Hope in God

As a deer pants for flowing streams,

so pants my soul for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my food day and night,

while they say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

These things I remember,

as I pour out my soul:

how I would go with the throng

and lead them in procession to the house of God

with glad shouts and songs of praise,

a multitude keeping festival.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mizar:

Deep calls to deep

at the roar of your waterfalls;

all your breakers and your waves

have gone over me.

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,

and 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 do I go mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?"

As with a deadly wound in my bones,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God.

Psalm 42

Beautiful words... Beautiful words of encouragement to continually place our hope in God, drinking like we've never been quenched from our thirst... drinking from the streams of living water... Dear God, there are many times when satan lies to me and causes me to question "Where is my God?". Help me dear Lord, to keep putting my hope in You. Dear God, I cannot deny the times when there is turmoil within me and causes my soul to be down cast and forget that You have redeemed me from being a slave to sin. Help me dear Lord, to look back at the cross where you have made me right in your sight. Help me then, to remember that if you have shown me your saving grace, you'll be able to sustain me and help me persevere in You to the day when I'll see You face to face - this hope that You've promised and will see to completion. Thank you for the words that you've given us: to remind us, draw us back to You, and put in us joyful thanksgiving for who You are and what You've done and promised. Amen.