For the music director; a well-written song by the Korahites.
Psalms 42-72 contain the songs of Book Two. Psalm 42 and Psalms 44-50 were written and dedicated to the sons of Korah. Psalm 50 was written by Asaph. Psalms 51-70 were written by David. Psalms 43, 67, and 71 were written by anonymous authors. Psalm 72 was written by Solomon.
The sons of Korah were singers and part of the Levitical priesthood. Psalms 42 and 43 may have originally been one song, since they contained the same chorus.
42:1 As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God!
This song has been orchestrated to modern music and sung in many modern churches. When a deer is thirsty, then he longs for streams of cold water. When the psalmist’s soul is thirsty, then he longs for the instruction of the Word of God. Just as water sustains and refreshes the physical life of the deer, so does the Word of God sustain and refresh the spiritual life of the psalmist.
42:2 I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?”
The psalmist longed to return to Jehovah’s presence at the temple. Under the Mosaic Law, the temple rituals pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Instruction was given from the Word of God. Large choruses worshiped Jehovah in praise. Family and friends celebrated together with feasts to the Lord.
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
The enemies of the psalmist were continually taunting him and asking him about his faith, saying, “Where is your God?”
42:4 I will remember and weep! For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God, shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.
The psalmist looked back with sadness to his former worship times at the temple. He missed those times and longed to return so that he could worship Jehovah again with his family and friends.
42:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
The psalmist asked himself two questions, “Why am I depressed?” “Why am I upset?” The answer was that he will again attend the temple ceremonies and give thanks to Jehovah. He knew that Jehovah would rescue him from his present danger.
42:6 I am depressed, so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan, from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
The psalmist was deeply depressed in the mountains of the Tribe of Dan. He wanted to return to Jerusalem and worship Jehovah.
42:7 One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls; all your billows and waves overwhelm me.
The waves of depression were drowning the psalmist.
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, and by night he gives me a song, a prayer to the living God.
The psalmist called upon Jehovah to deliver him from his depression. He asked Jehovah to decree his loyal love upon him during the day. He asked God to give him a song at night.
It is important to note that most modern psychologists do not have enough Bible doctrine to cure one of depression. Only God can do this, but He does so through the study of Bible doctrine. One who is depressed is usually in a depressed state, because their Bible doctrine is fragmented, incomplete, or non-existent.
When one studies and applies Bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God, then they have a deeper understanding of the satanic world system. It is more difficult for the satanic world to deceive them into depression. It is far easier for the one who studies and applies Bible doctrine to discern God’s eternal plan. All things do work out for good. Those with strong Bible doctrine can see this application of doctrine much easily than the fragmented student of Scripture.
If a modern, secular or Christian psychologist is not turning their patient back to the study and application of the entire counsel of the Word of God, then they are scamming the patient for money. It is the study of the entire counsel of the Word of God, not a few selected Bible verses with a mis of secular humanism techniques, which will solve depression of the believer.
It is important to note that the unbeliever has no chance of being healed from depression unless the Holy Spirit intervenes and opens his eyes to the gospel. Every unbeliever is depressed. This is why he attempts to eliminate God from his life by such false teachings as evolution, religion, atheism, or agnosticism. The unbeliever is serving the devil, but he may be too depressed to recognize his situation.
42:9 I will pray to God, my high ridge: “Why do you ignore me? Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me?”
God was the high mountain of the psalmist. The psalmist went to God in prayer and asked Him two questions: First, why was God ignoring his requests? Second, why was God allowing his enemies to oppress him?
42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
The enemies of the psalmist were continually mocking his faith. The psalmist was suffering. His enemies continually asked him, “Where is your God?”
42:11 Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
The psalmist asked himself two more questions: First, why was he depressed? Second, why was he upset? The psalmist answered his own questions. He will wait for God to deliver him from his oppressors. After God delivers him, then he will give thanks to God.
This song teaches the believer how to handle depression. One must have enough bible doctrine to be able to wait for the Lord to deliver him. Modern believers need to quit paying hundreds of dollars to Christian psychologists who only give out scraps of Scripture. Instead, they should turn to the study of the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level and wait for Jehovah to deliver them. After Jehovah delivers them, then they can praise Jehovah for solving their problems.