.
• That is more than any of us has had to go
  through.

14
What Should We Say?

• The answer depends on the source of the
  suffering.
• Our Own Sin God Wants Repentance
• The Sin of Others God Provides Comfort and
  Justice.
• Fallen World We Look Forward to Heaven and
  Organize our Priorities
• Righteousness Tests our Faith and Strengthens Us

15
1 Peter 16-7

• In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a
  little while you may have had to suffer grief in
  all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that
  your faith--of greater worth than gold, which
  perishes even though refined by fire--may be
  proved genuine and may result in praise, glory
  and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

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Conclusion

• When we are grieving God wants to hear from us.
• He knows what it is like and He alone can provide
  true compassion and healing.
•  
• Next week God wants to hear our prayers for
  Mercy Psalms 28 and 79