Psalm 42/Commentary

Psalm 42-43 “Far From Home”

This Psalm begins what some have called Book II of the Psalms, which includes Psalms 42-72. This section includes Psalms written by the sons of Korah, who were temple musicians (42-49); Asaph the founder of another temple group (6870); David (51-65); and Solomon (72).

It has been said that all of us have a “God-shaped vacuum” which only He can fill. “Most people, unfortunately, deny this in their pride of wanting to control their own lives. In their rebellion they want their will rather than God’s will to be done…They seek beauty rather than the One who creates both beauty and our ability to perceive it. They pursue a chemical rather than a spiritual high. Thus rather than worshipping the Creator, they worship the creation (Romans 1:25)--And yet, the God-shaped vacuum can only be filled by God. It rejects all substitutes. This creates a heart-hunger, a gnawing spiritual emptiness that prepares us for Psalms 42-43…Here then the psalmist is in agony. He longs to know the presence of God. He also longs to be delivered from his enemies…His memory goes back to happier days worshipping in the temple, and he longs to experience this again” (Williams pp. 310-311).

The reason that we are studying both Psalm 42 and 43 is that when you read both, it is clear that one is simply a continuation of the former. The repetition of the refrain in 42:5,11 and 43:5 suggests that they were originally one. Then, too, the sense of God’s silence (42:3, 9-10; 43:2), the oppression of enemies (42:910; 43:1-2), and the longing for temple worship are themes that are common to both (42:4; 43:3-4). Then add to all the of the above the fact that Psalm 43 doesn’t have a heading, and it becomes more likely that they were originally one psalm.

The Thirsty Soul 42:1 “The simile of the deer (hart) expresses the intense yearning for a taste of God’s presence. The deer looks until it finds water and quenches its thirst with great joy. So the psalmist longs for God’s presence with his whole being (soul)” (Gaebelein p. 331).

Points To Note:

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Do we have such a hunger, thirst or appetite for God? Do we hunger and thirst for a right relationship with Him? (Matthew 5:6). 2. The writer realizes that outside of God—life is a barren desert, a withered landscape, where men and women are depicted as dazed and dying creatures. Compare with Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17. 3. We should be impressed that this writer is longing to worship God (42:2). He longs for the good-old-days when he worshipped God publicly with other believers (42:4). At this point, this writer is isolated from Jerusalem, possibly unable to get there. He is somewhere in the north, in the mountainous country which includes Mount Hermon (42:6). 4. Does our hunger for God grow when we are unable to meet with other Christians? Do we feel that we have missed a very important meal when we are unable to attend? Or, can we miss services without feeling anything?

42:2 For what do we thirst? Williams notes, “Do we have this same thirst? Do we pant for God? Or do we pant for sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll? Do we pant for Jaguars, holidays on the Riviera, and certificates of deposit? The psalmist’s thirst is no vague spirituality. His soul pants for the living God” (p. 312). “At first the author portrays himself not as cast down, but as thirsty. He thirsts for God, as a deer thirsts for water when overtaken by hunters or by drought….he has a keen appetite for God” 1 42:2 “When shall I come and appear before God”: In this context, appearing before God means returning to the temple on Mount Zion, and worshipping God. Every Israelite male was required to go to Jerusalem three times a year for the major festivals (Exodus 23:17), and this evidently the writer was unable to do. In addition, he apparently was one of the sons of Korah (a Levite), and was unable to perform his tasks at the temple. Some writers suggest that this psalm was written by a Levite who was being taken into captivity. “This area (Mount Hermon) is pretty far from Jerusalem, and some writers have suggested that if a traveler (or captive, which the author could be) was headed east in the direction of Babylon, this is the last point from which he might glimpse the familiar mountains of his homeland to the south” (Boice p. 367).

Point To Note: Maybe it is very hard to appreciate the times that we have to worship God, when we live in such a land of plenty and freedom. Maybe we would really value and appreciate the public worship, if we found ourselves unable to attend because of imprisonment or some type of severe persecution. Note the writer knows that God is everywhere (Psalm 139) and that he can pray to God in any land. But certain aspects of worship were centered in Jerusalem, in like manner, in the New Testament, the Lord’s Supper is observed in the assembly (1 Corinthians 11:23ff; Acts 20:7).

