The Book of Psalms are a collection of sacred songs that are therefore quite poetic in nature. Today we are looking at Psalm 42. It’s a well-known Psalm that was popularized by an old song “As The Deer Pants”. Many have grown to like it as they can relate with the psalmist’s spiritual dryness.
As you read Psalm 42, we see a person in spiritual depression. Many experience some kind of spiritual depression in their life. What do I mean by spiritual depression? Look at verse 1, “As the deer pants for streams of water…” (Psalms 42:1 NIV). A deer panting for water might sound kind of gentle, like Bambi lapping water at a side of a beautiful river while a song plays, but Psalm 42 is about thirst. The kind when you get a headache and your lips crack, and you suck on your cheeks to try to get any kind of moisture in your mouth. The kind of thirst where you feel panicked because you really are thirsty, but you don’t know where to find water. It reminds of the time when Leisl and I drove through outback Queensland to visit friends in Normanton and Camooweal. It was at the height of the drought and everywhere was just so dry. And I could only imagine the livestock feeling so parched.
That’s the way the Psalmist’s soul pants for God. He cries out, “Where can I go to meet with God?” (Psalms 42:2b NIV). It’s that feeling of opening your Bible, but it seems like nonsense. It’s like trying to pray, but you are feeling “what’s the use?” It’s longing for a solution to feeling spiritually dry, but God just doesn’t show up. This is what spiritual depression is like, and many of us have experience it. Perhaps you are experiencing it now? If you are, good on you for watching this today, you probably didn’t feel like watching, but good on you for doing so.
In our reading, we see that in all that the Psalmist is experiencing, he finds deep with himself a sense of fight. He fights for hope. Look at verse 5 which is repeated in verse 11, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again--my Savior and my God!” (Psalms 42:5,11 NLT). The Psalmist is not surrendering to the emotions of discouragement. He is fighting back.
As you travel and enjoy the slower pace of life, it’s a good time to pause, regroup, and try to refocus spiritually again in your beautiful surroundings. There are different seasons in life. Since that time that Leisl and I drove through the outback, recent wet seasons have been good providing water for the land, dams, creek beds, and also for the animals and birds. Maybe a new season of life-giving water is coming your way. Be patient with yourself. Keep hoping in God. For you will yet again praise our God.
Let's Pray: Father in Heaven. Help me in my spiritual dryness. Please provide life giving water to quench my soul. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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