my soul longeth after You

It's night. My children are washed and in their beds. My husband is at a monthly church meeting. The house is quiet, except for music, there is no noise but the low hum of my laptop.
When I turned the music on, I desired only instrumental. Not particularly in the mood for classical, I left it on the "New Age", where a piano piece was being played. For the most part, the music was repetitive, arpeggios throughout. Although soothing, it became numbing. But, just as I was about to change the channel, a familiar tune jogged my attention.

 As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after You. You alone are my hearts desire, and I long to worship You. You alone are my strength, my shield. To You alone may my spirit yield.

A song, so familiar to me from early high school years. Words taken directly from Psalm 42. Words sung so many times in my life that they come naturally from my lips, really, without much thought. But, words so beautiful and meaningful ...given thought, cause my heart to surge with longing.

The Psalmist, David, wrote this passage during a very difficult time in his life; a prayer of faith in a time of trouble. The next verses say...

"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 day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me." (vs.2-4)

The question "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?" is cried out twice. (vs.5,11) The first time the answer is " Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." The second time the answer is "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."

I love the resolve in David's words. There's no doubt that his hope is in God, and that he will praise Him again. He doesn't say, "when my circumstances change, then I will praise Him", and he certainly doesn't turn a blind eye to the truth that God is always worthy of our praise. He relies on God for help in his countenance and praises Him for His presence in the midst of the trials.

It's easy to praise God when life is running smoothly. When things, while busy and sometimes burdensome, are going well, praising Him comes easily. When we're faced with a difficult season though, sometimes we run the opposite way... grasping for "truth" and answers in a fallen world....

May we have resolve as David had, trusting God no matter the circumstances we're faced with.

"The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:8