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John Stott, Favorite Psalms, p. 54 2

The Taunts Of Unbelievers 42:3 His daily diet was one of tears because unbelievers were constantly taunting him: Where is your God? “Before men, he is vulnerable because he has declared his faith; he can be ridiculed when God’s ways become inscrutable.

Inwardly he is vulnerable because his thirst is for God; he will not settle for less…He has chosen the blessedness of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, not the deceptive ease of ‘you that are full now’” (Kidner pp. 165166). People will ridicule us for our faith in God, because God doesn’t operate on the world’s time schedule. On the surface it may look like God is unable to deliver us. People will say, “If you are so right with God, then why aren’t you rich”, or, “why are you suffering if God is with you?” Today we might also hear, “If you are the true church, if God is with you, then why aren’t you growing faster?

Why aren’t you the biggest religious group in town?” This writer has to live with such questions on a daily basis (“all day long”).

Fond Memories Of Worship Services 42:4 Is this our view of worship services? Do we fondly remember assembling, sitting with other believers, singing together, praying together, observing communion and listening to a good sermon? The house of God in this verse is the temple. This writer meditated on the pilgrimages to the temple, the festive celebrations, i.e., Passover, Firstfruits, and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:17; 34:1826; Leviticus 23:4-44; Deuteronomy 16:1-17).

“This picture of the sense of deep loss raises questions about worship. Do we even remember our worship? If it were taken from us would we experience grief? How do we go into God’s house? Many of our churches today contain more spectators than participants” (Williams p. 313). “For the psalmists the heart of the matter of public worship was undoubtedly God Himself (1,2), but the comradeship and stirring ritual of a great occasion were an added delight (Psalms 48,68,84)” (Kidner p. 166).

I know that worship includes more than just what we do on the first day of the week (Romans 12:1-2). But at the same time we should never allow anyone to ridicule or minimize our public worship services.

Self-Exhortation 42:5 “Why are you in despair, O my soul?” While encouragement from others is vital (Hebrews 10:24; 1 Thess. 5:11-12,14), there are many times when we simply need to strengthen ourselves in God. “What is particularly moving is 3

that the psalmist does not acquiesce to his condition, but three times, in words which form a refrain, he questions himself about his despondency and summons himself to trust in God (42:6,7,14,15; 43:5,6)” (Stott p. 53). The word rendered “disturbed” here means, “to murmur, growl, roar”. His soul is cast down in discouragement and turbulent or agitated at the same time. “The threefold refrain reflects the emotional state of many of God’s people during the Exile and, for that matter, any crisis situation” (Gaebelein p. 333). Here is the answer to doubt, depression and despair. When doubt asks questions, faith responds with God’s promises! When depression hits, faith says, “Why are you depressed, you are child of God, you are saved, you have eternal life!” What a wonderful contrast. The writer lived in the world and felt its pressure and trials, and yet he also determined to live in a world which is far more real, i.e., eternity (Colossians 3:1-2). What encouragement! Depression, despair, the blues, etc…, is something which the Christian can work themselves out of with their faith in God! I don’t have to be depressed!

42:5 “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him”: Note, Hope longs to worship God and be with Him.

In The Depths 42:6 The writer is where the Jordan River, not far from its source on the slopes of Mount Hermon, rushes among boulders and over falls. He is writing from northern Palestine. Mount Mizar has not been identified, but is evidently a hill in the Hermon range. “Instead of temple music he is deafened by the thunder of waterfalls and of mountain torrents” (Stott p. 56).

42:7 “The writer may have stood on the bank of the Jordan or some other stream where cataracts were visible…In any event, as the psalmist saw one fast wave rolling over the other….this seemed to him a vivid picture of the griefs that had befallen him” (Leupold p. 340). “Here is the picture of all this is overwhelming: his footing gone, and wave after wave submerging him” (Kidner p. 167). Have you ever felt like this? Complete despair, overwhelming circumstances, absolute hopelessness, fear, perplexity, confusion, etc… “He has no control over his present circumstances and undergoes the present troubles, not knowing where he will end up. Has doubt triumphed?” (Gaebelein p. 334).

Faith That Refuses To Die 42:8 Yet in the midst of such overwhelming trials and emotion, this writer’s faith keeps reasserting itself. He remembers God’s mercy, grace, kindness and love.

