Psalms 42 and 42 - My Tears Have Been My Food

Psalms 42 and 43

¹As a deer longs for flowing streams,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

²My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and behold

the face of God?

³My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

⁴These things I remember,

as I pour out my soul:

how I went with the throng,

and led them in procession to the house of God,

with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,

a multitude keeping festival.

⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help ⁶and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mizar.

⁷Deep calls to deep

at the thunder of your cataracts;

all your waves and your billows

have gone over me.

⁸By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,

and at night his song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹I say to God, my rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because the enemy oppresses me?"

¹⁰As with a deadly wound in my body,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

¹Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause

against an ungodly people;

from those who are deceitful and unjust

deliver me!

²For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you cast me off?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because of the oppression of the enemy?

³O send out your light and your truth;

let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy;

and I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

• Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
• Sit five to fifteen minutes in silence bringing your attention to the Breath.
• Bring your attention to your desire for relationship with God.
• Notice the longing.
• Notice the thirsting.
• Notice the distance.
• Name the pain and grief in the tears.
• Let deep speak to deep.
• Who taunts you?
• Who walks with you?
• Return to your desire for relationship with God.
• Be open to the new thing God is doing in your life.
• Refuge will look different from last time.
• God is creating something new.
• Let a light and truth lead you to this new place where you will see God
• What do you need to let go to be led this new place?
• What is your message from God?
• Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
• Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, June 23, 2019 the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15aPsalms 42 and 43Galatians 3:23-29Luke 8:26-39If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2019 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD