Day 250: Psalm 42- These Are the Things God Does

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food  day and night, while they say to me all the day long,    “Where is your God?” 4 These 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. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me,  a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock:  “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”


10 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?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Meditation
Sometimes we get in over our heads, losing our footing as the waves of God’s providence toss us back and forth. These moments are helpless and often desperate. Jonah was tossed into the sea during a storm (Jonah 1) and uses this Psalm to describe his desperation (compare 42:7 with Jonah 2:3). The steadfast love of the Lord allows us to worship in the waves.

“Deep calls to deep” as we navigate the difficulties of our days (7). The waves of God’s providence pass overhead (7) drawing out the desires of our soul. 

The soul of the Psalmist longs for God (1), thirsts for the living God (2), is poured out (4), and cast down (5), cast down within him (6). The external waves of God’s providence lead to internal interrogation- Why are you downcast, oh my soul? (11)

When waves toss us in life we must preach the gospel to ourselves- Hope in God (11)! God is our Rock and He has not forgotten us (9). The steadfast love of God still controls the days and nights (8) and His song is within us (8). We must remind ourselves to hope in our God, to praise Him and trust Him alone for rescue (5). When tears are our food (3) we must intentionally turn our hearts to the Lord.

The steadfast love of the Lord will not let you go- Preach to your soul and worship in the waves.

Richly Dwelling
-Are you in over your head? Where do you feel helpless or desperate?

-How do the waves of God’s providence reveal the longings of your soul? Are you taking your soul to your Savior?

-Preach the gospel to yourself- Hope in the Lord, your Rock. He will not forget you. Christ was forsaken so that you can have security that you NEVER will be when you trust in Him. Turn your waves into worship!

Key Verse
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.