|
|
|
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. - Psalm 42.
In these verses we have a breathtaking spiritual picture of our last days. It is a dual parable relating to both the Babylonian captivity and the thirst for God in trouble and exile during our last days.
Do you see Christ in Psalm 42:1?
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6).
The Psalm starts with a very, very deep yearning for the LORD. But, who is making this statement in verse 1? .... Is it us as individuals? No. The deer that longs for water is the eternal church, all of God's elect whom He has chosen. All true believers long for more heavenly doctrine when they have tasted the first pure drop.
The language here is quite similar to that of Psalm 84 which also speaks of a longing for public worship:
"How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." (Psalm 84).
It is interesting to note that the inspired Psalmist uses a hart (deer, nas) as a spiritual picture of believers since the deer is a known serpent killer and often after killing serpents it has an increased thirst from the victory battle. Concerning the deer St. Augustine also notes:
"It is reported of stags . . . that when they either wander in the herds, or when they are swimming to reach some other parts of the earth, that they support the burdens of their heads on each other, in such a manner as that one takes the lead, and others follow, resting their heads upon him, as again others who follow do upon them, and others in succession to the very end of the herd; but the one who took the lead in bearing the burden of their heads, when tired, returns to the rear, and rests himself after his fatigue by supporting his head just as did the others; by thus supporting what is burdensome, each in turn, they both accomplish their journey, and do not abandon each other. Are they not a kind of "harts" that the Apostle addresses, saying, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ"?" - St. Augustine of Hippo, comment on Psalm 42:4.
Now note Psalm 42:4 mentions the "house of God" now compare this with 42:7 where the Psalmist declares he could not attend these religious festivals because: "waves and thy billows are gone over me." this is a clear reference to afflictions. What type of afflictions? Physical? No. Spiritual? Of course, the Psalmist paints a portrait of spiritual afflictions in the house of the LORD and this no doubt refers to false worship.
Verse 4 points to the joy of public worship, which in these last days it is almost obsolete to find in truth and acceptable purity. Faithful public worship was at one time abundant, but is for the most part no more; there are but a few single souls who weep for Zion; a very, very, few people of sorrows.
In verse 5 the Psalmist continues to pour forth his complaint with an explosively emotional cry for help. Worship is desolate, enemies are abundant, and in despair before others. BUT .... With the LORD all things are possible! He is goodness and gives hope and promises to His people:
"But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side." (Psalm 71:14-21).
At times even the stongest and most knowlegeable Christians fall into despair as the Psamist states in verse 6: "my soul is in despair within me." We are human and not in our perfect heavenly bodies yet, so in all honesty, this is a pretty heavy burden to bear. There are few encouragements and many, many spiritual discouragements, but we cannot lose view of the precious hope in Christ! :
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified." (Job 13:15-18).
Concerning verse 6, Clarke noted:
" ] µynwmrh the Hermons, used in the plural because Hermon has a double ridge joining in an angle, and rising in many summits. The river Jordan, and the mountains of Hermon, were the most striking features of the holy land. From the hill Mizar. ] r[xm rhm mehar mitsar, from the little hill" - Adam Clarke; Commentary on Psalm 42:6.
The final paragraph in Psalm 42 begins in verse 9 with an extremely bold cry for a dramatic reversal of God's actions which almost shocks a Christians' spiritual ears: " I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? ".
This type of despair gives us a spiritual portrait of an undeniably deep concern. Christ gave a powerful message about suffering as a servant. Intense pain often leads to great victories that saints view at the time as defeats. In pain we as Christians must humbly and more important continually pray: "thy will be done".
"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:9-15).
In closing, let us remember that no matter how deep we are in despair, we must have hope. Remember that God commands rescue for those who are His!
"Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us" (Psalm 44:4,5).
He commands a blessing as well:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." (Psalm 133).
"To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Psalm 136:17--22) nas.
"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5).
Please dear friend and reader keep in mind that God declared these things and He is the Word and Truth; He will see all His promises through with infinite love:
"Who remembered us in our low estate, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And has rescued us from our adversaries, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; Who gives food to all flesh, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Psalm 136:23-26) nas.
For every mercy we receive each day, we should as saints give abundant thanks for each evening:
"I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. This I had, because I kept thy precepts." (Psalm 119:55,56).
Let's all take a little extra time this week to focus on the subject area of God's goodness even admist heavy afflictions, yea, this is quite hard to do, God will do it working in us, so let us try our best with the grace afforded us.
"At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments." (Psalm 119:62).
|