Author : Tom Rainwater
Imagine a deer as he returns from his journey in the woods. After running, playing, and looking for rich vegetation to eat, he looks for his favorite spot because there is water there. After making sure the way is clear of danger, he eagerly leaps toward the sparkling clear water. He wants it badly because his mouth is dry and parched, and he is tired. He bends down until the cool spring water touches his tongue, and drinks heartily because the water tastes so good and refreshing. This is the exact image in Psalm 42.
“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
so pants my soul for You, O God.” (Ps.42:1)Thus begins an emotional psalm that touches on the feelings of God’s people and shows us how we can overcome doubt and discouragement. It speaks of a person who searches his own soul for answers when he knows the right answers are already in front of him. That is, a person may know that God is, and God cares, but certain circumstances of life may tempt him to question those very things. Is that a dangerous situation? Yes, indeed, if such a person gives in to doubt and discouragement.
You see, the devil wants us to feel alienated from God in hard times. (Consider the story of Job.) Many people are more than willing to feel anger or resentment toward God if things aren’t going their way. The devil feels a real sense of achievement when he can trap us into thinking that God is really not there for us — that God is somehow more interested in other people — or that God is not really working to make things better. It’s all a lie; but it’s a lie that convinces too many people.
The person in the Psalm states what he knows is the truth: he needs God. “My soul pants for You, O God.” In other words, “My soul wants You very badly.”
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Ps.42:2a)Again he says what he knows to be true: “I desire you strongly. You are exactly who I need. You’re the ‘living’ God: the God of all the
living — the God who
lives for all eternity — the God who bestows
life on his own people.” This is the truth and he knows it, but something’s wrong in his life and the truth has become a little fuzzy for him.
“When shall I come and appear before God?” (Ps.42:2b)He knows he ought to come to God openly, more diligently than he has in a long time. You see, he has never forgotten who God is, and that he needs God, but lately he has crawled into his own shell. Why? Because times are hard and discouraging for him. From the Psalm we learn that he’s stayed away from worshiping God with other of God’s people, and he has not fully opened up to the Lord with his problems. He’s thinking, “I need to do that…..When am I going to do that?” Friends, can you relate to that? Does that describe you as you are sometimes? Maybe it’s where you are now. Apparently it was the case with one of the sons of Korah, and they were noted for being great poets and writers of spiritual hymns. Notice the emotion of the situation:
“My tears have been my food day and night,…” (Ps.42:3a)Something is really bothering this person in the Psalm. Not only do warm tears hit the pillow at night, but in the middle of the day his eyes swell up with sadness. That he compares his tears to food may suggest that tears have been more frequent than food. Part of the reason he is hurting inside is that enemies have done something to him (v.9).
In the latter part of verse 3, people are noticing that something is wrong with him. They see his sad disposition and also a change in what he normally does in worship to God.
“While they continually say to me,
‘Where is your God?'” (Ps.42:3b)If these are his enemies speaking in the latter part of verse 3 (compare v.10), then they are mocking him in an area in which he has shown weakness: his relationship with God. The devil is trying to harden his heart further.
If his friends are the ones speaking here, they likewise see that something is lacking in his faith. “Go to God for this! You can’t go it alone! Lean on the Lord!” Good advice though he already knows what he should do. He is probably thinking, “I haven’t forgotten about God, who He is, and what He offers. And I know my soul needs Him so bad, but my head is not very clear right now.”
“When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
with the voice of joy and praise,
with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.” (Ps.42:4)He knows what things he used to do in worship and is troubled that he is not doing that. He remembers when he was regular in his worship, sang the songs with joy, kept the appointed feasts, and observed what was in the law. When he had done those things, they brought him closer to God. He is thinking, “But I haven’t been active lately, because I am so weary. But I need to get back to doing those things.” He talks to himself in verse 5:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?” (Ps.42:5a)He is asking himself, “Why have I let myself get so down like this? Why does my mind get so stirred up in my sorrow?”
“Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
for the help of His countenance.” (Ps.42:5b)He knows he must find strength in God as the only source of hope. He sees himself again praising God as openly as he used to do. “I can see that He hasn’t shut the door on hope. I know that His promises are always there for me. I know that He does care for me personally, and understands the pain of my suffering. I will praise Him for that.”
