Thirst Quencher

Read Psalms 42:1–45:17

1. As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.
2. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
3. Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”
4. My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!
5. Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and
6. my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you—even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. Psalm 42:1-6

Ahuman being can go without food for about thirty to forty days, but he or she can go only about three days without water. Extreme thirst will put you on a single-minded hunt for water. That makes thirst a good word for describing deep cravings, doesn’t it?

In Psalm 42 we see a person thirsting for God, craving his presence, and still feeling alone or even abandoned by him. This person has longed for God’s presence and found no ready source of relief. As you read this psalm, find, with the author, the answer to your own thirst.

Also, find hope in times of discouragement (Psalm 43); help when feeling weary and defeated (Psalm 44); and rejoicing in God’s gift of marriage (Psalm 45).

Do you ever feel alone in your faith? There come times in life when we thirst for God, weep for his help, or even endure ridicule for our faith while waiting for him to answer our prayers (Psalm 42:1-3). We want desperately to feel God’s presence or to have some other tangible sign of his help and support. Times like these can lead to depression and discouragement for any Christian.

The writer of Psalm 42 discovered a remedy for these spiritually dry times. He remembered God’s great blessings on his life. He realized that although God seemed silent, he was there and was worthy to be praised (Psalm 42:4-5). He soaked in God’s beautiful creation (Psalm 42:6). He realized that he was never adrift from God’s love (Psalm 42:7-8). He faithfully expected God to act (Psalm 42:11).