PSALMS 44
We will begin by giving chapter 42 of Psalms in metre.
THE PSALMS OF DAVID IN METRE
Chapter 42
Verse 1 "As pants the hart for cooling flood, So pants my soul, O
living God, To taste thy grace. When unto thee shall I draw
near? O when within thy courts appear, And see thy face?
Verse 2 "Tears day and night have been my bread, Whilst, "Where is
now thy God?" is said by foes to me. I call these things to
mind with grief. My soul I then, to find relief, Pour out to
thee."
Verse 3 "With numbers gathered from abroad I went to seek the house
of God, With joy and praise. I ever joined with true delight
The multitude which kept aright The holy days."
Verse 4 "O thou my soul, why so depressed? Why thus with vexing
thoughts oppressed? On God rely; For I shall yet behold his
face; My God, who helps me by his grace, I'll magnify."
Verse 5 "My God, my soul's cast down, yet still From Jordan, Hermon,
Mizar-hill, I'll think of thee. Deep calls to deep with
deafening roar, Thy water-spouts and billows pour Their
floods on me."
Verse 6 "God will command his love by day, And I by night will sing
and pray To God my life. To God my rock I'll make my plea, O
why hast thou forgotten me Amidst this strife?
Verse 7 "Why Eve restless do I mourn, Oppressed by foes whose words
of scorn are spread abroad? And daily their reproachful
words Have pierced my soul like cutting swords: "Where is
thy God?"
Verse 8 "O thou my soul, why so depressed? Why thus with vexing
thoughts oppressed? On God rely; For I shall yet behold his
face; My God, who helps me by his grace," I'll magnify.
We will begin the verse by verse study of Chapter 42 of Psalms.
Psalms 42:1 "{To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.}
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
thee, O God."
Those of us who have ever lived around deer know that, the deer
comes to the watering hole for a drink of fresh water and sometimes to
get the dogs off their trail. This was written by David ,at a time
when he could not just go to worship whenever he wanted to. He longs
for the time when he can spend time in peaceful worship of God. This
was a song sung by what we would call the choir in the church. These
sons of Korah were the singers.
Psalms 42:2 "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when
shall I come and appear before God?"
The soul of all mankind thirsts to worship someone greater than
himself. Matthew 5:6 "Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Notice, that David
desires with everything in him for God. Then he makes the statement
{living God}. David knows that God is eternal. Liveth means continues
to live. The statement {my God} shows us that God is God of
individuals. I believe David is crying out for God to fellowship with
him, one on one. David is not asking for the formality of religion,
but the reality of God. David is even asking God, when can I come to
you? True Christians, now are crying, Come quickly Lord Jesus. Let us
look at two more Scriptures on thirsting for righteousness, before we
go on. John 4:13 "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh
of this water shall thirst again:" John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh
of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water
that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
into everlasting life." The water that Jesus is speaking of, and the
thirst that David had, is speaking of the Spirit of God.
Psalms 42:3 "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they
continually say unto me, Where [is] thy God?"
We see that David was serious about his request to God. He had
cried day and night. The world will never understand about God. They
have eyes to see, and they do not see. The only time that they will
believe in God is when they can see Him with their physical eyes, and
then it will be too late.
Psalms 42:4 "When I remember these [things], I pour out my soul
in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the
house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that
kept holyday."
There were three holy days that the Jews were required to keep.
At these times there were multitudes who gathered and kept the holy
day. Not only did David keep holy days, but Jesus kept them as well.
In fact, Jesus was Passover Lamb. These holy days were not times of
sorrow, but times of joy. With each of them, they were to remember a
particular blessing of God.
Psalms 42:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and [why] art
thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him
[for] the help of his countenance."
David has been having a pity party. He has been sick inside,
because his friends have turned against him. Now, he asks himself, why
art thou cast down, O my soul? This is a good question. He then gives
himself very good advice, hope in God. God has not hidden from David.
He will see Him and rejoice. We ought to think on this, as well.
We are not like the world, who have no hope. We have hope of the
resurrection. In fact, we have promise of the resurrection. Rejoice
and be glad, all ye saints.
Psalms 42:6 "O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore
will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites,
from the hill Mizar."
Even though David is not near the holy mountain, he will not
forget God. He will worship God where he is. We might look at that and
learn. Wherever we are, we can pray and meet with God. It does not
have to be just in church. In fact, God likes for us to pray to Him
when no one but Him hears.
Psalms 42:7 "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy
waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me."
David, at this point, is feeling desperate. He is fearful that
all of the forces are against him. He is saying, the waves are getting
too high, I am about to go under. Peter felt this same panic, when he
tried to walk on the water to Jesus. He started looking at the waves
and forgot that he had already been walking on the water toward Jesus.
We must not look at the circumstances. Sure the water might be getting
high, but Jesus reached out His hand to Peter and raised him up. He
will do the same for us, if we will reach out for His help.
Psalms 42:8 "[Yet] the LORD will command his lovingkindness in
the daytime, and in the night his song [shall be] with me, [and] my
prayer unto the God of my life."
