Psalm 42
I heard a quote a few weeks ago from a sermon I was watching, “It is hard for the devil to find me in the deer stand.” My family’s tradition is to gather together the day before rifle opener, after all the details are taken care of for the hunt, put on pajamas and watch Disney’s Bambi. The movie is a fantastic story and allows us to discuss ethical hunting practices and Biblical stewardship of God’s creation.
This favorite deer opener movie night leads me into my favorite song for opening weekend, “As the Deer.” A bunch of thirsty deer are looking for water describes the analogy of our souls longing for the movement of God in our lives. This song is based on Psalm 42, we rarely get beyond verse one, but we need to understand the desperation of the Psalmist for the closeness of God.
1 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?"
The mocking and questioning the Psalmist faced every day brought him to long for the living God to draw near to him. His tears have overcome him to the point where it is the only thing that is thinking about. That type of desperation challenges our perspective on our reliance upon God. In the midst of desperation do we turn to God or to something that inadequately seeks to soothe our hearts?
The Psalmist continues in verses 6-8:
6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.
When God seems far off, we remember that He created nature and nature reveals the character of God. From rich farmlands to snow-covered mountains, from waterfalls to ocean waves, God’s glory is evident in nature and reminds us of His great love for us in the beauty of the earth. When we feel far from God turn to Him in worship, praise Him for His character, for His work, or for His creative creation that we get to enjoy.
This year in my borrowed deer stand my father joins me, when he wakes up from his nap after lunch, I will hand him my bible opened to this psalm and ask him to read it. We will sit side by side watching for deer, but we will both know that more than anything we long to be near God. While the devil may struggle to find me in the deer stand, God is near and His love demonstrated through nature calls for us to worship.