As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When may I come to see God’s face? My tears are my food day and night. People ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
I will remember these things as I pour out my soul: how I used to walk with the crowd and lead it in a procession to God’s house. ⌊I sang⌋ songs of joy and thanksgiving while crowds of people celebrated a festival. [vss 1-4]
Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God. My soul is discouraged. That is why I will remember you in the land of Jordan, on the peaks of Hermon, on Mount Mizar.
One deep sea calls to another at the roar of your waterspouts. All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me. [vss 5-7]
The Lord commands his mercy during the day, and at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk around in mourning while the enemy oppresses me?”
With a shattering blow to my bones, my enemies taunt me. They ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God. [vss 8-11]
(Psalms 42:1-11 (GW)
We all know life isn't all sunshine and butterflies. Low points in life impact us all. Regardless of their cause, these times reveal what we treasure most in our hearts.
What do you long for at your lowest points in life? Whatever it may be, it reveals what's become your priority, even when it's worry or fear or some selfish longing.
The psalmist gives insight to why his soul thirsts for God. He is chided by others about his faith in God, as he laments, "my tears are my food day and night."
The problem with depression at any level is focusing on our self and circumstances. I liken depression to a vortex or whirlpool. An inward self-defeating introspection just sucks us deeper into its own darkness.
But then, the psalmist recalls how it was when he trusted God before, and challenges himself to put his hope in God once again. Psychologists may call it self-talk, but it's more accurate to say it's soul-talk.
Even when things seem overwhelming and hopeless, God's Spirit meets us at our lowest point. He reaches out to us. When we feel drowned in hopelessness is the time to surrender our soul to God. Right in the depth of it all.
When the sea of despair plunges you deep in its darkness, call out to God to meet you there. Then challenge your soul at its deepest core to once again trust and praise the Lord. ©Word-Strong_2016
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I won't cover all 150 Psalms, but will do selective devotionals through the rest of Psalms.
So if I skip one that you like... let me know and I'll try to cover it!
