Psalm 42-431
At times biblical preaching is little more than holding up a candle so that people will admire the sun. Here are the words of one in considerable distress of soul. Yet, in this distress he pens words of comfort and inspiration that speak across the centuries.
This Psalm is about the desire for God. Sadly, too few Christians really have this. They may have a desire to escape the consequences of their sins, but no real desire for God.
Focused desire
We see in this psalm a focused desire.
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (1-2)
Too many today do not know what they want. They know they lack something, but the object of their desire is not clear. They run after dozens of things and end up with nothing. Others may know what they want, but what they want is short-lived and petty. We need to cultivate the desire for God.
Frustrated desire
We see a partly frustrated desire.Several statements indicate that the writer feels frustrated in his attempts to draw near to God.
My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. (42:3-4)
I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” (42:9-10)
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! 2For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (43:1-2)
There seem to be two major problems getting him down.
First, he cannot be at the desired place of worship (which was also his place of work, indicating, perhaps that this psalm was written by a priest or a Levite).
Second, others are belittling his faith in God.
A satisfied desire
We see a satisfied desire. If your desire is for warm weather and you are forced to live in Yellowknife, your desire will be frustrated. If what you want is to ski, and you are in Cuba, you are out of luck. But if your desire is to seek God, no matter where you may be, it can be arranged.
There are several ways that this is accomplished by this psalmist.
He seeks God in his memory (My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar,6). Note that there could be no such memory of praising God if he had not taken advantage of the earlier opportunities of learning of God when he had them.
He seeks God in nature (Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me, 7), the torrent being symbolic perhaps of both the trouble he is facing and of the power of God to deliver.
He seeks God in worship (By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life, 8). Note that this worship is viewed as a gift God gives to the worshiper. It is not until the Psalmist makes direct appeal to God that the corner is turned. We are not delivered from our problems by talking to ourselves.
He seeks God by the anticipation of the future.
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. (43:3-4).
Modern application
Depression is an occasional problem in almost all lives, a frequent problem in many. It is a problem, but perhaps also a blessing. Belittling from unbelievers is becoming a common occurrence. These things tend to be irritating.
The sheepdog may be seen as an irritant by the sheep, but if he succeeds in making the sheep draw closer to their shepherd, his presence is a blessing in disguise. Extreme hunger is not a pleasant feeling, but it may be a sign of health in certain circumstances.
Those who are extremely hungry for God and frustrated in not being able to worship him in their accustomed way or place, may find that the experience will drive them even closer to him. Those who must endure the disapproval of society at large may find that they come to appreciate God, and God’s people, all the more. May it be so in our lives if such circumstances trouble us.
1A wise man (or perhaps a wise guy) has said, “Wherever there are two or three “scholars” one will normally find four or five opinions being expressed.” Scholarly opinion regarding this is not universal; but many scholars believe psalms 42 and 43 to have originally been one psalm that somehow came to be divided into two. We will assume that to be correct and treat this as one poem rather than as two.
The Scottish/Canadian scholar Peter C. Cragie gave the following reasons for seeing this as one psalm.
- It is one psalm in many Hebrew manuscripts.
- In most manuscripts that make it two psalms, Psalm 43 has no heading, which is surprising in book II of the Psalter.
- A common refrain is found in 42:6, 12 and 43:5.
See Cragie’s commentary on Psalms 1-50, page 325, for more details.
Eswatini