So the Psalmist is now finding strength, making progress, and finally working on overcoming the distress of his sorrow. Sometimes things take time to heal. For him, the healing has just started, but at least, he is headed in the right direction. We must likewise handle sorrow by focusing on the hope and help the Lord offers us in the midst of a personal crisis. If the circumstances of life cause us despair and doubt, then we must evaluate ourselves and see that we do not completely drown ourselves in sorrow so that we cannot see God anymore. The Psalmist now talks to God and opens up more to Him as he should have done all along:
“O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.” (Ps.42:6)What does he mean about remembering God from Jordan, and Mt. Hermon, and the Hill Mizar? If he means remembering these places in the past, perhaps he remembers being there at a time when he was spiritually strong in his life, and thus it brings to mind good memories of God’s grace. Maybe the Lord had assisted him in some way in those places. Maybe the absolute beauty of those places makes him feel closer to the Creator. Or, he may simply be saying that no matter where he goes in Palestine in the future, he will remember the God who lifts up his soul.
“Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls.
All your waves and billows have gone over me.” (Ps.42:7)Waterfalls are captivating to listen to and watch. The beauty of the rushing water and its loud, soothing sound is incredible. The Psalmist had experienced that, and it reminds him that God can send waters of refreshment over his soul.
“The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
and in the night His song shall be with me–
–a prayer to the God of my life.” (Ps.42:8)This is the antidote to his crying day and night (compare v.3). He is saying, “God’s love will heal my heart. My days will return to normal, and my thoughts at night will be that of song to God. I will pray to Him now like I should because I desire Him. He is my life.” Friends, this is hope for you if you despair or are discouraged. The Psalmist is telling us what works!
As we progress through the Psalm, we see that the devil isn’t done with the Psalmist yet. The writer still has some healing to do though he has now resumed his spiritual life. But the devil is still going to try to plant that seed of doubt again. The devil doesn’t give up. He wants us to fail (1 Peter 5:8-9). He will try discouragement on us again and again and again.
“I will say to God my Rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of my enemy?” (Ps.42:9)The writer is feeling some doubt again. His enemy, whoever it is, is still acting against him. He reasons, “I thought this would be over by now. I really don’t want this to go on, but it is! God, if you’re listening, please stop my enemy from oppressing me!”
The prolonging of a problem can sometimes drag us back into a deep hole of despair. Notice though that the Psalmist still hasn’t let go of God, as he calls Him,”God, my rock.” “God, I know you’re strong, stronger than anything! Stronger than my enemy! But they are mocking You! They are mocking me!”
“As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me,
while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?'” (Ps.42:10)We’ve all heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That saying is so untrue. Everyone is hurt by words whether spoken threateningly, cruelly, or mockingly. The words the writer is hearing from his enemies are hitting him like a pile of rocks. “They’re striking bone when they say the things they do. It hurts! And they look at me like I am weak, and say You are not there for me, God. But I know it’s not true what they say. Oh, why do I let it get me down so?”
“Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?” (Ps.42:11a)You can imagine him thinking, “Here I go again. I don’t want myself to be so sad. I must again settle down and do what I know is the right thing.”
“Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.” (Ps.42:11b)As a solution to the continued weariness of life’s problems, he again turns to God as his only source of hope. God will always be there for him if he has faith in Him and worships Him. He anticipates that as God rescues and renews him again, it will be yet another occasion for praising God. He specifies two things that call for praise: (1) “He will help my countenance (face). My expressions, my attitude about things, and my words will all be transformed into those that are happy, content, and peaceful. He will see me through to those happier times. If not in this life, then in the next one.” (2) “He is
my God. I will always claim Him as my own, just as He has claimed me for his own. I will never forsake Him and leave Him, as He will never forsake or leave me.”
As you can see, this Psalm is full of emotion. That’s because it is full of real life. It describes a lot of people, maybe you. Remember, the message of Psalm 42 is: Don’t let doubt nor trouble pull you too far away from God. It’s dangerous to let yourself get spiritually inactive because of problems. The person in the Psalm is telling you that God can see you through anything if you trust in Him, obey Him, and pray to Him, and continually call Him your God and your Rock. He will lift you up when you are down, and you will pant for Him as a deer pants for the cool refreshing water.
