Psalm 42
overwhelmed with sorrow:
Verses 1 - 2: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
What do you picture? A nice deer skipping up to a clear bubbling flowing spring and gently lapping up the refreshing water? Me I see a dehydrated creature, emancipated dragging itself across a desert desperately in search of a muddy wetness desperate for water, clinging to life and nothing seeming to quench the thirst, nothing. For me this speaks of a yearning beyond reason, beyond logic and soul centred must, beyond existence of self, a need for something that without life is nothing. “My soul pants for you, O God” these words just leap out and grab my heart, for me if I cannot know God then I would not want to live, I mean it, God is the All in All. This is not just a desperate plea, here is relationship thirsting for God knowing and acknowledging that God is alive, is real is here, but were is God. The deer staggers and collapses it can find no water, when can I go and meet with God? Do you have times when God seems distant, when prayers are unanswered, when worship is far from your heart? A desert place with no streams of water. Jesus did: Mark 14: 32 – 34 “They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
This is the experience of the person who feels shut off, cut off from God; who believes in God yet cannot find Him; who longs for the nearness of God but feels abandoned... hence the perplexed question, born of despair “When can I go and meet with God?”
"Where is your God?":
Verse 3: My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Did anyone promise that if you became a Christian you would never be unhappy, be constantly filled with joy, its not true, you will know pain, hurt and the mockers will line up and say “Where is your God?” when you stumble. The deep pain and hurt is pouring out tears that flood out day and night, no human comfort, no help in this time of trouble a sense of drowning, drowning, what hope. Jesus tells us in John 6: 35-38 (message) Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. Jesus understands sorrow, hurt and rejection he will walk through the crowd of mockers and stone throwers and draw along side and reach out into the darkness to the cowering figure heaped in a darken corner, “Come follow me, he will say and set the captive free”, he did for me he will for you
Jesus understood what this feels like Matthew 27: 41 – 43 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ’I am the Son of God.’ "
Our God lives with us, never leaves us and as the darkness falls is closer than any other, reach out and see
God the sustain and true lover of our soul:
Verse 4: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng
The experience of Worshiping God, living to bring glory to God and God alone is burnt deep into the heart. When you have experienced true worship, in spirit and truth nothing compares, true moments of your spirit being touched by the presence of almighty God our creator. True moments as well of fellowship the times when all songs are in harmony when the singing and the feelings resonate deep in our souls, true soul food. Worship is an anchor, when the dark flood comes, when the desert stretches on and on, yet praise him yet turn to God the sustain and true lover of our soul. Its like remembering that the sun will shine again while in the deepest and darkest night, no darkness can extinguish true worship, one on one worship heart and soul open to God praising and thanking the creator. True worship a gift from the Holy Spirit as Jesus said in John 4: 23 – 24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
“turn from the dark side”:
Verse 5: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Its like listening to two men here, one depressed the other quizzing why? I know this feeling one minute worshiping the next judging or complaining or just seeing the dark and feeling hopeless, worthless and a mess. See the quietness is gone, the storm is here a whirlwind of negative thoughts and darkened sky’s. Have you ever noticed when you dwell on something particularly a negative something it grows, it dominates and becomes if you let it the all and all in your life, it can be un forgiveness, bitterness, rejection and envy, once it starts its like a spiritual cancer, it’s the foundation of a strong hold and an open door for the demonic, so as Obi Wan put it “turn from the dark side”. But look here is the cure for this spiritual depression, turn to God, praise him, even if you can only utter the name “Jesus” again and again believe me it makes a difference, seek fellowship and the anchor of worship, hold on, hold on. Listen: Mark 4: 37 – 40 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?“
Jesus will calm the storm, if you are in one today, have faith ask praise him our savior and our God!
