Psalms 42

Psalms 42:1-11

Thirsting after God Psalms 42:1-11 This psalm clearly embalms the holy musings and yearnings of the exiled king during Absalom’ s rebellion. Their setting to music was left to the sons of Korah, 2 Chronicles 20:19. It was a great favorite with the early Church, driven to the Catacombs, on the walls of which are many designs of hunted deer. The water brooks, Psalms 42:1-3. The hind suffers much from the sultry heat, but it dare not linger too long at the water-hole, because the wild beasts gather there. We never realize the value of God’ s house till we are compulsorily separated from its sacred rites. How blessed it is to return to the sanctuary after such separation! “ In the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into thy house,” Psalms 5:7, r.v.The blessed past, Psalms 42:4-6. Exiled to the Hermons, beyond the Jordan, the fugitive recalls the festal crowds, wont to gather at the holy feasts. But when such thoughts oppress us, we should turn our hearts to God and in touching Him, we cease to be lonely. See Hebrews 12:22, etc. The bitter present, Psalms 42:7-11. The day of pain and rebuke, when the heart is pierced, is the day of God! “His lovingkindness;” “his song;” “ the God of my life;” “ God of my rock;” “ the health of my countenance;” “my God” -what a heritage is this!

As the hart panteth!This Psalm embalms the holy musings and yearnings of the exiled king during the rebellion of Absalom. The thoughts are evidently David’s, even though their expression and setting may be by the sons of Korah (2 Chronicles 20:19). This Psalm was a great favorite with the early Christians hunted to the catacombs, where the hart is a common emblem on the walls.

Psalms 42:1.As the hart panteth The hind in the drought and the hunted stag, long for cool streams. This thirst for God proves the very being of God, for all natural appetites must have their perfect satisfaction.

Psalms 42:2. For the living God! Not a dead idol, but the living God of my life. Lit. “Appear before the face of God” (Psalms 41:12).

Psalms 42:3. Where is thy God? Shimei’s words clung to his memory (2 Samuel 16:8).

Psalms 42:4. When I remember The thought of the sufferer is to give a loose rein to these bitter memories and to allow his sad thoughts to work out their will. So he recalls the festal processions that he had led in happy bygone days.

Psalms 42:5. Why art thou cast down? Thus does the spirit rebuke the flesh and battles with its despondency in the name of the most High. “David chideth David out of the dumps,” says Trapp.

Psalms 42:6. My soul is cast down These words reappear (Jonah 2:7; , Matthew 26:38). You may be excluded from God’s temple, but you can always remember God. The Hermons belonged to the trans-Jordanic tribes. And how insignificant was Mizar compared with Zion!

Psalms 42:8. His loving-kindness Tears day and night (Psalms 42:3); and yet loving-kindness and song day and night (Job 35:10