Psalm 42 - "There Will Be A Day"

The Lord woke up early in the morning with the urgency to read Psalm 42. I fell back asleep and when I woke up again the urgency was still there.

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?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.

5 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.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

¹¹ 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.

Verses six through eleven remind us that when we are going through tough times we need to remember who God is in our life. When troubles come our way, we need to remember the Lord is always with us. He will never leave us. There are some troubles we bring on ourselves yet He doesn't leave us to deal with them on our own. He gives us His strength as we go through tough times. Matthew Henry writes...

David saw troubles coming from God's wrath, and that discouraged him. But if one trouble follow hard after another, if all seem to combine for our ruin, let us remember they are all appointed and overruled by the Lord. David regards the Divine favour as the fountain of all the good he looked for. In the Saviour's name let us hope and pray. One word from him will calm every storm, and turn midnight darkness into the light of noon, the bitterest complaints into joyful praises. Our believing expectation of mercy must quicken our prayers for it. At length, is faith came off conqueror, by encouraging him to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay himself upon his God. He adds, And my God; this thought enabled him to triumph over all his griefs and fears. Let us never think that the God of our life, and the Rock of our salvation, has forgotten us, if we have made his mercy, truth, and power, our refuge. Thus the psalmist strove against his despondency: at last his faith and hope obtained the victory. Let us learn to check all unbelieving doubts and fears. Apply the promise first to ourselves, and then plead it to God.

I was sharing with one yesterday going through a tough time the importance of trusting the Lord through the trials of life. This one is a new believer so it is hard to comprehend. The words can be said easy yet to actually put them into practice can be difficult. As I prayed with them, I prayed for them to be able to practice that trust. I prayed for the Lord to have mercy upon them as they deal with such hard things in their physical bodies. Most of all I prayed for them to know the Lord is always with them...they are never alone. Kari Jobe's song I Am Not Alone was on my lips yesterday morning when I woke up and then as I pulled into the hospital parking lot the Lord reminded me of it once again when it played on the radio. Today is a another tough day for this one and his family. A lot of unknown for all of us on this earth yet nothing surprises our Heavenly Father.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the words You gave me for this one yesterday. I pray they gave them hope. I pray the words that were heard sunk in. Father, please be with them today in such a mighty way. Let them know You are there with them. Father, You are the Only Hope we can have on this earth as our bodies become decayed. You are the Only Hope we can sense as we go through tough days. Lord, I don't know where my feet will take me today or who I will come in contact with but please let me share the hope of You with all I meet. More of You and less of me is the only way that can happen. Fill me to overfilling. Thank You Jesus for being My Hope. Amen.