as the deer

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is the basis of one of our songs for worship on Sunday. The writer has a strong relationship with God, but feels like God is far away. She also feels persecuted by enemies, some of whom used to be her friends. She remembers better times when she had the respect of her community, but now she feels alone and like everyone makes fun of her. People even pick on her because of her faith. The beauty of the psalm is its honesty about hardship and the psalmist's trust in God even when times are hard. I pray your day is easier than the psalmists, but that your faith would be strengthened and encouraged by hers.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 42

¹As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. ²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? ³My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

⁴These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. ⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help ⁶and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

⁷Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. ⁸By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ⁹I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?” ¹⁰As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

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