Psalm 42 - 24 April 2009

‘As the deer pants for the 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?

My tears have been my food day and night,

      while men say to me all day long,

            ‘Where is your God?’

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’. Psalm 42: 1- 4 [NIV]

The writers of this psalm were experiencing considerable sorrow because they could no longer go to the temple and worship with the people of God.  This was where they met God so now they were thirsty, desperately longing for God.

These lines pose several questions for me:

How thirsty am I for God?  Do I turn to other things to quench my thirst? – Lord, increase my desire for you.  You alone can satisfy the soul.

Do I expect to meet God when I gather with the Lord’s people for worship?

How much do I look forward to worship on Sundays?  Perhaps if we start anticipating Sunday today we will be more ready to receive what God has for us when we gather together.

May our thirst for God and our desire to worship become so great we can’t control it.