Psalm 42 As a deer pants

[seekeroftruth]

Psalm 42[a](b)For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.​

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.​

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5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.​

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6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.​

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8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.​

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9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”​

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11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.​

a. Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
b. Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
c. Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
d. Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

I found this commentary at desiringgod.org.

Here’s the overview. Externally his circumstances are oppressing. Verse 3 says that his enemies “say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’” And verse 10 says the same thing, only it describes the effect as a deadly wound: “As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’” And the taunt “Where is your God?” implies that something else has gone wrong too, or they wouldn’t be saying, “Where is your God?” It looks to them like he has been abandoned.​

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The internal emotional condition of the psalmist is depressed and full of turmoil. In verses 5 and 11, he describes himself as “cast down” and “in turmoil.” In verse 3 he says, “My tears have been my food day and night.” So he is discouraged to the point of crying day and night. In verse 7 he says that it feels like drowning: “All your breakers and your waves have gone over me.”​

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David made life changing decisions all the time... and then he wrote the blues. People were always questioning him.... He was questioned when he took Saul's spear from beside Saul while Saul was sleeping... without killing him with it. He was questioned when he cut off a piece of Saul's robe while Saul was pooping or peeing in the cave... without killing him. He was questioned about everything.

Experiencing God in my life has been a bid deal. He's been there when I was in danger and too stupid to know it. He's been there when I was depressed and could not see but the tiniest hint of light. He's had His arm around me. Every now and then.... it's like He's not there. It's not easy to explain.... it's putting a toddler down and making them try to walk on their own. He's there.... but He's not and now there are decisions to make... like which foot to put out first.

Whenever I am way down.... I head for nature. Nature is hard to find in the city.... but it's there. I find nature and I thank God for the beauty of it all. Then it seems that God just comes right back and sits right beside me again. That's what this poem reminds me of.