Where Is Your God? – Psalm 42

Psalm 42 represents the introductory Psalm of the second book of the Psalms, which was co-authored by the sons of Korah. Despite the rebellion of Korah and his fellow leaders against the authority of Moses and Aaron, resulting in their demise, the lineage of Korah did not perish, as stated in Numbers 26:11. The sons of Korah found themselves in a challenging situation, where they had to distance themselves from their defiant father.

My Soul Thirsts For God

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
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.

Psalms 42:1-4 (NIV)

When we let go of our worldly passions, our souls begin to thirst for spiritual fulfilment. Until we willingly detach ourselves from worldly desires, our souls will only find temporary satisfaction in material things, which hinders our pursuit of God. Young souls who have lost their earthly fathers often feel abandoned, but eventually yearn for the love of God. The sons of Korah were in a similar situation, longing to encounter the living God.

God does not reveal Himself to us when He works for our benefit. When satan asked God for permission to test Job, God instructed him not to harm Job’s life. This is because God is our source of life and our protector.

When God worked in Job’s life to bless him abundantly, Job couldn’t perceive God’s presence. He wondered where God was, as he had searched for Him but couldn’t find Him (Job 23:8-9). Yet Job found solace in the knowledge that even though he couldn’t see God, God knew his ways at all times (Job 23:19).

Sometimes, God conceals Himself from us, igniting a passion within us to search for Him. According to verse 4, it is evident that the sons of Korah were no longer serving in the temple of God, and they longed for the opportunity to serve Him in His temple. Others may have provided numerous explanations as to why the Korahs were not going to the temple, thinking that God had abandoned them. They would have asked them, where is your God?

The sons of Korah fondly remembered the days when they would visit His temple, feeling His protective presence. When God hides His presence from us, it is crucial that we diligently seek Him out, even when those around us assume that God has forsaken us. Do we have such a strong desire to seek God?

Cause For Downcast

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

Psalms 42:5-7 (NIV)

The Psalmists had the wisdom to discern the condition of their soul, which is influenced by the desires of the flesh. It is important for us to understand that we have a soul within us that awaits eternity, but we often neglect this fact and engage in ungodly actions that suffocate our souls.

This suffocation is reflected on our faces, as the world says that the face is the index of our minds. Instead of making amends to bring solace to our souls, we continue to make mistakes as a cover-up that harm them further. Envy is a destructive attitude that enters our lives when we choose not to do what is right.

If we don’t address it with the word of God, it can lead to devastating consequences and ultimately “murder” our souls. Cain serves as an example of this, as he chose to do evil and not heed God’s warning, ultimately leading to the murder of his brother Abel and the damage of his own soul.

This psalm explains the reasons for life’s disturbances. It acknowledges that during uncertain days, we may question the presence of God. Instead, we should learn to stick to God’s instructions in His absence.

Jonah, when swallowed by a fish, prayed to God. Jesus prayed at the right time to the right person on the cross, serving as an example of finding solace. Both prayed to God at the right time to overcome their respective situations. By praying to God, believers can understand the will of God that prevents them from asking God to fulfil their desires. The word of God is the only source to keep disturbances away.

God Of Hope

By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
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.

Psalms 42:8-11 (NIV)

When we learn to pray to God, we gain confidence in calming our souls. Prayer prevents our enemies from harming us. Prayer opens the way for God to shield and protect our bones, ensuring none of our bones are broken. We should not let the praises of others affect us when we are blessed by God. We often struggle in this area and become overwhelmed by the kind words of our fellow believers. This is why we are affected when people criticize us or attribute our current helpless situation to our sinful lives. If we learn to attribute our success to God, He will shield us from the attacks of our enemies.

When we feel downcast and lose hope, we may contemplate ending our lives as a way to escape this earthly suffering. However, it is crucial to comfort our souls with the living word, as this is what will bring hope into our lives. Without any deeds, we are saved by His grace, but to keep salvation alive, we should tell it to our soul every day. By doing so, we allow the God of Hope to instil in us the strength to face any challenges that come our way. Trusting in God is essential, as He is the one who fills our hearts with hope and gives us a purpose to live in this world.

The evil one tries to discourage people who are fulfilling God’s will by casting doubt on the presence of God with them. When Jesus fulfilled His Father’s will by sacrificing Himself on the Cross, people ridiculed Him, suggesting that if He were truly the Messiah, He should save Himself by coming down from the Cross. The devil’s objective is to prevent everyone from fulfilling God’s will. Recognizing this, we should not allow the devil to hinder us from doing what God desires. The Psalmists started this Psalm by revealing their deep desire to find the true God and ended the Psalm by owning God as thier Saviour and God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)