Psalms 42

2. To me to live is Christ, that is, Christ is the end of my life; I live not to myself, but to Christ. So Grotius and Causabon, Christo Servio, To me to live is Christ; all my living is to do service to Christ (Romans 14:8). Whether we live we live to the Lord. When we lay out…

Enjoying spiritual communion with God is a riddle and mystery to most people: everyone that hangs about the court does not speak with the king. We may approach to God in ordinances, and as it were hang about the court of Heaven, yet not enjoy communion with God; we may have the…

Resp. 1. If we love God, then our desire is after him (Isaiah 26:8): The desire of our soul is to your name. He who loves God breathes after communion with him (Psalm 42:2): My soul thirsts for the living God. Persons in love desire to be oft conferring together: He who loves Go…

Who should rejoice, if not they, who have an infinite, all-sufficient eternal God to be their portion, who are as rich as Heaven can make them? What though I want health, I have God, who is the health of my countenance and my God (Psalm 42:11). What though I am low in the world,…

God has mercy, first, of all dimensions; he has depth of mercy, it reaches as low as sinners; and height of mercy, it reaches above the clouds. Secondly, God has mercies of all seasons; mercies for the night, he gives sleep, indeed sometimes he gives a song in the night (Psalm 4…

The vial of wrath does but drop, but the fountain of mercy runs. The sun is not so full of light, as God is of mercy: God has morning mercies (Lamentations 3:23): His mercies are new every morning; and night mercies (Psalm 42:8): In the night his song shall be with me. God has m…

Or in Job's, or David's? If in those shallows of outward troubles which are common to man his faith could not find footing, but he was well-nigh carried away with the common stream and error of wicked men to have condemned himself and the generation of the righteous (verse 15) —…

As the apostle bids us give a reason for our faith (1 Peter 3:15), so ask of your soul the reason for its doubting. Thus David in Psalm 42:5: 'Why are you cast down, O my soul?' And because doubts arise again and again, therefore he asks the reason again in verse 11: 'Why are yo…

And so did the Disciples of our Saviour Christ; when they prayed, Lord increase our faith, Luke 17:5. And David, being oppressed with deadness of heart, stirs up his faith, saying; Why art thou cast down, my soul? etc. wait on God, Psalm 42 verse 11. For, he that has faith, is t…

Lord, I believe, Lord help my unbelief (Matthew 9:11). Why are you cast down, my soul, and why are you disquieted in me? (Psalm 42:11). Wait on God.

If the People of God should be extinct, and the cause of Religion trampled under foot, this would reflect upon the glory of God, and his Name would suffer. The wicked seldom prevail, but they blaspheme, they say, Where is your God? Psalm 42. 10. Now, Gods glory is dear to him, i…

Nay, the jealousy, and unbelief of some serious souls, will sometimes talk it this rate, I may give it over, this work will never go with me; beware, I beseech you of this; for the language of it is, That Our Lord is not a righteous Servant; Let therefore your spirits be calmed,…

We often find more fault, and first blame in Christ, if not only, before we see our own provocations. Hence the complaints of Job (chapters 6, 13, 16, 19) and of Jeremiah (chapters 20, 15) of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38) of Asaph (Psalm 77) of Heman (Psalm 88) of the Church (Isaiah 49:1…

The former was an act of the judgment and understanding; this belongs to the heart, will, and affections. [reconstructed: Psalm] 73:25. Whom have I in heaven but you, or in earth in comparison of you, and (Psalm 42:1) my soul pants or breathes after you my God. He was then a ban…

Thirdly, there is a certain kind of warmth, by which the soul does not only affect the ordinances of God, but by which it does in some measure digest them; there is no living man wanting some such measure of heat as makes him able to digest some kind of diet, though not always s…

God hears us, and understands what we say, and observes us well, and offers to be a shelter to us from the storm, when we begin solemnly to abandon such evils, then he hears us, and answers us according to the desire of our hearts; you have many a soul that cries to God, "Take a…

Let it therefore be a word of direction and exhortation, to every soul that desires to have that truth of life, and peace, and grace wrought in his heart that will never die; have you respect chiefly to the Lord Jesus Christ, and long and seek more after him, than after all spir…

Hence we gather a very sweet consolation, to wit, that the Lord joins his own glory with our salvation, as we have often showed you before. I will not give.] That is to say, I will not endure that any should rob me of my glory: but this had fallen out if the people had been utte…

One Thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the House of the Lord, all the Days of my Life, to behold the Beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple. Psalm 42. 1, 2. As the Heart panteth after the Water-brooks, so panteth my Soul a…

Was there never such a time with you before, when in the like case you cried to the Lord and he answered you, and strengthened you with strength in your soul (Psalm 138)? Say within yourself, Why are you cast down, O my soul, hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the h…

Psalm 42, verse 5. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the help of his countenance.

