Are you lonely, worried, confused, hurt, betrayed? Psalm 42 might be just the right Psalm for you today!
When you read the beginning of this Psalm, there is a good likelihood that a popular 1983 song by Martin Nystrom comes to mind. Maybe look it up and refresh your memory.
There are two points we can address regarding Psalm 42. One is an answer to a pair of questions in verses 2-3 and the other is a word of great encouragement in verses 5 and 11.
The Psalmist, clearly facing challenge and discouragement, wants to experience God. He asks, “When can I go and meet with God?” A good question. And it is a question that is followed up with a taunting second question from adversaries, “Where is your God?”
The answers to both questions are easy for Christians to address. Where can we meet the presence of God?
- We meet our God in His Word.
- We meet our God when we receive Baptism and Communion.
- We meet our God when, according to Jesus’ own words, we are gathered together with other Christians.
Lonely? Worried? Confused? Hurt? Betrayed?
God is ever ready to meet with you.
The second point we can address is the word of great encouragement repeated twice near the end of the Psalm. “Put your hope in God.” (Keep in mind that a good principle for biblical interpretation is to really pay attention when God repeats something.)
Friends let us down. Physical strength wanes. World powers disappoint. Wealth disappears.
Elsewhere Scripture tells us not to put our confidence in horses and princes, not to count on wealth that is uncertain. And so on. Scripture reminds us, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth” (Psalm 124:8).
Lonely? Worried? Confused? Hurt? Betrayed?
Simply, Psalm 42 tells us where hope is best placed: “Put your hope in God.”
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