Thirsting for God
C. Bradley, M. A. Psalm 42:1-11 As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after you, O God.… I. THE OBJECT OF THE PSALMIST'S DESIRE — God. By which he means — 1. A sense of God's favour. 2. A sight of God's glory, so that he might not merely know that God was glorious, but that he might feel it. 3. The enjoyment of God's presence. Hence it was that he longed after God's house, for it was there that so often God had met him and had satisfied this thirst of his soul. II. THE STRENGTH OF HIS DESIRE. "My soul panteth, yea," etc. This was his soul's deep yearning. Hence we learn — 1. That a soul really desiring God can be satisfied with nothing else. Nor — 2. With but a little of Him. It is not a drop or a taste of the water brook that quiets the panting deer. He plunges into it and drinks eagerly of it. And so with our souls. The more these blessed waters are drunk the more they are relished and desired. 3. The cause which made David thus earnestly desire God. It was his affliction, and his inward distress and darkness. And this is God's gracious purpose in letting such things come upon us. Do not be dismayed if you can only say, "I wish I did thus thirst." We are saved not for our thirst, but for Christ's sake. (C. Bradley, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: {To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.} As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. WEB: As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.