Cast Down? Diagnosing Spiritual Discouragement (2)

(3) What Satan cannot do himself by immediate suggestions, he then labours to work by his instruments; as those in the psalm who cry, 'Down with him, down with him, even to the ground' (Psa. 137:7). A character of these men's dispositions we have in Psalm 102:8, 'My enemies,' said David, 'reproach me all day.' As sweet and as compassionate a man as he was, to pray and put on sackcloth for them (Psa. 35:13), yet he had enemies. David's enemies did not only have their malice boiling in their own breasts, but they also reproached him in words. Neither did they go behind his back but were so impudent to say it to his face. A malicious heart and a slandering tongue go together, their insolence spoke much to David's heart (Psa. 109:1-5). Their malice was unwearied, for they spoke daily against him. Malice is an insatiable monster and it ministers words. But what was it they said so reproachfully and daily? ‘Where is your God now?' (Psa. 42:3). They reproached him for his singularity, they did not say, 'Where is God?' but 'Where is your God that you boast so much on, as if he had some special interest in you?' Here we see that the scope of the devil and wicked men is to shake the faith of the godly and their confidence in their God
How was David affected by these reproaches? Their words were as swords in his bones (Psa. 42:10). They cut him to the quick when they touched him in his God. Touch a true, godly man in his religion, and you touch his life and his best possession. We see David, therefore, upon this reproach, call out himself for it, ‘Why are you so cast down and disquieted, O my soul' (Psa. 42:5, 11). This bitter taunt ran so much in his mind, that he expressed it twice in this psalm. We see by daily experience, that there is a special force in words uttered from a subtle head, a false heart, and a smooth tongue. Words that can weaken the hearts of believers.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, pp. 134-35
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