My Soul Longs for You

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Psalm 42:1-11. Psalm 42 is written to the Chief Musician. It is a Maschil for the sons of Korah. A Maschil is a song or a poem of contemplation. The psalm talks about longing for God, as the deer longs for water from the brook. Have you ever thirsted after God? Have you ever desired to be in His presence so much you longed for Him? Sometimes we don’t realize the longing in our hearts is for God. We try to fill the longing in our hearts with everything else, but are never satisfied. There is a place in our hearts and lives that only God can fill. God created us to have a longing for Him.

Jesus says in John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Obviously this had been a sad time for the psalmist because he says, “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” He was despondent and blue because of the oppression of his enemy. When the circumstances of life overwhelm us, we may become despondent and blue. If we can remember in these times to focus on God and how much He loves us instead of our circumstances, it will help lift our spirits.

The answer to our problems is in verse 11, where it says the psalmist hopes in God and praises Him. If we put our hope in God and praise Him in spite of our circumstances, we will gain the strength we need to go through our circumstances. We can find the answer to our problems through seeking God.

The psalmist was cast down because the enemy was trying to destroy him. But, when he turned his heart to God, God helped to comfort and direct him. Have you ever been in situation where, after you turned the problem over to God, you saw a complete turnaround?

Daily Bible Reading:

Psalm 42:1-11

1 [[To the Chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.]] As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Things to think about:

• In what ways do you thirst or long for God?
• What do you find quenches the thirst you have for God?
• What do you do when you feel despondent and blue due to your circumstances?
• How can we turn our hearts to God during difficult times?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture in the book of Psalms. Help us to thirst for You. Help us to desire to be in Your presence. You are our creator, our provider, our protector, our comforter, our Savior and our Lord. Help us to long to spend time with You. Fill our empty hearts and lives with Your love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse:

Excerpt from The Book of Psalms: Part 2 Chapters 31-60

Christian Music Video: “Be Still My Soul” – Kari Jobe

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“As The Deer”

Featured Book:

The Book of Psalms:
Part 2 Chapters 31-60
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Psalms: Part 2 Chapters 31-60 by Deborah H. Bateman is 27th book in the Daily Bible Reading Series. The book of Psalms contains 150 chapters. Deborah divided The Book of Psalms into five books to make it easier to read and study. Each book will contain approximately thirty chapters from the book of Psalms.

Psalm 119 will not be included in The Book of Psalms since Deborah has already published a book about it called: Psalm 119: Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet. The book of Psalms is one of Deborah’s favorite books of the Bible. It is a great book to read if you’re ever feeling down or need to renew your relationship with Christ. King David went through a lot of tough times in his lifetime, but he loved God and trusted God to protect him from his enemies.

The book of Psalms was written by various people. About half of it was attributed to King David, whether they were written by David or for David is questioned by some biblical scholars. Some of the Psalms were written by Asaph and some say they were written for the sons of Korah and even Moses and Solomon were writers of the Psalms. The Psalms consists of poetry that was primarily meant to be used as songs of praise to the Lord.

The Book of Psalms: Part 2 Chapters 31-60 contains thirty-five Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson contains a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scriptures, a few questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer of the day. It is a great Bible study for individuals or group studies.

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Deborah

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