Mount Mizar:
Verse 6: My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar
The key is when you are down, desperate, depressed and nearly out, run to God our refuge our rock our terra firma, it can be a blessing sometimes when something happens and we turn back to God, sometimes we need it need to come back to the anchor, to the cross and remember. Remember salvation, remember that first time you turn to Jesus and said yes, let him into your heart, for all or us it is a special place a holy place. This is the moment we came into the promised land of Gods kingdom crossed from our old self to the new, reborn in the spiritual river Jordan. Standing on the heights our mount Zion as we are sealed for eternity by the Holy Spirit of God. On our own mount Mizar as we commune with Jesus and God, can you remember do you know the way to your mount Mizar, can you remember your saving ground were you first said yes to the lover of your soul. Can you, remember it is always in your heart as sure as your name is written on Jesus heart, no darkness, no pain, no loss can ever take that away. Jesus does not forget his promises, so remember have faith and trust him Luke 23: 40 – 43 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.“ Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
“Deep calls to Deep”:
Verse 7: Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
I love this imagery, “Deep calls to Deep”, I see a picture of a man under a mighty waterfall with massive waves crashing in, not a negative thing an awesome moment. Deep calls to Deep, this is like Genesis, with the spirit of God hovering over the dark waters, a creation song a song of eternity of love never ending. Gods call to the very depths of our souls, almighty not all matey, the I AM not the I Me on the end of our prayer chain to do our bidding, not a small God that we control, but an infinite God and eternal God. This is the God is Job 38: 1 – 3 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
God is not a safe God, he is completely good but not safe, God is the creator of the universe is not safe. These words feel like the forces of creation moving and showing the power, as we are almost drowned in a deluge of fear and pain and as another attack from satan crashes in on us the Lord is there. Like a towering majesty, that nothing can over come, no wave can wash you from his rock, no waterfall can blast you away nothing will separate you from the love of God and he knows the very depths of our souls and still loves us. For me this is like the time I gave my life to Jesus, I was in a dark place in a pit of despair as waves and waves crashed in on me, to the point on my knees were I asked is there a God and I could not deign him any longer, I said yes there is Jesus and at that moment Deep spoke to Deep.
Love came down and rescued me!
a prayer to the God of my life:
Verse 8: By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life.
‘No day shall ever dawn on an heir of grace and find him altogether forsaken by his Lord… for the Lord reigns.’ Charles Spurgeon
God is with us always, we might think we are far from God but we are not he is with us at all times, loves us unconditionally at all times and if we let him will fill our hearts with his song for our lives, God / Jesus move into our heart when we confess “Jesus is lord” and give him the key. John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
So lets lift up our hearts and let the king of glory in and forever praise him. Pray to God, have faith believe in the our creator, the God who gave it all to save us will not forsake us. John 3: 16 – 17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him
Jesus saves and loves, he did not come to condemn, trust him let him sing his song to your heart today
Woe is me:
Verses 9 – 10: I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?“ My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
Woe is me, poor little me, God were are you why is this happening to me, hello God I’m over here look it me remember? Then the mortal agony as we find our that words do hurt, do cut deeper than bone, the tongue cuts deeper than a knife and its wounds are hard to cure, as the foes taunt. God knows were we are, sometimes though God allows things to happen to us we might not like, this could be that blessed “time of refinement” that we are all on our knees praying for every night, right! I have had times in my life when it was a trial and time of difficulty and a time when heaven seemed sealed when God did not answer my calls, my pleas when I felt like clay being squeezed and swashed – a trial, but when I come through with Gods help, I look back and realise I am further up the mountain if you understand my meaning. God disciplines his children to make sure they grow up right, some need more guidance than others, but it’s a sign of love. Paul’s thorn in the flesh, Gods answer my grace is sufficient! God is looking for a people that want to know him to follow his ways so they can learn to pray as he would will. God is our rock, he will never desert us for someone better, when they say “Where is your God” you know he is with you. Faith is allowed to ask God why, faith is allowed to ask God what have I done wrong, faith is allowed to remind God our rock of his promises to us, his love for us. If the Lord is our refuge we can ask why is this happening to me or even please make it stop.
Freedom!!!!!:
Verse 11: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
From the depths pf despair to the mountain top of victory, Jesus came to set us free, we find that freedom in bringing glory to God, that’s what we are created to do, what’s our purpose. We are truly alive when we are truly surrendered to God. Whatever happens keep your hope in God. Whatever storms hit you keep gripping the rock of Jesus. Whatever ever comes keep praising God and he will see you through. Jesus came to bring us into the spacious place of salvation, free from everything living in God grace, mercy and love. Psalm 42 teaches us that, trust in god he will deliver you through the storm. If you read psalm 42 you will see it is a contemplation of the sons of Korah. Korah was a direct relation to the high priesthood of Israel he led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron basically against God and God dealt with them, the ground opened up and swallowed them and all the rebels in front of the whole of the assembled Israeli nation. Yet the survivors of Korah were delivered by God from the decrease of the family name and elevated to a place of worship leaders for the nation, leading the pray and praise of Israel to God as instructed by king David
Our God saves, in reply to the question “were is your God” He is here, he is here ready to deliver me, I am not ashamed to meet with him even in the midst of your taunts and sneers, he will rescue me our of your hands and heal me from the hurts. Jesus is there in the storm, arms reaching out toward us saying “Trust me”, lets trust him and praise him and lift our prayers to him, Love came down to rescue us!
Finally remember if you are downcast, in a storm of hurt this trust worthy promise Jesus gave John 14 1 – 3: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”
Jesus is Lord, Love will rescue you
