Praying Through the Hard Times (Psalms 42-43)
Psalm 42 (ESV)
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul 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 the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 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.
5 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 6 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.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 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?”
11 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 43 (ESV)
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 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.
In this post, we’re moving on to book 2 with a pair of psalms. Psalms 42-43 are believed by some scholars to originally be one psalm. If you have wondered “why”—a question that shows up repeatedly throughout these psalms—this one’s for you.
Book 2 contains part of a collection of psalms from the “Sons of Korah.” They wrote eleven psalms and most of them are in this book.
If you remember, Korah was a cousin of Moses and Aaron. He and a couple co-conspirators rebelled because they wanted to be priests too (Num. 16). For this, they were judged and killed by God, “but the sons of Korah did not die” (Num. 26:11, emphasis mine) as their father did. What grace of God to use a rebellious line to write Scripture!
Another interesting note is that the name of God used most predominantly in Books 2 and 3 is “Elohim” instead of God’s personal name, “Yahweh.” This name focuses on God’s transcendence over creation.
Psalm 72:18 links both of these names, saying “Blessed be the LORD (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of Israel.” We will assume Elohim=Yahweh and vice versa.
This is significant because it reminds us that the personal God is also the God who is in control of all. He sovereignly transcends all of creation yet cares for his own—and we’ll find that to be very important in this psalm.
As a “maskil,” many believe this to be a teaching poem. So what can we learn from these psalms?
Studying Psalms 42-43
Read the psalm (included in its entirety above) several times. As you do, take note of several things:
Observations
What do you pick up as the immediate context or situation the psalmist is in? Look for descriptions and pictures throughout the psalms that give you clues to understand what’s happening in his life.
What emotion words do you notice that help you understand what is going on within him?
List all the questions the psalmist asks God in these psalms.
What repetition do you see in these psalms? What is the “refrain” that runs through them?
What do you learn about God in these psalms?
Water is a recurring motif in these psalms. What forms of water do you see in these psalms? Compare and contrast them.
Note the pronouns. Does it change? What might be the significance?
What images are used in the psalm?
What are the psalmist’s requests? What does he ask God to do?
Interpretation
Understanding the text
I remember the very popular 80’s worship song “As the Deer” by Martin Nystrom. How is it similar or dissimilar to the psalmist’s experience?
What is the tone of the psalmist as he asks his questions? What might this teach us about praying to God in our hard times or puzzling circumstances?
Understanding its place in Scripture
Based on your observations, how might this psalm be important to the nation of Israel as God’s people?
How might this psalm point to Christ? See John 4:10-14; 7:37-38.
If Jesus prayed this psalm, when might he pray a psalm like this during his lifetime?
A little commentary
“Deer”=While Psalm 23 is from a sheep’s perspective, Psalm 42 is from a deer’s perspective. Instead of green pastures, most likely this describes dry steppe country, possibly in the lands far south of Israel, which can be made worse by drought. Here, the deer is panting, gasping for air as well as water.
“House of God” (42:4) = where God dwelt. Psalm 2:6 tells us this is in Zion, also known as Jerusalem, in the southern part of the country. Symbolically, the imagery may be focusing on His presence, particularly in corporate worship.
“turmoil” (42:5, 11; 43:5)—a disturbance that unsettles a still body of water, churning it up.
“Jordan and Hermon” (42:6): Mountain range far to the north of the promised land. The headwaters of the Jordan River start here.
“Mount Mizar”: unknown location.
Cross References:
Hungering and thirsting are images of this quest for fellowship with God and the satisfaction He brings. See Ps. 36:8-9; Matt. 5:6; John 7:37-39; Rev. 21:6; 22:17 for additional insights on this imagery.
Application
How might this psalm picture your life?
In spiritual thirst?
In times of lowness or despair?
In unfair or unjust accusations?
Describe your particular situation. How might the repeated refrain in these psalms address your life’s circumstances?
What characteristic of the transcendent yet personal God described in these verses brings comfort to your situation or experience?
Reflection:
Like Psalm 5, this is a lament psalm. In our last psalm, we learned that we can trust the King who is our Shepherd to care for us in all seasons. This includes seasons of depression and despair. How can we still honor God and live faithfully even when we are depressed?
