2/12/2012 7:26:53 AM
SPIRITURAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Trusting God
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 42-43
Message of the verses: In today’s SD we begin book two in the book of Psalms, as there are five different books totaling 150 Psalms in all. In book one we saw most of the psalms written by David, but that is not the case in some of the other books as they have different authors as is the case of Psalms 43 & 43. In his introduction to these two Psalms Dr. Wiersbe points out that he believes that these two psalms were at one time just one psalm, but does not know why they were separated.
Korah was a grandson of Kohath and he was killed in a rebellion against the Lord which is found in Numbers chapter 16. His sons escaped the judgment (Numbers 16:11) and became worship leaders in the sanctuary as seen in 1Chronicles 9:19 and following; and also 26:1-19. We see them also named in the titles of Psalms 44-49, 84 and 87-88, and they were also mentioned in the introduction to Psalm 39.
John MacArthur writes in his introductory commentary these words, “These people are probably better regarded as the Levitical performers, rather than the authors of these psalm (i.e., ‘For the sons of Korah’). Some commentators that I have read believe that David was the author of this psalm and the background was again when Absalom was rebelling against David. In Dr. Wiersbe introduction he writes, “Some associate these psalms with Absalom’s rebellion, but the geography in verse 6 seems to put the setting too far north for that, since David camped over the Jordan at Mahanaim. The author was evidently a Levite exiled among Gentiles (43:1) who oppressed him and questioned his faith (42:3, 10; 43:2). He was a worship leader who had led groups of pilgrims to Jerusalem for the assigned festivals (84:7; Ex. 23:14-17; 34:18-26; Deu. 16:1-17). It was time for such a journey but he wasn’t able to go, and this grieved his heart because he felt that the Lord had forgotten him (42:9; 43:2).
I want to also look at what Charles H. Spurgeon wrote in his introduction to Psalm 42: “Subject. It is the cry of a man far removed from the outward ordinances and worship of God, sighing for the long loved house of his God; and at the same time it is the voice of a spiritual believer, under depressions, longing for the renewal of the divine presence, struggling with doubts and fears, but yet holding his ground by faith in the living God. Most of the Lord’s family have sailed on the sea which is here so graphically described. It is probable that David’s flight from Absalom may have been the occasion for composing this Maschil.”
There is a wonderful song that was written from verse one of Psalm 42 that I want to put into this SD since it is one of my favorite songs and the reason for that is that it is a song from Scripture:
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Lyrics: |
As the deer panteth for the water So my soul longeth after thee You alone are my hearts desire And I long to worship thee Chorus You alone are my strength my shield To You alone may my spirit yield You alone are my hearts desire And I long to worship thee You're my friend and You are my brother, Even though you are a king. I love you more than any other, So much more than anything. I want You more than gold or silver, Only You can satisfy. You alone are the real joy Giver, And the apple of my eye. |
At the end of his introduction to this Psalm’s 42-43 Dr. Wiersbe writes “The psalms are intensely personal, containing over fifty personal pronouns; and the writer fluctuated between faith and despair as he wrestled with the Lord. He questions the Lord eleven times as he wonders why God doesn’t do something for him. We see him passing through three stages before he comes to victory and peace.”
Longing for God (42:1-5): “1 ¶ «For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.» As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.”
As I read the different commentaries and found out the disagreement with who they believe authored this psalm and when in the history of Israel that it was written I have come to no conclusions of my own at this time, but perhaps after studying these psalms I will have formed an opinion of my own, however I know that this was inspired by God’s Holy Spirit as he inspired all Scripture, and because it is part of God’s Word I can learn from it and hopefully grow in my faith because of the study from these two psalms.
One of the things that I have always remembered about Psalm 42 was the first verse and how I see a person longing for the Lord and describe it as he may have seen a deer panting for water because it could not find any. The writer describes his longing for the living Lord, the Lord he desires to serve, and yet he is in a place where he cannot fulfill that desire. He is in a place where he is being treated badly because of his faith, perhaps living in a Gentile nation. The writer is thirsting for the Lord and asks the Lord when will he appear to him, for his prayers are not being answered. He remembers the times when he led people up to Jerusalem for the feasts and longs to do that again, and yet he cannot do it because of the circumstances that he finds himself in.
His mood changes as seen in verse five when he remembers that there is no reason to be in despair because God is on the throne and because of that He is always in control so we see that his faith in the Lord is increased by remembering the Lord is in control.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have been in the place where the author of this psalm was and there are times when troubles come into my life that I too forget that the Lord has a plan for my life and that God is still on His throne. Life is sometimes hard, but I remember that as Dr. Wiersbe has written that life is full of tests and it is how we handle those tests that can help to build our character, or they can drag us down and cause us to have our circumstances overwhelm us and that is why we need to remember another thing that Dr. Wiersbe has written in many of his books: “The successful Christian life is a series of new beginnings.”
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Continue to trust the Lord knowing that He is always on His throne and in control of all things.
2. Continue to seed the Lord’s help and direction as I go through the circumstances of life seeking to learn contentment.
2/12/2012 8:29:59 AM
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