Faith in times of Crisis

 

By Dr J P Hunter

Psalm 42:1-2, 4-6,11.  NIV. For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
⁴ These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.

⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Saviour and my God.

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.
¹¹ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Saviour and my God.

Meditation

The writer of this Psalm felt downcast and disturbed because he was exiled far from Jerusalem to the land of Jordan (42:6), and could not worship in the temple. He remembered how he went there with joy and praise (42:4), leading to repeatedly questioning himself about the current state of his soul:  Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? (42:6,11a). His self-analysis led him to compare himself to a deer (42:1) longing for streams of running water, so his soul longed for God. He knew, his life depended on finding spiritual water. And he also knew where to find it: in a lasting relationship with God, urging himself repeatedly to put your hope in God, my Saviour and my God (42: 5b,11b).

We too are unable to worship in our Church. We too might go through episodes of feeling low. We too should put our hope in God, not looking backwards or inwards, but outwards towards Him, and praise Him for what He has done, our Saviour and God. And be at peace for He knows the way ahead and will lead us there.

Prayer

Lord, when we feel low, give us the wisdom to become like a deer searching for life-giving water to quench the thirst of our souls. Give us the wisdom to seek you with all our hearts. Give us the re-assurance of finding never ending love and life in you. For you are our rock, our source of life-giving water, our hope and our Saviour. Amen

Hymn - Singing the Faith 544, verse 1, refrain.

As the deer pants for the water,

so my soul longs after you.

You alone are my heart’s desire,

and I long to worship you.                                                            

You alone are my strength and shield,

To you alone may my spirit yield 

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship you.

                                                                                                    

                Martin J. Nystrom (b.1956)