Quench us, Lord

Jonathan Fleming March 17, 2025 0 0

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Psalm 42: 1-2 (NRSVA)

1 

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.

2 

My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
    the face of God?

Psalm 42 is a beautiful psalm, isn’t it?

I love how it expresses our deep longing of the soul for God: 

“As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You”. 

Thirst reflects so many parts of the human condition — our inner longing for something more; our search for that ‘thing’ that truly satisfies us. 

Despite the beauty of the words, we remember that the psalmist is in distress. He feels distant from God, surrounded by doubts and enemies. He cries out, remembering the times when he once worshipped with joy but now feels abandoned. And yet, even in his sorrow, he speaks to his own soul, urging himself to place his hope in God.

Have you felt spiritually parched? Have you wondered if God is near? If God still hears us?

Like the psalmist, we may wrestle with doubt and discouragement. But this psalm reminds us that thirst for God is a sign of life. 

When we long for God, our souls seek to recognise their true source of fulfilment.

The answer to our thirst is not found in worldly distractions but in seeking His presence through prayer, worship, and trust.

Jesus later speaks of Himself as the living water (see John 4: 13-14), the one who can satisfy our deepest thirst. No matter how dry our circumstances may feel, we are invited to drink deeply from His grace. Even in our longing, we can have hope, for God is near and will never abandon us.

Let us pray…

Loving and faithful God,

You are the source of living water, the one who refreshes our weary souls. When we feel distant from You, remind us that You are always near. When our hearts grow heavy with doubt, strengthen us to put our hope in You.

Lord, we confess that we sometimes seek satisfaction in things that do not truly nourish us. Forgive us and draw us back to Your presence. Like the psalmist, may we learn to speak truth to our souls, reminding ourselves of Your faithfulness. Fill us with Your peace and renew our strength.

We thirst for You, O God. Come and satisfy us.

Amen.