Three Kinds of Sorrow: Unlawful, Legitimate, and Relieved

When the psalmist cries, "I go mourning" (Psalm 38:6), we must examine the nature of our grief. Spurgeon identified three categories of sorrow that warrant our attention.

First, there are unlawful reasons for mourning—those sorrows born of pride wounded, ambitions thwarted, or earthly treasures lost. These griefs dishonor Adonai because they place temporal concerns above eternal truth. The man who mourns chiefly because his reputation is tarnished or his wealth diminished has forgotten that all such things are but dust.

Second, there are legitimate themes for sorrow—genuine causes that align with the mind of Yahweh. Chief among these is sorrow for sin, both our own transgression and the wickedness pervading the world. Grief over broken fellowship with the Almighty, mourning the hardness of human hearts toward redemption, lamentation over injustice and suffering—these sorrows possess nobility because they reflect God's own heart.

Third, Spurgeon emphasized valuable alleviations of grief. No believer need remain perpetually crushed. Prayer brings relief. Confession brings cleansing. The assurance of forgiveness through Messiah brings restoration. Even legitimate sorrow finds its proper end not in despair but in the arms of our compassionate Father, who collects our tears and transforms our mourning into morning.