Loneliness and despair is an emotion that we often experience: no one cares, no one understands, no one loves me, the situation is hopeless, let me just give up. As we read Psalm 77, we see Asaph, one who served before the presence of the Lord with songs and music and praises to the Lord, passing through such valley.

Elijah also passed through a similar experience. He had just experienced a great victory for the Lord, but when threatened by wicked queen Jezebel, he faltered. He thought he was the only one left who was faithful to the Lord; he felt abandoned and discouraged, and he fled.

David, after having been anointed by Samuel to be king, was pursued for many years by Saul. Saul wanted to kill David, even though David was a faithful servant. Twice Saul had been given into David’s hand, but David refused to kill him even though his men encouraged him to do so. David committed himself to God. But after such a victory he became despondent, took his eyes off of the Lord, and said there was nothing better for him to do than to flee to the land of the Philistines. Although David was safe, he did things that were not honoring to his God.

Both David and Elijah had taken their eyes off of the Lord. They thought they knew best by trying their own way, but this only brought them deeper into discouragement and despondency. Asaph, on the other hand, turned away from himself and focused on Jehovah. He exclaimed, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 77:10). This changed his thoughts until he again praised the Lord. May we not look at circumstances but look to the Lord!