Satisfied?

Persian Fallow Deer in the Carmel mountain, Israel

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. (Psalms 42:1 KJV)

Wednesday night our Pastor’s lesson was Psalm 42.  One of my favorites (I know, I have a lot of favorites!)  This one provides the portrait of a song I never tire of hearing, "Satisfied":

Lyrics by Clara T. Williams, music by Ralph E. Hudson.

All my life long I had panted
For a drink from some cool spring
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within

It opens much as the soul panting after God, and closes with the answer.

Well of water ever springing
Bread of life so rich and free
Untold wealth that never faileth
My Redeemer is to me

Christians are not immune from fears, tragedies and certainly not from depression, the feeling that life is not enjoyable and that the future holds no hope.  To remain trapped in depression is to damage the body as well as one’s faith.  David knew this from the tragedies in his own life – loss of his best friend, Jonathon, causing Uriah’s death, followed by the death of his own baby.  There were other children lost, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom, and his kingdom, for a time.  He mourned, seeking release:

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? (Psalms 42:2-3 KJV)

While some of David’s tragedies were beyond his control, most of them resulted from errors he made in his life.  We do the same, then wonder why God seems so far away.

David knew the answer, and gave it to us:

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. (Psalms 42:5 KJV)

For everything that can cause our depression, there is an answer in God’s word, and the path offered leads us to Him.  There are applications for our lives, examples to educate us, hope for our future. David found his, and gave it to us.

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. (Psalms 42:8 KJV)

Day and night in songs and prayer to live and share what Micah has to tell us:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV)