King David shares his inner turmoil in Psalm 42:5 saying, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me?” It is evident in this passage that David was going through a serious bout of depression.

Depression isn’t just feeling sad. It is a passive feeling, a continual feeling of sadness that seems to linger. It is an attitude that nothing feels good or is worth feeling good about; compounded by a state of constant hopelessness. Depression is a serious problem. It is a health crisis, completely valid, and, at times, very dangerous.

Christians can struggle with depression. David was a man after God’s own heart. Yet, in Psalm 42, he admits to spiritual dryness, feeling shame and defeat, overwhelmed by his circumstances. But there is an answer. We can learn how to deal with our depression by analyzing David’s very honest and broken prayer.