(by Lorie Codispoti)
During the early years of my Christian walk I learned and sang many songs that took their lyrics directly from Scripture, particularly the psalms. Each one is embedded in my heart & I’m incredibly grateful for a rich foundation that emphasized praise & worship as a means of entering into the courts of our King.
Many of us are familiar with Psalm 42. The first two verses express the author’s intense desire to seek & know God.
You may be very familiar with these verses & the song that accompanies it. The danger with familiarity is that we can be tempted to speed read our way through well known passages & completely miss the treasure hidden within.
Personally, I’ve discovered two things within Psalm 42 that have refreshed my weary heart.
#1 - Taking note of repeated words & phrases is an important tool to use as we attempt to interpret any passage in Scripture. Have you ever noticed that the word “soul” is repeated six times in this chapter? This is not only significant, but it’s worth digging into in order to understand what the author wants to communicate.
Unfortunately, our western view of “soul” originates from Ancient Greek philosophy, which communicates that our soul is the immortal essence of our being - something that is trapped within our bodies until it is released at the time of death.
However, that is not what the original Hebrew word for soul communicates. It literally means “throat,” & can have several applications.
According to one Hebrew scholar: “In the Hebrew mind we are composed of multiple parts. The body is the flesh and bones, the vessel. The organs are viewed as the seats of thought (the heart), emotion (the kidneys), intuition (gut), etc. The breath is ones character, what makes a person who they are. The soul is the whole of the person, the unity of the body, organs and breath. It is not some immaterial spiritual entity, it is you, all of you, your whole being or self.” (Jeff Benner)
So when the author says that his soul is thirsty for the one and only “living God” I read that, physically, his throat (soul) is dry from the weariness of being “cast down,” but his whole being is in need of the kind of refreshing that only a living God (not a dead one) can provide.
#2 - The psalmist uses a panting deer as his metaphor to express his intense desire to know God. One of the first things we learn about reading Scripture is that there is nothing haphazard about any of the words. The author didn’t just randomly pick a deer panting for water as his best option to describe his own thirst. Every word in every verse of Scripture is intentional & carries with it deep meaning. The Hebrew word for “pant” implies a desperate need for water. It’s a dire situation for this deer.
The famous American poet, Emily Dickenson wrote that a “wounded deer leaps the highest” (which is also the poem’s title). One writer analyzed her work by noting that the deer jumps in such a way that one might think it is full of life, but in reality it has sustained a fatal blow. The animal is attempting to gather one last burst of energy, leaping its highest before succumbing to the inevitable sentence of death.
Is it plausible that the deer in Psalm 42 has something in common with Dickenson’s animal? Perhaps his soul is “cast down” & “disquieted” because he has encountered some kind of life altering event that has forced him into a desperate situation.
Deer are very much aware of their surroundings. God created them with characteristics that enable them to both sense & escape predators. They have the stamina to run long distances, as well as powerful legs that enable them to leap & jump with ease. The Bible describes them as being sure footed, which enables them to traverse rough terrain & climb steep mountainsides.
But, what happens to the deer that has been wounded? How do they respond to a life threatening event?
While deer are herbivores they will, on occasion, as needed, eat meat. Like snakes! (Not kidding.)
I read one Jewish medieval interpretation of Psalm 42 that suggests the reason the deer is desperately seeking strong flowing, deep, cool & refreshing water is due to the fact that snake venom will heat up its body & the water will neutralize the effects of the poison.
Another commentator points out that deer were over-hunted for their tasty meat in that region during that time. Many times they were chased to exhaustion by hunting dogs, thereby causing them to seek the shelter & refreshment of deep waters in their attempt to escape from their predators.
The psalmist is in such anguish that verse three says that his tears have been his food, day & night. He’s desperately crying out to God for help.
Did you know that deer can become so desperate for water that in their suffering they will make a strange braying noise & walk openly among the wadis in their search for water? This exposes them to great danger, but it is a danger they are willing to risk for the only thing that will save them from certain death.
The first part of verse seven grabs my attention. It reads “Deep calls unto deep…”
While being deeply poetic, this phrase is also incredibly relatable. How many times have I desperately cried out for God to provide what only He can. He is the only source of Living Water. The exciting part of this verse is the hope that is imbibed in the next part, “…at the noise of Your waterfalls; all your waves & billows have gone over me.” The deer found what he was looking for. He could hear it before he could see or feel it, which likely strengthened him for one last energetic burst.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the Help of my countenance & my God.” (Vs.11)
Are you being chased by an enemy that is about to overtake you? Have you been mortally wounded by his arrows?
Put your hope in God & run like a deer who has nothing to lose but what he’s already lost, & everything to gain by the God who hears the desperate braying of your soul. He is the God who has promised to not only rescue all those who call upon His name, but the One who provides a way of escape, while at the same time refreshing your soul with His Living Water.
Drink your fill & frolic in the healing waters of His presence. He will enable you to finish your race.
No comments:
Post a Comment