We see in Psalm 42 David
longs to be in God’s presence. He is experiencing times of trouble and knows something is missing. He feels abandon by God but hopes that God will come to him again. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul
thirsts for
God, for the living God. When can I go and meet
with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
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 with
shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
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. My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
My bones suffer mortal agony as
my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?” 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.
We see three attitudes in David's song: desire, despair, and determination. These pretty much describe our human condition. make sure you walk through these steps in finding God's hope and grace.
1. David’s Desire
(vv. 1-2) He thirsts for god like a deer pants for water.
2. David’s Despair
(vv. 3;9-10)
He feels
abandoned by God (9), and attacked by his enemies (3;9-10)
3. David’s Determination
(vv. 4-8, 11)
He remembers
God’s goodness (4-8)
He rests in
God’s goodness (11), because of God’s goodness in the past. David can put his hope
in God to rescue him yet again
Something may be missing in your life
but God’s grace, direction, and peace can be found. Like David we need to have
the desire and determination to focus on God even in the midst of our despair
that something is missing.
God’s
grace can be found.
