Psalm 42:1-2 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 42:1-2 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
Verse 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?
Devotion
We live in a time when many are searching, longing for meaning, fulfillment and purpose. And many are eager. A wonderful image for searchers is found in Psalm 42—"As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God." Deer are so drawn to flowing waters that they dart carelessly across dangerous roads.
This is precisely how our souls yearn for the living God. The root meaning for the Hebrew word nephesh, translated here as "soul," is "throat." The throat is the metaphorical place where our souls reside. Just as the deer thirsts for water, so also our throats—our souls—thirst for God. And just as our throats breathe in air so also do our souls long for the God of life.
The yearning of Psalm 42 finds an answer from Jesus. In John 7:37-38, Jesus cries out to the gathering crowds, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me." And then he adds that the rivers of living water flow out of the believer's heart. The thirsting soul will find drink.
Prayer
For you, my God, the living God, My thirsty spirit pines; Oh, when shall I behold your face, O Majesty divine? (Nahum Tate, "As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams," Lutheran Book of Worship 452)