Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:7-8)

I’ve heard many people quote this phrase, “Deep calls unto deep,” within the context of receiving revelation of the Word — i.e. the deep things of God. And while the possibility of that connection exists, it seems to me the context suggests the statement is more about the unwanted circumstances of life coming at the author in waves. The Hebrew wording, in fact, hints at what occurred during the flood of Noah — the waters above rained down on the earth even as the fountains of the deep were broken up. The point is, the writer seems overwhelmed by everything that was being unleashed upon him.

When he said, “Your waves and billows have gone over me,” the Hebrew wording describes a scene you might see at a rocky beach — breakers that constantly build out in the ocean and then crash into the rocks along the shoreline. The noise and spray from the collision is something to behold from afar but not so spectacular for those who might find themselves in the line of fire. In short, the psalmist is expressing how one feels when tragedy and trouble seems to be coming at them in wave after wave. As soon as you feel you have caught your breath from the first one, another one is bearing down fast.

In this scenario, it would be too easy to feel distraught and defeated. Yet the author understood that, even when it feels like you’re about to go under, the Lord’s goodness will prevail. He will cause His lovingkindness to be felt in the day; in the dark of night, He will be at our side to comfort us in our time of need.

I think most of us can relate to what the writer described. I know that, in my life, there have been times when it seemed troubles were coming at me one on top of the other. After a while, one feels compelled to go into survival mode and hope that relief will come — and for those whose hope is in the Lord, relief will come. It may not be today or even tomorrow but it will come.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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