Hey there!

Today, I want to bring you along on a journey into one of the most comforting and relatable passages for me in the Bible: Psalm 42. As someone who’s been walking the path of faith, diving into the Psalms feels like stumbling upon a hidden oasis in the desert, especially when life throws its curveballs.

So we have King David, the psalmist, pouring out his heart like an open book before the Lord. In Psalm 42, he paints a vivid picture of his soul thirsting for God, as to a deer panting for streams of water. Does that strike a chord with you? It definitely does with me. There are moments in life when our souls ache for that deep connection with the the Lord, when we long for God’s hug to wrap us tight.

David’s words hit hard because they’re so real. He doesn’t pretend life’s a cakewalk. Instead, he spills his guts, owning up to his doubts and begging God for a hand. How often have we been there, wrestling with our own mess, but hanging on to the hope that God’s got our back?

One of the coolest things about Psalm 42 is David’s rock-solid faith, even when life’s throwing punches. He asks himself, “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.” It’s like a slap in the face, waking us up to the fact that our hope isn’t in stuff that fades, but in the God who never quits.

When thinking about Psalm 42, I realize that we must seek him zealously, diligently.. as the word says:

Deuteronomy 4:29: “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
and
Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
and
Proverbs 8:17: “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”

Let’s not hold back on pouring our hearts out, knowing God’s ears are always open. And when life gets wild, let’s cling to the truth that God’s love is the real deal.

So, friends, as we go through life’s wild ride, let’s lean into His timeless wisdom. Let’s take in the goodness of God’s Word, finding strength and comfort in His arms. And as we stumble through the twists and turns, let’s shout out loud like David, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.“

Until next time, keep seeking, keep believing, and keep trusting in the God who sustains us through it all.

Blessings,
Pete

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 all the day long,
‘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 all the day long,
‘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.”

Psalms 42