Even in such circumstances, he still believed that God loved him and that God was indeed taking care of him both day and night, as we can see when we

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compare with Romans 8:35ff. Like Paul and Silas, in jail (Acts 16:25), this man was singing and praying. When we believe that God will always take care of us, and when we sing and pray, even in the midst of troubles, the distance between us and God is diminished greatly. We are well on the road to recovery when we can express the convictions of this verse.

God Isn’t On My Time Schedule 42:9 God is his “rock” or his security, but at times this place of security seems very insecure. When God doesn’t act immediately, the enemy moves in for the kill, and they abuse God’s long-suffering (2 Peter 3:9). The words of the enemy do hurt, they unnerve and shake him. Such people taunt and mock him on a continual basis. This psalm informs us that we need to be prepared to endure some mocking in our lives (1 Peter 2:12; 2 Peter 3:4). There are times when God won’t immediately act, and when God will allow unbelievers to prosper and thrive. This is all done in hopes of bringing them to repentance (Romans 2:1-5; 2 Peter 3:9). If we are tempted to complain, “God do something!”, we need to be reminded that when God does something, it often means that time has run out on a particular sinner or sinners.

42:10-11 Again, faith asserts itself!

Psalm 43 43:1 The writer prays for vindication, which means that he has been attacked unjustly. “Most of us can relate to this too, since it is not unusual for those who try to live for God to be unjustly accused, attacked, and slandered (John 15:1820). It is an unusual person who will not be occasionally depressed by malicious and hurtful treatment” (Boice p. 369). The word “vindicate” is a legal term, calling for judgment. The psalmist wants God to be his defense attorney. The “ungodly nation” in this verse might be the ungodly in Israel or an ungodly nation which has taken him and others into captivity. “The vindication asked for has to do with clearing the name of the writer, which has been sullied by criminal attacks….He is ready to stand before the bar of divine justice and submit to the inspection of the all-seeing eye of God” (Leupold pp. 342-343).

43:1 “O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!” Do you ever feel like praying this when car shopping or when deciding on how to invest your money? Note, we can do all the research in the world, but the bottom line is that only God can truly protect us from such people.

43:2 “In approaching God the writer practically claims that this is the normal and natural thing for him to do, for God is the God who is his refuge” (Leupold p.

343).

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43:3 “This prayer in verse 3 is worded in such a way as to raise the question whether it looks forward to a necessary literal homecoming or not. To be led home by God’s light and truth could mean being brought back from exile by the One who displays these qualities” (Kidner p. 167).

43:4 Wow! The goal of this writer is to simply worship God. Is God your “exceeding joy”?

The Cure For Depression 43:5 “The world turns to many false cures. Some people try to escape the depressing realities of their lives through divorce, excessive entertainment, or frequent vacations. Some pop pills. Some are on habit-forming drugs” (Boice p.

370). In contrast, note what this writer did: 1.

He takes himself in hand: That is, the author refuses to give into depression or self-pity, but rather takes himself in hand and wrestles through it. He admonishes himself, reminds himself who he is (i.e., a believer, a child of God), and what he has, salvation, eternal life, God’s protection, etc…One writer notes that in such circumstances we need to talk to ourselves rather than letting the circumstances talk to us. “It is a case of the mind speaking to the emotions rather than the emotions dictating to the mind”…..You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: ‘Why art thou cast down’---what business have you to be disquieted” (Boice p. 370).

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He challenged himself to do what should be done: We must learn to challenge ourselves when we become depressed, admonish ourselves, rebuke ourselves and say, “hey, trust in God”. “It is a mark of simple sanity to do what the psalmist urges should be done” (Boice p. 370).

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He reminds himself of a great certainty: That is, “to hope in God”.

This is a great certainty, for God doesn’t change. Therefore, His purposes and love for me have never changed. He had led me to victories in the past. He will do so again. “Therefore, instead of looking at the past glumly as something I have lost, I will look to it as a foretaste of the many good things yet to come” (Boice p. 371).

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What is really important: I cannot overcome depression if I refuse to seek God and His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). The first priority is to worship God with other Christians, to develop an appetite for

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having a close relationship with God and being around other people who have the same desire. “The most miserable Christians are those who know Christ but are not living in Him (or for Him). They have the worst of both worlds. They can no longer be satisfied in their old life, yet neither are they satisfied in the Lord� (Williams p.

317).

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