Though we cannot definitively identify the situation identified in the psalm, we know that somehow, God’s faithful are not spared from suffering or torment. Perhaps you have even gone through something similar as you try to follow God faithfully.
This is why this psalm is important to understand today. We will not be spared, though we seek to live a godly life because we live in a world where God’s enemies still prowl. This psalm teaches us how to pray in the midst of the unfairness that can dishearten us.
As mentioned earlier, many scholars have believed that these two psalms were originally one psalm due to the recurring refrain in 42:5, 42:11 and 43:5. With each section, we will see 1) a cry of anguish, 2) a remembrance of God’s past work (42:4; 42:8; 43:3-4) and 3) the refrain where he preaches to his own soul (42:5, 11; 43:5). These refrains take on a different meaning as the lament unfolds.
Stanza 1
The psalm opens in a cry of anguish. Not only is the psalmist thirsty—he is desperate for God’s presence in a difficult and dry season of his life. In verse 1, we get the image of a thirsting deer, and unlike the sheep who are grazing in green pastures with watering holes, we see a deer panting and gasping for refreshment in a dry land.
The parallel structure of the verse suggests that this panting deer is meant to be a picture of our souls. Our souls are also living things that can thirst and hunger—not for flowing streams but for the living God alone (Ps. 63:1). This is how God created us.
Sometimes the thirst is of our own making. Because of our bent towards sin, we will try to fill that longing with other things, but those only temporarily satisfy. The soul revolts eventually.
You can have it all, but without Christ, you can still be empty. All external blessings are nothing if we do not have spiritual life. And just as with prolonged physical dehydration, there are severe consequences.
But sometimes the spiritual dryness comes when we are undergoing difficulty because we are trying to be faithful to God. It gets worse when we are panting for God but He feels absent, as if he was forgotten by Him. He longs for God’s personal presence (42:2).
This longing leads to the question: “When shall I come and appear before God?” He longs to see His face, appearing before God at the sanctuary (Ex. 23:17; Ps. 84:7).
While we should not be looking for trouble, God sometimes uses it as a gift to help us recognize our greater spiritual need. We may not realize our need when life is good, just as we might not realize dehydration until we experience its unpleasant effects. And this is where we find our psalmist.
Unlike the salty tears that have been his food, the living God gives fresh, lifegiving streams. For us today, this is how Christ describes himself—as the spring of living water that wells up to eternal life (John 4:14).
Because he seems to reminisce about leading the procession into the temple, this implies that he is not where he longs to be. Instead of being with God’s people, he is surrounded by taunting enemies (42:3). The remembrance of being with God’s people may add to his sadness and loneliness.
But this may also be the moment when prayer becomes sweetest. Though he is far from the temple (and therefore the God and people he loves), he can still call out to Him. Likewise, we can pour out our souls in prayer, even if we don’t feel his nearness.
Prayer is not dependent on our feelings of connection to God. Just as we need to drink even when we don’t feel dehydrated, we pray even when our souls don’t feel thirsty. We need not wait until we feel happy or joyous.
Will you join the psalmist in bringing your pain to Him now?
Bringing these painful recollections into God’s presence helps us to move on to the first occurrence of the refrain in verse 5.
Refrain
Questions play a big part in these psalms. The psalmist asks questions of God, but he also asks questions of himself in the refrain. In a way, it is like he is counseling himself
Questions are powerful because they are a way we seek understanding. Here, the psalmist asks these questions as a challenge to himself. He questions the direction he is going and the conclusions he is drawing from his experience.
When we question our choices, this also gives us an opportunity to change paths. Here, he begins to move from despair to orienting himself towards God.
For me, this has been a huge step. When I was in the hardest season of our new adoption, I could not see beyond the difficulty. I believed what I felt was the truth—but it only led me to anger and despair.
I wish I had studied this psalm so that I could question myself—how much time and heartache I could have spared! Instead, I continued down a destructive path.
But not only does the psalmist question himself, the second part of the refrain is also important: he rehearses truth about God even when his problems are overwhelming. It might not change his circumstances or his emotions, but he remembers that one day, “I shall again praise Him.” When his hope is in God, he can boldly move forward, knowing that the joyful days will come again and the joy of his salvation will return.
