Psalm 42:1

Psalm 42:1

Why Lord?

 

This Psalm and the one that follows offer painful pleas to the Lord. “Why have You forsaken me? When can I go and meet with God? Why must I go about mourning? Why is my soul so downcast?” The good news is that the writer knows the answer, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God.” 

You will note that these two Psalms (41 and 42) are written by the Sons of Korah. These men, the Korahites, were Levites whose particular role was the worship and ceremonial or liturgical activities at the Tabernacle and later the Temple. They would, therefore, have composed music and songs like this as part of their role and also been engaged with the choir that sang at various times during the day and on festive occasions. 

 

V1        The Psalm starts poetically but also with a heart cry; “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” I’ve recently watched some films about “Wild Israel” and there are certainly a number of species of deer living in the land and also the Ibex. (By the way, if you are interested in mammals and like deer, check out the very rare Persian Fallow Deer that has recently been reintroduced to Israel.) Bear in mind that we are talking about a land that gets very hot and that has desert places where many of these animals live, and where temperatures reach 40 degrees at midday. No wonder the deer pant for water and seek out the pools and streams where some relief may be found. The question we must ask ourselves is, do we pant and thirst for the living God? Are there times when we just cannot wait to go and spend time, to meet up with Him? Do we recognise an emptiness within that only He can fill? Is there a thirst for His Word and His rest in the busyness of life? Do we grow disillusioned with the wilderness of the world and long to be soothed by the cooling waters of the Lord’s presence? He promises that those who seek Him shall find Him if they search with all of their hearts. I used to be able to get away with a shallow relationship that was, at best, part-time. Now, one day away and I start to feel thirsty. Thank God He is planning a time when we will never be away!  Hallelujah! 

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