ALEKSANDR IVANOV

The words of Psalm 42 describe a heart that longs deeply for God. The writer compares his soul to a thirsty deer searching for water, not in a green forest or by a calm stream, but in a dry desert where no water can be found. His soul is restless, troubled, and sad. He remembers joyful days when he worshiped with others in God’s house, but now those days are gone. This loss leaves him grieving and confused.

The psalm teaches that the soul can become heavy for many reasons. One reason is loss. The writer recalls better times and feels pain because those moments are over. He can no longer go where he once felt close to God. For anyone who has moved away from home, lost familiar surroundings, or been separated from loved ones, this feeling is easy to understand. We may love the places where we were loved, but we cannot live in the past. Life changes, and clinging to what was can keep us from living fully in the present.

Another reason for a downcast soul is hostility. The psalmist is mocked by others who ask him, “Where is your God?” Their cruelty adds to his suffering. Constant judgment or rejection, whether at work, in society, or even among fellow believers, can wear a person down. It can make one feel helpless and distant from God.

The third reason for a troubled heart is the feeling that God is far away. Even faithful people can go through what some have called “the dark night of the soul.” It is the season when prayers seem unanswered, when one feels alone, and when God seems silent. The psalmist thirsts for the “living God” and wonders when he will again feel His presence.

These struggles are not only the psalmist’s; even Jesus knew them. He faced rejection, mockery, and suffering. On the cross, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Yet even in sorrow, Jesus remained obedient and trusting. His journey shows that faith does not remove pain but helps us endure it.

The psalm also teaches how to find hope in such times. First, speak honestly with God. The writer does not hide his pain but brings it to God in prayer: “Why have you forgotten me?” Even when he feels distant from God, he keeps talking to Him. We can come to God as we are, with all our doubts and fears.

Second, we must speak to ourselves as well. Instead of only listening to our worries, we need to answer them. The psalmist asks his own soul, “Why are you downcast? Why so disturbed?” He challenges his despair and reminds himself to hope in God. When we let our fears speak without reply, they take control. But when we speak truth to our hearts, we begin to find strength.

Third, the psalmist affirms what he knows is true: “I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” His confidence is not in himself but in the living and mighty God. Feelings can change, but truth remains. We may feel alone, yet we know that God is with us. We may feel weak, yet we know that God is our strength.

Hope in God is not a one-time decision but a daily practice. The psalmist repeats his struggle and his faith several times, showing that spiritual growth often moves in circles. Sometimes it’s doubt followed by trust, darkness followed by light. Each time we return to hope, we rise a little higher, just as a road winds around a mountain, lifting us slowly toward the top. Some journeys take longer than others, but progress continues when we keep moving forward.

Even the lips that whisper, “God has forgotten me,” can one day declare, “I will yet praise Him.” Hope is not the absence of struggle but the courage to look beyond it. To wait on God is to trust that His help will come, even when we cannot see how or when.

rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Romans 12:12