February 1, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in selections from Psalms and Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalms 42-43 (NIV)
For the director of music. A maskilof the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?……Continue Reading
These chapters can feel all too familiar, times when we are at the end of our rope and feel like God is not there. Troubles come on like a flood and seem like there is no end but He is still there. He is still working in our waiting. It is in these times like in these chapters that we fall to our knees in complete surrender and let God take over because we know without Him we would be overtaken by depression, temptation, or sin. There is hope and freedom from all that when we truly give it all to God.
Psalm 42 As the deer pants for the water, So my soul longs after thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship thee. As the deer needs water to survive, we also need the living water to survive, the psalmist says my soul thirsts for God, we don’t want to feel separated from God.
Psalm 43
The psalmist needed God’s light to lead him where he could be closer to God away from the deceitful and wicked. He wanted to be in God’s truth and light. We want that same thing so there’s always hope in a times of discouragement.
Psalm 42 and 43
Psalms 42 and 43
Psalms 42-43
In a city park, in olden days, folks were wont to give audience to anyone who had something important to say.
One day a man took the center platform, and discoursed for some time, that God was not real. Using numerous scientific proofs, of profound intelligence, his agruments seemed irrefutable. His audience listened intently, perhaps, some agreed. After his lengthy speech, another took his turn. He said nothing. Holding an orange, he inspected it carefully, and finding no blemish, pierced the skin with a thumbnail, and began to peel away the tough skin. The fragrant juice sprayed out, and those close to him in the crowd, could smell its savory mist. Exposing the tender fruit within, the soft wedge was soon separated, and he ate it slowly, savoring every bite.
Upon finishing the orange, he wiped his hands, stepped off the platform, and joined the crowd. The people were perplexed at this, until finally, he said to the previous speaker,
“How did that orange taste?”
“I don’t know how it tasted, you’re the one who ate it,” he smirked. To which the silent man replied,
“Neither have you tasted God.
“For Psalm 32 says, ‘Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed in the man that trusteth in Him.'”
God reveals himself to those who taste, see, and trust in him. Even by purely scientific methods, God can be known, if only you try the experiment.
Psalm 42:3 “Where is thy God?”
I reply, “Where is He not?”
Correction Psalm 34:8
There are many times in our lives when it might seem that God doesn`t hear or see us when we are going through a bad time or are being attacked by people for no reason; but that is just our perception. God is actually right there with us. We just need to call upon Him for help. Many times God allows bad things to happen to us for our own growth in our spiritual walk with Him. How would we be as people if God handed us everything? Just think how your children would turn out if you spoiled them all the time. It`s the hard things in life that help us to grow. James 1:2,3,12 {My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your worketh patience.} {Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.} May we always remember even in the hard times that He is with us.
Psalms 42-43
February 1
May we all pursue and desire God as David does here. Because He is our refuge and comforter when people attack or let us down. And when we find ourselves discouraged or overwhelmed, what a fitting question to ask ourselves, why are you downcast when you can always put your hope in our great God. And how helpful it is to reflect on times when God’s presence or activity was more evident and then know that He is there even if we don’t sense Him. He is our vindication when our reputation in the world is questioned or minimized. Then praise Him for being your stronghold and ever present help. He always has an answer and plan even when things don’t work out the way that we want. As a shirt my daughter Abigail was wearing the other day read, “Your anxiety is lying to you”.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. We all have times when we find ourselves in a funk about the circumstances of life (I’ve been feeling that way lately). We must not let it overcome us. Reciting verses like this one are great ways to lift ourselves out of it as we focus on those things that are most important, (ie, God who is our hope, our relationships, our responsibilities, etc.).