My Soul thirsteth for the Living God
Psalm 42: 1-2
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?”
Psalm 42 and 43 are parts of one long poem about longing for God. The poem has three parts each of which ends in the refrain “Why art thou cast down O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me?” (42:5, 11 and 43:11). It is the lament of a temple singer who is exiled in the north near the beginning of the Jordan river. He longs to be back in God’s house in Jerusalem, participating in worship there. The tremendous importance of the poem is that he turns his despair and depression (his soul cast down) into a determined faith and hope in God Himself. His question “When shall I come and appear before God?” is a statement of faith. The question is when, not if. Those around him are taunting him, “Where is thy God?” He has made himself vulnerable by his statement of faith in God. But twice he answers them, and perhaps himself, with “Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (42:17 & 43:5).
What a tremendous way of handling depression and despair. When we find ourselves down in heart and loosing hope, we should rehearse our faith relationship with God and reflect upon a worship experience that did indeed bless us and draw us near to our Lord. Yes, there will be those who see your circumstances and will taunt you for you faith. They may ask you too, “Where is thy God?” They may even laugh at you, not expecting God to come to your rescue, or answer your prayers. But remember, God is not through with you yet.
The picture is of a deer panting for water, perhaps from running, or as the poim suggests it may be because of no rain and the deer near to death because of the heat and constant searching for a “stream of water”. The refreshing the writer of the poem seeks is to be in the worship service again in the presence of God. That is when true revival comes. It is when our desire to be close to God and worship Him is stronger than any other desire. Notice, this was not a desire to serve God. To serve Him without a true personal relationship with Him is meaningless. His heart was panting for the refreshing water that results in an overflowing experience of the presence and intimacy with God that He had known in the temple at Jerusalem.
True revival should renew our thirst for God, for the living God. The need for revival is revealed by how casually and routinely we enter into “worship” and, too often, enjoy each other and the music and preaching without any consideration toward His righteousness, or any effort to truly praise Him or adjust our lives so as to please and honor Him.