Psalms Of The Sons Of Korah - Psalm 42 Part 1

MESSAGE 1 - PSALMS OF THE SONS OF KORAH. - PSALM 42 Part 1

Ron Ferguson ronaldf@aapt.net.au

Psa. 42. For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

Psa 42 v 1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. Psa 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Psa 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Psa 42:4 These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me, for I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, with the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

Read the 4 verses again carefully while thinking about them. This psalm was written by one of the sons of Korah. The Korahites were the singers for all the tabernacle worship and ceremonies. They wrote and sang and may have been gatekeepers as well for the Tabernacle. Psalm 42 is the first in a series of Psalms found in the 40s and 80s. It is generally thought that this Psalm concerns the great desire of the writer to be back in the house of the Lord serving God in His house, or in the Tabernacle, but it is denied to him by his enemies, and therefore his soul was cast down in despair. He describes that despair. For that reason some say the events relate to David, or to the time of fleeing from Absalom’s rebellion, but I am not sure. However, I want to take an entirely different track with this Psalm, and read into it, the experience of a man or a woman who is away from the Lord, and in despair, and cast down by his/her actions, or by conditions he/she is found in. This Psalm represents his account of the events after his restoration, much like Jonah who wrote his account of the ship and the ocean and fish’s belly, and his sulking under a castor oil plant, after his episode was over. I think this Psalm could even describe David’s 9 months in his unrepentant state as we have in the exchange with prophet Nathan and in Psalm 51. Nearly every commentator believes this psalm was written by one, perhaps David, who just longed to be with the worship in the Tabernacle, but was prevented from being there, and was in distress because of the longing of his heart for God’s things. That very well may be so, but I am going to deal with it as a man away from God, who has broken fellowship with God.

Now, so much for the introduction. Here we have the confessions of a man once active in the matters of the faith, and in delightful service for the Lord, and in a close relationship with God, one who was a leader in praise to God, as the sons of Korah were, but now has entered into such a despair, so much so, that his acquaintances say to him, “Where is your God?”

Straight away we enter into contrast, i.e. the conflict of testimony. Let us see from verse 4 what was in the past. There, in company with fellow worshippers he would make his way along, wending his path to the house of God in joyful procession, singing out His praises, and this psalmist led the company, and was looked up to, this leader for others. What a true heart it was, in this man engaged in praise to God. It was a heart in which joy had its crystal well, a pure bubbling over into leadership worship. It was a heart that delivered in thanksgiving. It was a heart that each of us should have, but we don’t. The constraints of this life are often too great and they deaden joy and then cloud worship.

All that was past though. By contrast, praise had passed to tears, and this soul had fed on tears day and night. They were his food as he describes what it was that he was consuming, but more to the point, what was consuming him. All the while there were the jibes, for I don’t think genuine friends would frame their questions as, “Where is your God?” It could remind us a little of Psalm 69. Here are a couple of verses from Psalm 69, a prophetic, Messianic Psalm covering the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus: Psa 69 v 11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. Psa 69:12 Those who sit in the gate talk about me and I am the song of the drunkards. Psa 69 v 20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am so sick, and I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. Not only are those verses from Psalm 69 applicable, but also this parallel - Psa 69 v 9 Zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. Psa 69:10 When I wept in my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. How beautiful it is when genuine Christian friends do care about us, or us for them. As members of the living body of Christ, we may be encouraged to ask the question, “Where is your God?” or similar sentiments to a fellow believer struggling in the way. That care and concern is being our brother’s keeper. Blessed is a brother or sister who walks beside a struggling believer.