“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…
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.”
“Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
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.
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 42:1-11; 43:3-5
The openness of raw emotion pours out like the streams described, flowing with agony and honesty over rocks of disappointment, betrayal, pain. Desperate longing desperately seeks relief, comfort, resolution in the presence of God. And that turmoil meets rest, and hope, in His salvation.
God never promised only upcast life. The world thinks differently, claiming rights and assigning wrongs to ‘a God who would cause suffering.’ It was the beautiful downcast Savior, the Man of Sorrows forsaken and crucified, who won the very salvation that gives hope to the troubled. The way of suffering is the way of rejoicing, and the process that fuses them is honest pouring out that opens the way for heavenly pouring in. (Isaiah 53:3-5)
Have tears been our recent food? Where are we thirsting for relief or comfort? Are we panting for an explanation of circumstances, a clear way forward, or out? Would we pour out our hearts to the living God, whose steadfast love and song surround us night and day? Would we voice our dirge to attune to His rightful praise? Would we allow the deep waters to bear us up to His light, trusting and praising Him as a very present help and hope? (Psalm 46:1-3)
Lord, may I ever sing to Thee, knowing that as You hear You uphold with love, grace, and certain hope.
As the rain and snow 