Psalm 42

The Message

42 1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks

    from the creek;

I want to drink God,

    deep drafts of God.

I’m thirsty for God-alive.

I wonder, “Will I ever make it—

    arrive and drink in God’s presence?”

I’m on a diet of tears—

    tears for breakfast, tears for supper.

All day long

    people knock at my door,

Pestering,

    “Where is this God of yours?”

4 These are the things I go over and over,

    emptying out the pockets of my life.

I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,

    right out in front,

Leading them all,

    eager to arrive and worship,

Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—

    celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!

5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?

    Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God—

    soon I’ll be praising again.

He puts a smile on my face.

    He’s my God.

6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse

    everything I know of you,

From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,

    including Mount Mizar.

Chaos calls to chaos,

    to the tune of whitewater rapids.

Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers

    crash and crush me.

Then God promises to love me all day,

    sing songs all through the night!

    My life is God’s prayer.

9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,

    “Why did you let me down?

Why am I walking around in tears,

    harassed by enemies?”

They’re out for the kill, these

    tormentors with their obscenities,

Taunting day after day,

    “Where is this God of yours?”

11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?

    Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God—

    soon I’ll be praising again.

He puts a smile on my face.

    He’s my God.

This speaks to me as a prayer from a place of Despair. That feeling of “Walking through the Shadow of the valley of Death.” “I am on a diet of tears!” Who doesn’t feel the depth of this? This Psalm begins as a petition to the Lord, then turns to ministering to our own souls! “Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?” The rallying cry of “Fix my eyes on God, soon I’ll be praising again” is a stark reminder that we must endure the darkest nights and encourage ourselves until our hope turns back into faith. We must push the fear out with prayer, for it is written that he “Prepares a table for us in the PRESENCE of our enemies!” Those moments of feeling isolated and alone is where our faith is forged, molded, and ultimately triumphant, through Christ, Jesus’ victory at the Cross!