Peter cried for help, and Jesus helped him. David puts his faith
in God, and God is there in the day and in the night to help him. Are
you about to sink in the problems of this life? Reach out and Jesus
will help you. Pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, and He will
answer your prayers. Help is as near as your next prayer.
Psalms 42:9 "I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten
me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
David calls Him the Rock, why does he not stand on that Rock
instead of thinking God has forgotten him? David is looking at the
oppression of the enemy, instead of standing fast upon the Rock.
People, I say one more time, don't look at the waves rising around
you, keep your eyes on Jesus. Stand fast on the Rock and the storms of
life will not shake you.
Psalms 42:10 "[As] with a sword in my bones, mine enemies
reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where [is] thy God?"
The enemy is there day after day, but plant your roots deep like
the oak tree. When the wind blows with all of this doubt, just dig
deeper with your roots. Trust God and even this will pass.
Psalms 42:11 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou
disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
[who is] the health of my countenance, and my God."
It sounds to me, as if David is preaching himself a sermon. I
might ask, too, why are you cast down David {beloved of God}? David
knows that he has no reason to doubt God. God has always protected
him, and He will not stop now. He finishes this lament in a positive
note. God is not far from my face. He is my God. He is my help in time
of need.
We will now continue this lesson by giving the 43rd chapter of
Psalms in metre.
Chapter 43
Verse 1 "Righteous judge, from foes defend me, Who combined false
charges lay; From thy arm deliv'rance send me, And my
teach'rous foes dismay."
Verse 2 "God my rock, my strength sustaining, Why cast off my soul
distressed? Why am I in grief complaining, by the power of
foes oppressed?"
Verse 3 "Now thy light and truth forth sending, Let them lead and
guide me still, Guide me to thy house ascending, Lead me to
thy holy hill."
Verse 4 "There thine altar, Lord, Lord, surrounding, God, my
boundless joy, Harp and voice aloud resounding, Praise shall
all my powers employ."
Verse 5 "Why my soul cast down and grieving? Why within me such
distress? Hope in God, his help receiving, God my life I yet
shall bless."
We will continue with the verse by verse study of Chapter 43 of
Psalms. Psalms 43:1 "Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an
ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man."
David does not mind God judging him, because he knows his heart
is right with God. David is like many of us. He knows that he would
not be judged fairly by these unjust men. David is asking God to show
these ungodly men that God is on David's side.
Psalms 43:2 "For thou [art] the God of my strength: why dost thou
cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the
enemy?"
If David really knows that God is his strength, why is he
whining? Have you ever asked God why? God does not mind us asking why.
He does not want us doubting that He is our God, but He does not mind
us asking Him questions. Perhaps, the following Scripture is the
answer to the question. John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said unto
you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted
me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they
will keep yours also."
Psalms 43:3 "O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead
me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles."
I pray very often that the Lord Jesus will keep His Light before
my feet, that I may see clearly the path that He has chosen for me to
walk. That is what David is saying here. If we walk in His Light, it
will lead us to heaven. The tabernacle that David means, here, is the
place where he could go and meet with God. The eternal tabernacle is
in heaven with God.
Psalms 43:4 "Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my
exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God."
David would be forever praising God for rescuing him. The
children of Israel soon forgot that God had delivered them from Egypt.
David is saying that he would not forget, but would sing and play his
harp before God in praise and worship. The greatest deliverance of all
was Jesus delivering all who will believe from death and hell. We,
too, will sing praises around the throne for so great a deliverance.
Psalms 43:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou
disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who
is] the health of my countenance, and my God."
This is the very same verse that the 11th verse of the 42nd Psalm
gave. I might ask this question of David myself? The only hope, that
any of us or David has, is in God. Stop looking at the circumstances,
and look to the Lord who is the author and finisher of our faith.
Questions 44
1. In verse 1 David compared himself to what animal?
2. What was the animal panting for?
3. What are two reasons why deer comes to the watering hole?
4. Who were the singers in verse 1?
5. What did David call God in verse 2?
6. Quote Matthew chapter 5 verse 6.
7. What is meant by, living God?
8. What does the statement, my God, show us?
9. David is not looking for the formality of religion, but the
_______ __ ___.
10. What are true Christians crying out to God now?
11. What is the water that Jesus was speaking of in verse 14 of the
4th chapter of John?
12. What did David say had been his meat day and night?
13. When will the world believe in God?
14. How many holy days were the Jews required to keep?
15. Who was the Passover Lamb?
16. What very good question did David ask himself in verse 5?
17. What was the very good advice David gave himself?
18. What is the hope of the believer?
19. What lesson can we Christians learn from verse 6 speaking of
Jordan and the other places?
20. What is David fearful of in verse 7?
21. Are you about to sink in the problems of this life?
22. If you answered yes to the last question, what are you going to do
about it?
23. What is David doing, instead of standing on the Rock?
24. How steadfastly are we to stand when the storm blows against us?
25. What does the author believe David is doing in verse 11?
26. Who is David willing to judge him?
27. Why do Christians suffer in this life? Answer with a Scripture.
28. What 2 things does David ask God to lead him with?
29. Where is the eternal tabernacle?
30. What 2 ways did David promise to praise God?
31. Stop looking at the circumstances, and look to the _____.
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