Going through the pandemic, many of us can probably now better relate to Psalm 42. Like us, the psalmist was in a situation where he could no longer worship God like he was accustomed to, or rather he could no longer meet with others and worship in the house of God. Therefore, he laments his situation and recalls the former days. “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holy day” (v. 4).

For this reason, the psalmist is depressed and miserable, and to make matters worse, the people around him use the situation to torment him and question the existence of his God. However, during his lament, the psalmist, as we would say, comes to his senses. He realizes that there is no need to be depressed and miserable for three reasons. Reason 1: He could hope in God. Reason 2: Things won’t be like this always. Reason 3: He recalls God’s lovingkindness that has never failed. The psalmist writes, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, my God” (v. 11).

Since the pandemic, worship has dramatically changed. For many of us, worship now takes place at home over Zoom, via YouTube, and so on. Consequently, the pandemic worship blues is a reality because Zoom worship and fellowship are incomparable to in-person worship and fellowship, and quite frankly, many people simply cannot get accustomed to this way of doing church. Nevertheless, this is not a reason to sing the blues, because if we think about it, we are in a far better situation than the psalmist because we can still meet and worship even if it is in a digital landscape. Furthermore, like the psalmist, we have three good reasons to stop singing the blues. Reason 1: We can hope in God. Reason 2: Things won’t be like this always. Reason 3: We can recall God’s lovingkindness that has never failed.