He was not wise to promote his own ends, unless he did ply him with temptations to blasphemy. Now Job being most sensible of these temptations, it being to him (as afterwards to holy David, Psalm 42:10) as a sword in his bowels, while the enemy said to him, where is now your God…

By night, is ordinarily understood darkness, and affliction, opposite to light of day and joy; and here her exercise being spiritual, it must imply some spiritual affliction, or soul-sad spiritual exercise. So night is taken, (Psalm 42:8) He will command his loving kindness in t…

4. Christ's familiar presence, or, his being as a brother owning his Bride, is the great thing that guards off, and prevents despising, and procures freedom from reproach, or at least is a bulwark to the soul against reproaches: it's no little advantage that familiarity with Chr…

Now this love of God has in it three acts or degrees — desire, joy, and zeal. First, an earnest and panting desire after God (Psalm 42:1-2): "As the hart pants after the water-brooks, so pants my soul after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: oh when shall I…

The will proceeds upon reason; the judgment being informed of the excellency of a state of glory, and the will being resolved upon a voyage to that holy land, now the affections follow, and they are on fire in passionate longings after Heaven. The affections are violent things (…

Should not every drop of sweat which I see trickle from their brows, fetch (as it were) a drop of blood from my heart? who am thus convinced and reproved of shameful laziness, by their indefatigable diligence. Do they pant after the dust of the earth (Amos 2:7), and shall not I…

David was here in his banishment; we do not finde him complaining, O my Kingdom that I am like to lose! my brave Palaces, and my brave Chambers, Gardens and attendance that I am like to lose; but the house of God. And in Psalm 42. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so p…

There is also a communion or fellowship in actions, whether good or evil. In good is that communion and fellowship in the Gospel, or in the performance and celebration of that worship of God, which in the Gospel is instituted, which the saints do enjoy (Philippians 1:5), which a…

Whatever contentment he took in any other persons, it was nothing in comparison of the delight he took in them. For the ordinances, consider the same person: Psalms 42, 84, and 48 are such plentiful testimonies throughout that no further discourse is needed on this particular. T…

It were no hard condition to have a trial now and then, and long ease and prosperity between; but to be plied with one affliction at the heels of another, to have them come thronging in by multitudes, and of different kinds, uncouth, unaccustomed evils, such as a man has not bee…

If we consider both the nature of the thing, and the strain of the Scriptures we will find, that reproaches, are among the sharpest sort of sufferings, and are indeed fiery trials, the tongue is a fire, says St. James, and reproaches are the flashes of that fire, they are a subt…

God comes in with a sovereign powerful act upon the soul. Otherwise one grief or sad thought does but awaken another: Till he command loving kindness (Psalm 42:8), we are still followed with temptations. As the rain swells the rivers, and rivers the sea, and in the sea one wave…

So it is the same, as to our interest in God; it is an excellent encouragement. (Psalm 42:11) "Hope in God," says David to his soul; why? For he is my God.

For he did not have it in mind to fight against the people of God, of which he had constantly shown himself in the very battle, at the peril of his life, to be one member; so far is it from being true that he allowed himself to be brought to shed their blood. For though he had f…

It is good to see by what expressions the desires of the saints are set forth in Scripture; by the desire of infants after the breast (1 Peter 2:2), they cannot live without it. It is set forth also by the panting of the hart after the water-brooks (Psalm 42:1). To meet with God…

(2 Timothy 1:6): Therefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God which is in you by the putting on of my hands. (Psalm 42:5): Why are you cast down O my Soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him for the helps of his c…

Certainly a man has power and faculty to work truths upon himself, to stir up the gift and grace that is in us (2 Timothy 1:6). We must not think grace works necessarily, as fire burns whether we will or no — that this will enliven us — but we must rouse and stir up ourselves, a…

As some trees are green in winter, this will make a man flourish notwithstanding opposition, and all the bitter cold blasts of trouble and worldly distress. 3. It quiets the heart as to murmurings, and unquiet agitations of spirit, to wait God's leisure; when there was a storm i…

As Rachel refused to be comforted (Jeremiah 31:15). 3. They do not chide themselves, ask the soul the reason, cite it [reconstructed: before] the tribunal of conscience, which is one way to allay passions (Psalm 42:5). Why are [reconstructed: you] so disquieted, O my soul?

2. Their derision and mockery of godliness ceases; they do no longer vex and pierce the souls of the godly, saying, "Aha, aha" (Psalm 40:15). It is as a wound to their heart, when they say, "Where is your God?" (Psalm 42:10). 3. The impediments and hindrances of worshipping and…

When the burden of affliction presses us sore, the stoutest hearts are broken and lose all courage; but when we come to ponder seriously what God is, or what he will be to his people, or has at any time been to ourselves, it cheers and revives the heart. So (Psalm 42:6): Oh my G…

"None says where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night?" — that is matter of rejoicing and comfort to poor oppressed creatures. So (Psalm 42:8): "I will sing of his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me" — day and night he was filled…

And it is said (Job 25:10): "None says, where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night?" — that is, gives matter of praise if we wake in the night. And David says elsewhere (Psalm 42:8): "The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time, and in the night his song s…

And the assembling of ourselves for these ends must not be forsaken for negligence, or fear; (Hebrews 10:25) Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhort one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. Now in this sen…

Nor shall the rod of the wicked always rest on the back of the righteous (Psalm 125:3). Therefore rouse up yourselves, and say as David (Psalm 42:5): Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? hope you in God, for I shall yet praise him, etc. Let us…

How dear did it cost the Spouse her not opening to her Beloved (Song of Solomon 5:6-7). 2. Yet generally, and for the most part, it is a great affliction to good and godly men to be forced to omit, and to be constrained to be absent from duties, though the omission of them (at s…

A true saint is carried upon the wing of desire; it is the very constitution of a gracious soul to thirst after God. Psalm 42:2. In the word preached, now he is full of desire; these are some of the pantings of his soul: Lord, you have led me into your courts; let me have your s…

Chrysostom observes, David who was the great mourner in Israel, was the sweet singer in Israel. Psalm 42:3: My tears were my food. On which place Ambrose gives this gloss: No food so sweet as tears.

5. We are to look to deadness of heart in all the branches of it. As (1.) sullenness and dumpish sadness, in refusing comforts, and being full of unbelieving heaviness, in David (Psalm 69:20; Psalm 42:11), whereas we are always to rejoice (Psalm 119:52; Philippians 4:4). (2.) Fa…