Sun 10 Jan

Psalm 42 is the opening psalm to the second book in the Psalms. It features a Son of Korah who writes of his experience of worship in Jerusalem and laments the fact that at present, circumstances prevent him from worshipping in Jerusalem. 

We are not told what those circumstances or distresses are, but he longs to worship. He longs to meet with God and His people, but was just about impossible to arrange. His circumstances do not appear that different from what God’s people faced in 2021 where many craved the fellowship found in a worship service. 

The psalmist faces a series of challenges. There are those who observe his distress and taunt him with the constant questioning, “Where is your God?” If your God is so mighty then where is He when you need help? There were even times when the psalmist thought that even God had forgotten him. May be there are times you have thought God has forgotten you?

Dwelling on such thoughts only saw him become downcast and despair of his distresses. To get himself out of such thoughts, he put his hope in God, and began to talk to himself. When you have despaired what has helped you through such times as you walked with Christ?