Why? Why am I experiencing this hurt? Why does God seem unconcerned? Why can’t I shake this sense of loneliness? Why do I feel unfulfilled? Why, if I’m doing the things I’m supposed to be doing, does God still feel distant? The author of Psalm 42 knows these questions too well. The unrestrained emotions present in this psalm invite us into an experience of theology with hands and feet. This psalm reflects the process of speaking truth to your heart even as you are enticed by the lies of despair. Here are four ways we can grow in our confidence with God:

1. By Earnestly Longing for God (v. 1-2)
2. By Remembering the Gathering of the brethren (v. 3-4)
3. By Speaking to our Soul (v. 5-7, 11)
4. By Earnestly Praying and Trusting in God’s Love (v. 8-10)

This psalm expresses intense desire to know God intimately. The psalmist compares his thirst for God to a deer's thirst for flowing water. This is not simple thirst, but rather a desperate need for something vital. He felt battered by the continual waves of trouble that flowed over him (42:7). David longed to feel God was near him, but he was in a season where God felt distant (42:9).

To remind himself of the joy he found in God, David reminisced about the times he used to lead the people to the Tabernacle (house of God) in processions of praise and songs. He reminded himself to “hope in God.” Then he expressed with confidence that God would once again be his salvation. David concluded the psalm with these words of hope, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (42:11).

Digging Deeper

Discussion Questions

• In Psalm 42, the writer felt overwhelmed and discouraged. How do you cope with those kinds of things -- discouragement, despair, depression?
• What can you learn from the psalmist about responding to those seasons of difficulty correctly?
• Two times in Psalm 42, the psalmist writes, “hope in God.” What does it look like to hope in God? How can you practically place your hope in God the next time you face difficulty? See Romans 15:14, Romans 8:24-25; Psalm 46:2-3, Hebrews 11:1, Titus 1:1-2, 1 John 3:3.
• When it seems like God is silent (Psalm 28:1, Psalm 83:1, Job 30:20), what truths help you put one foot in front of the other?
• Read Psalm 42:8. The psalmist talked about singing in the night. What worship songs have encouraged you recently and why?
• What is the role of the community of believers in helping someone who is discouraged? How does Psalm 42:4 inform your answer?
• How does knowing God’s sovereign control of your situation bring a sense of comfort?
• Are your circumstances due to any known sin on your part (think about David in Psalm 32, 51)?