Why is your soul downcast and in turmoil? Pinpoint the issue in your own heart. How might the truth about God as our hope and salvation help you to resist the lies our emotions may feed us? What might faith rooted in truth look like for you?
Stanza 2
After the refrain, we enter stanza 2 in 42:6-10. Here, we see that not only is his soul thirsty, it is “cast down” or prostrated before God in prayer. The pronouns change as he goes from talking about God to talking to God. Whereas the first stanza recalled God’s blessings in the past, this stanza remembers God’s presence in the midst of today’s despair.
We had mentioned in the last stanza that the psalmist was longing to be in God’s presence in his temple, so where is he now? This stanza gives us a hint: Mt. Hermon are mountains in the far north, the opposite direction of Zion in the south!
It is here that the headwaters of the Jordan River are formed. From a dry land we now see a river that surges powerfully as the snows melt, creating roaring waterfalls (42:7).
The imagery of water symbolizes intense suffering, as in Ps. 69:1-2; 88:7 or Jonah 2:3. Sometimes they even suggest the entrance of Sheol, the underworld of the dead. It feels like the Shepherd is taking him through the valley of the shadow of death!
I remember the terror when, as a child, I was pulled underwater by the tide when I was playing at the beach. Trying to grab for something, anything, I remember grasping sand and feeling the sand give way beneath me as I was dragged from the shore. I really thought I was going to die.
Likewise, this is how the psalmist also felt. But if you remember, he is talking to God and he describes these as “your waterfalls…your breakers…your waves” (42:7) It is his declaration that though these are powerful, they still belong to God. He is still in control in this situation, even in the midst of the threat of death.
Fortunately for me, I did not die then but a family friend saw me and grabbed hold of me. You can be sure that I clung to him!
In the same way, the psalmist discovers that God Himself, the rock, is there and he reaches out in his desperation and turns to Him. He is not just the God of the good old days (42:4) but also the God who is near him in his difficulties.
Again, the parallel structure of 42:8 links the personal LORD with the transcendent God. Even in his desperation, he turns back to God (42:8-9)—not just the good old days of what he has done (42:4) but to God Himself, who is his rock. The God who controls the waters is the one who is in a covenant relationship of love with him.
By day or by night (42:8), He is near. By the way, the rhetorical term for this is a merism, which shows two extremes but also includes everything in between. In this verse, it means there is no time of day when He is not there—He is truly a rock, fixed and sure.
What I love about this psalm is that he feels no hesitation to ask honest questions of God. He also tells him what he is encountering with his enemies. But because of the tone of the surrounding verses, we can assume that these are not questions of accusation and anger. They are simply honest confessions of need. He doesn’t hide his despair.
It is at this point, the refrain returns. Though he is feeling abandoned, overwhelmed and oppressed, this time the refrain becomes the way he evaluates his hardship. It is as if he saying: Yes this is a hard place, but don’t forget—God is my salvation and my hope! Why should I despair?
This brings up another point about prayer: Prayer is not just asking God for things but declaring to Him what you believe is true about Him. This kind of prayer faces the hostility of men in the light of the truth of God, setting our eyes on the joy, hope, and faithfulness. We cling to Him as our rock.
As you consider your situation, what truths about God can you hold on to as a rock? How might these help you to interpret your situation in a new or more encouraging light?
In just about every lament, there is a vow of praise that turns the psalm’s direction. For Psalms 42-43, it is right here. In the midst of the despair of drowning, this call out to God and holding on to the rock who is strong and sturdy keeps you from going under. He is our salvation.
Stanza 3
From the refrain, we enter one more scenario—this time, a courtroom scene. Here, our psalmist finds himself falsely accused by an ungodly person—perhaps a Gentile or an unfaithful Jewish ringleader. Not only is he far from God, he is the target of hostility by those that surround him.
Though we don’t know the details, this gives us a sense of how to pray when we are in similar situations—how a godly person can pray through unjust accusations. For the first time, we hear him ask the Lord to do something for him. His requests are full of strong verbs: vindicate…defend…deliver (43:1).
