As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2)
As we begin to look at this psalm, which incidentally is the first in Book Two of the Psalms, it is important to point out that it was composed by the sons of Korah. Their ancestor, as you recall, led an infamous rebellion against Moses in the desert, and were it not for their other ancestors’ willingness to separate from the rebels, their family would have been eliminated entirely from the earth. And so as we begin, let us consider these are the words of men who understood what it meant to choose God over any and all others — even family. In my view, this background amplifies the sentiment expressed — being desperate for the living God.
It is my understanding that in the Holy Land, the hart (male deer) tends to exist primarily in arid regions which would obviously necessitate the need to find a source of clean water. Most animals, as well as humans, can exist for some time without food but not so with water. It is the most crucial of elements if any life is to continue, and so it is entirely conceivable that animals who live in desert regions could potentially find themselves in desperate situations. If it were desperate enough, they would be compelled to travel long distances and into unfamiliar regions in order to satiate their need for water.
So using the analogy of a desperately thirsty deer, the sons of Korah express their desire for a relationship they cannot do without — a relationship with the living God. It’s important to take note of the fact they distinguished the God of Israel from other so-called gods. Obviously, the idols and nothing gods cannot provide what we need to live because they do not live. The point then is that, just as no one cannot exist without water, we cannot truly live without the having a relationship with source of life — the Almighty God. May it be that we, like the thirsty deer, will spare no effort to drink from the springs of living water that is our God. Let us not be casual in our pursuit of Him, but desperate — so desperate that we will not allow anything or anyone, including friends and family, to stop us from seeking and finding the Living God.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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