Psalm 38 is the third of the Penitential Psalms where the belief still stands-sickness is a punishment for sin. Even though this belief has been challenged by Job, guilty or not, humankind still waits, trusts and hope in the Lord. The psalmist in Psalm 39, like Job, complains about the brevity of life and finality of death. Yet, there arises a hope in future life after death. Psalm 40 reminds us that obedience to the will of God surpasses liturgical sacrifices of the old law. “To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” In Psalm 41 the psalmist prays a prayer of thanksgiving after illness and proclaims ”That you love me I know by this, that my enemy does not triumph over me, but because of my integrity you sustain me.” But, does he not know that God’s love is unconditional? In regard to Psalm 42, Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says, “It has been popularized by the Christian chorus built on the psalm’s opening words: “As the deer panteth for the water; so my soul longeth after thee.” It is a beautiful image, made all the more endearing to me because a literal translation would use the word “doe”. It has been suggested that this may be the only psalm recorded whose author was a woman. It seems to be the song of a woman who is struggling with depression but finding the strength not to despair…The song weaves back and forth between sadness and hope, and the author resolutely returns to choose hope, regardless of the circumstances or how she was feeling.” So many people suffer from depression these days. Perhaps we should give Psalm 42 to all those who may need to know how to pray when they are suffering through a dark night of the soul.
Psalm 38 is the third of the Penitential Psalms where the belief still stands-sickness is a punishment for sin. Even though this belief has been challenged by Job, guilty or not, humankind still waits, trusts and hope in the Lord. The psalmist in Psalm 39, like Job, complains about the brevity of life and finality of death. Yet, there arises a hope in future life after death. Psalm 40 reminds us that obedience to the will of God surpasses liturgical sacrifices of the old law. “To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” In Psalm 41 the psalmist prays a prayer of thanksgiving after illness and proclaims ”That you love me I know by this, that my enemy does not triumph over me, but because of my integrity you sustain me.” But, does he not know that God’s love is unconditional? In regard to Psalm 42, Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word says, “It has been popularized by the Christian chorus built on the psalm’s opening words: “As the deer panteth for the water; so my soul longeth after thee.” It is a beautiful image, made all the more endearing to me because a literal translation would use the word “doe”. It has been suggested that this may be the only psalm recorded whose author was a woman. It seems to be the song of a woman who is struggling with depression but finding the strength not to despair…The song weaves back and forth between sadness and hope, and the author resolutely returns to choose hope, regardless of the circumstances or how she was feeling.” So many people suffer from depression these days. Perhaps we should give Psalm 42 to all those who may need to know how to pray when they are suffering through a dark night of the soul.
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