We see that God is the one who satisfies and the God who is solid rock. Here, we see God as the faithful defender who is a refuge in such situations. He trusts Him completely to put things all to rights.
As I think about these psalms, I am so challenged. God not only is able to satisfy my thirsty soul, He will be my solid rock to hold on to when things go haywire. Sometimes, the accuser is not a human, but the taunts of the enemy.
In these situations, like the psalmist, I can ask God to send out His light and truth to lead me towards His holy presence. This is where the spiritual shifts happen as we see in these verses. Like the psalmist, when we seek Him, we will start moving out of the darkness of lies and fear in our hearts—even if the situation itself doesn’t change.
With God’s help, he is able to stay on track instead of wandering off. In 43:3-4, he gets to his destination—where he wanted to be all along, God’s holy hill, his dwelling, the altar of God. Those who turn to Him will find that He is faithful to lead them there.
God is willing to answer prayers for guidance—this is what the Shepherd does—he is delighted to guide us into paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (Ps 23:3), so we need not fear that he will not answer.
From a dry and thirsty land to the holy hill that leads to God’s dwelling place and altar where fellowship is restored—we see the Lord lead the psalmist upward from his pit of despair to higher and higher ground towards Him. The panting deer is satisfied. With each stanza, we see the transcendent God become more and more personal: first, the living God (42:2), then the God of my life (42:8), and then finally, God my exceeding joy (43:4).
He is now with the God he loves—his focus is on Him, and as he looks more at him, the less he focuses on himself and his troubles and frustrations. When he enters the presence of God, he worships, leaving behind the enemies that torment.
From this, the refrain in 43:5 once again takes on a different meaning. This time, he is not reasoning with himself but it is a resounding hope. With such a God, why should his soul be downcast? He is on our side, and as we think on the past, the present, and the future, we can be confident because He will always be there.
As you cling to God, will you trust Him to get back to Him? Ask Him to lead you out of your despair as He becomes more and more personal to you.
Counseling the Word
Throughout this reflection, I hope you have been counseling your own heart in the Lord. But this psalm can also help when counseling a friend. Let this psalm’s honest cry be a pathway to follow. Let each stanza and refrain help move your friend closer to God as their lifegiving source, strong assurance, and joyful hope as they remember who He is. Walk with them and encourage them to pour out their concerns and cares honestly before Him.
Praying the Word
Praise: He alone satisfies us in our thirst. Affirm your belief that He is the God of your life, your rock, your sun in the darkest night. He is the God in whom he takes refuge when accused. There are so many descriptions of God in this psalm as you praise Him!
Thanksgiving: Thank Him for the good times in the past, His steadfast love, the hope and salvation of your downcast heart. Thank God that we have access to God through Christ—anytime, anywhere, through the Spirit that dwells within us—we don’t need to travel far!
Confession: Do you just want relief from your troubles or do you want God Himself? Confess your substitutes for God. Ask Him to help you want Him only. Check your heart for disrespect before the Lord as you ask your questions. Will you trust Him?
Petitions: Specifically and honestly lay out your troubles, being realistic with the struggles that you face. As you ask questions, do so as a humble and honest query. This psalm shows us that we can ask God any questions we have from a posture of humility.
We can ask for deliverance from oppression of the soul—actual enemies, life’s trials, hardships Satan uses to discourage and frustrate/tempt/defeat you. He will guide you out with his help. When reviled by others, or simply because we struggle in a world not our home, let these words help you to seek out the Lord, help you to walk faithfully with Him despite the pain.
When in an unjust situation, ask God to serve as judge, to defend you from unfair accusations. Ask Him to send out his light and truth to the Lord, to let them lead you and bring you back into his holy presence. Keep praying that God will turn you outward to Him, even in the midst of your lament.
Intercession: Are there friends you know who are struggling with depression, low spirits, or difficulties? Use this psalm to pray that the Lord will guide them out of their hardships, orient their hearts towards Him, and find their soul’s deepest satisfaction in God alone.
Praise again: Even after you express these honestly, will you rehearse before Him what you know? Remember: our enemy will not be victorious for Christ our Lord, has won the battle. Wait in hope for his deliverance and rely on his word to be the light and truth that illuminates our path to deliverance and ultimately, the One who satisfies our souls.
