Overcoming the Overwhelming
Bob Yandian
Psalm 42 is one of the most heartfelt and personal psalms David ever wrote. It came out of a time when he faced not only overwhelming problems, but betrayal from the very people closest to him—his own family. There’s something about this psalm that speaks deeply to anyone who’s ever been in a dark season where you couldn’t find your way out.
When David wrote this psalm, his son Absalom was leading an insurrection against him. It didn’t happen overnight—it had been planned for five years. David didn’t even know it until everything suddenly blew up right in front of him. Talk about betrayal. Talk about heartbreak. David had trusted his son. He had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.
You may be in a time right now where it feels like everything is falling apart. Maybe someone you trusted has turned on you. Maybe your finances are under attack, your health, your marriage, your reputation. You feel overwhelmed, and it doesn’t seem like God is saying anything to you. You’ve prayed, you’ve confessed the Word, you’ve done everything you know to do, and there’s no voice from heaven giving you a play-by-play. I’ve been there. I’ve walked through seasons like that myself. But here’s what I’ve found—God is faithful.
God doesn’t always give us a gift of wisdom, where we see the whole picture. He gives us a word of wisdom—just a piece, just enough light to take the next step. And even when the Holy Spirit is silent, God’s Word is still true. David had to learn that again in Psalm 42.
Psalm 42: When Your Soul is Overwhelmed
David begins this psalm with the words, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God." He’s not talking about a casual desire—he’s talking about desperation. The deer’s thirst is aggravated by her running, and so is ours. The more you run from God, the thirstier you become. And that’s exactly where David was. He had gotten so used to being king, to the routine, to the leadership, to the system, that he didn’t even see his own son plotting his downfall.
David had forgotten what it meant to long for God’s presence. He got busy with the work of the kingdom and neglected the King of the work. Sound familiar? It happens to all of us—pastors, parents, workers, leaders. You serve, you work, you give, and one day you wake up and realize you’re dry. You’ve been living on yesterday’s anointing, yesterday’s revelation.
And what does David do? He doesn’t gather his advisors. He doesn’t try to fix the problem himself. He gets away. He rides off to a place called Beth Amerbach, which in Hebrew means “the city farthest away.” No one even knew where it was. It was a secret place where David could be alone with God. You need a place like that—a place where you shut the world out and get before the Lord with no distractions. Not to ask for anything. Just to be in His presence. Just to listen.
Real Problems, Real Pain
David is heartbroken. Absalom has turned the whole nation against him—from Dan to Beersheba. Even David’s most trusted advisor, Ahithophel, has defected and joined Absalom. Ahithophel wasn’t just any counselor—he was Bathsheba’s grandfather and David’s finest war strategist. He knew how David thought. He knew the military strategy. He knew the plan. And now he was helping David’s enemy.
David could have panicked. In fact, for a moment, he probably did. But as he stood on the Mount of Olives, looking back at the city and hearing that Ahithophel had turned, something hit him like a bolt of lightning. The Holy Spirit dropped one line of wisdom into his spirit: “Let the counsel of Ahithophel be turned into foolishness” (2 Samuel 15:31). That one word turned everything around.
When you finally quiet yourself before the Lord, He will speak. Maybe not with thunder. Maybe not with a full sentence. But one line from heaven is all it takes to win the battle.
The Enemy's Strategy
Absalom had been stealing the hearts of the people for five years. He stood by the gates every day, shaking hands, greeting people, listening to their problems, and saying, “If I were king, I’d do this differently.” David never knew what was happening. His own son was running a political campaign behind his back.
And when the time came, Absalom took over. He even convinced Ahithophel to join him. But what Ahithophel didn’t realize was that he hitched his wagon to a fool. Because Absalom was driven by ego. So David sent his best friend, Hushai the Archite, to pose as a defector and give Absalom foolish advice.
Who was Hushai? Not someone important. He wasn’t a military leader. He wasn’t a king’s son. He was just David’s friend. But that’s the kind of person God loves to use—someone humble, someone faithful, someone who doesn’t need a title. And David looked at him and said, “Go. Pretend to be on Absalom’s side.”
Ahithophel gave Absalom perfect counsel. He said, “Send a few men. David’s weak, he’s tired, he’s in some far-off place, probably surrounded by a few friends. Go now and strike.” And it was exactly right. But then Hushai stepped in and appealed to Absalom’s pride. “Oh no, your father is angry. He’s a warrior. You need to take the whole army and lead the charge yourself.” And Absalom, driven by ego, listened to the wrong voice.
God’s Wisdom Always Wins
The moment Absalom followed Hushai’s advice instead of Ahithophel’s, everything shifted. Ahithophel saw it, packed his things, and hung himself. He realized he had backed the wrong man. His perfect counsel had been turned into foolishness—just like David prayed.
The next thing that happened was David’s army regrouped. Absalom’s forces chased him, but during the battle, Absalom got his hair caught in a tree. He was left dangling, helpless. And Joab, David’s commander, ended the rebellion by killing Absalom.
God always has a plan. Even when you can’t see it, He’s working. Even when it looks like the enemy is winning, God is turning things around behind the scenes.
It took Absalom five years to win the nation. It took God five days to bring David back.
Coming Back to the Presence of God
David wrote Psalm 42 during this time—probably in Beth Amerbach. And the cry of his heart wasn’t, “God, give me my kingdom back.” It was, “God, I miss You.” That’s real maturity. Real spiritual growth isn’t about power, position, or answers. It’s about presence. David said, “My soul pants for You.” That’s what matters.
Verse 3 says, “My tears have been my food day and night.” David wasn’t eating. He was crying. He was broken. But he still knew who to cry out to. “Why are you cast down, O my soul?... Hope in God” verse 5. David starts preaching to himself. Sometimes that’s what you have to do—talk to yourself with the Word.
He says, “I used to go with the multitude to the house of God... I used to worship. I used to be full of joy.” But somewhere along the way, he lost it. And now he’s coming back.
A Word for You Today
Maybe that’s where you are. You used to worship. You used to be hungry for the Word. You used to be in church every week, taking notes, receiving from the Lord. But life got busy. Family problems, work, pressures. You drifted. And now you feel dry. You feel overwhelmed.
Let me remind you—God hasn’t changed. His Word hasn’t changed. And the Holy Spirit hasn’t moved out. You may feel like you’ve lost it, but you haven’t. You just need to go back to your secret place—and get before the Lord.
You may not get an answer overnight. David didn’t. But when the time was right, God spoke. And what He gave David was enough. It was wisdom. It was direction. And it turned the whole situation around.
