Out of the 832 occurrences of the English word heart in the NKJV, 207 of them are in the Books of Psalms and Proverbs. To me Psalms always represents the praise and worship that spring out of our inner being, and Proverbs to me is all about the wisdom of the LORD. I guess it’s not surprising that 207 “hearts” are in those books.
As I was just skimming the list in my concordance this morning, I stopped at Prov 12:25, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” [NKJV]
The NIV translated it this way: “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”
I thought that very interesting since the major emotional challenges facing today’s generation are anxiety and depression. That was according to mental health resources I was able to find. These issues give birth to others, such as addictions, promiscuity, and suicide. The Bible took notice of these issues long before anyone realized.
How do we overcome anxiety? For many the solution is medications and while that may keep symptoms at bay, I’m not sure it’s a cure for the problem. Perhaps the true solution can be found somewhere else?
Psalm 94 is a song about anxiety and depression, about being surrounded by the woes of this world. While it acknowledges the woes, it also reminds us of the cure. “Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” [vs 16-19]
When we try to remove God from every facet of modern society, we also remove the very cure for its ills. Have mercy on our souls, O LORD.
