Psalm 42

 This is a famous verse.

As the deer panteth-
i looked at the meaning of panting in dictionary and saw that
breathing at breathe with short, quick breath

A deer when it chased by a lion,
it runs runs runs and when it escapes the enemy, it takes those quick breath looking for stream of water.

Here the psalmist longing for God is compared to the pantings of deer.
now
look at the situation of Psalmist

v3 - my tears have been my food day and night,  and People say - "where is your God"
V46:my soul is downcast within me.
V 9, 10 - why must i go about mourning, my bones suffer and enemies taunt and say where is your God.

Psalmist is chased by the enemy, he was completely down. he is physically and mentally
pulled down , just like the deer and
in this situation psalmist says Lord where are you
V2 - my soul looks for God - where can I go and meet my God.

V5 - my soul is downcast within me- yet I will praise Him.

In these tough situations, it is not easy to praise God, but psalmist has decided and said even in these situation I will praise Him.

 Longing for God is the work of grace.

If  a man in not renewed , that man pants after anything than God: . . .
For example if it comes to choice of reading your bible or watching a sport,
then unrenewed man will quickly goto watching a sport.

It proves a renewed nature when you long after God; it is a work of grace in your soul, and you may be thankful for it
if you see history, All saints of God placed highest importance in knowing God , longing for Him, more than anythings of this world, or for that matter more than the ministry they gave more importance in knowing Him.

Apostle Paul summarizes this desire for more of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He placed knowing Christ Jesus above all else. Philippians 3:8-9 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Today this morning,
A challenge for all us, -
as the deer panteth for the water - the psalmist is longing for God,
but do we?
is it our longing just a thirst on need basis ,like whenever i need something that I goto God.
or is my longing like the pants of a deer- saying without you i cant even live for a moment.
Matt Redman wrote this song

One thing my heart is set upon One thing that I would ask To know You, Lord, as close as one Could hope to on this earth
Intimacy O Jesus, intimacy My treasure will be, O Jesus Your intimacy
Lord, since the day I saw you first, My soul was satisfied; And yet, because I see in part, I'm searching, more to find.


Let this psalm encourage each one of us to