CHAPTER 42

THE EXODUS BOOK PROBABLY WRITTEN BY DAVID: AN INTENSE LONGING FOR GOD

¹As the hart (deer) pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after You, O God. (This is the First Psalm of the Exodus Book. As the Book of Exodus opens with an oppressed people longing for deliverance, likewise, this Psalm opens with David being oppressed and longing for deliverance.

This is the first of some ten Psalms written for the sons of Korah. It doesnt really say that these sons of Korah wrote the Psalms, but more implies that they sang them. Even though it is not stated, probably David wrote this Psalm, and maybe some or all of the others of Korah.

Korah himself died under the wrath of God [Num. 16:31], but his children were spared [Num. 26:11]. These special Psalms, therefore, sing of redeeming Grace.

This was probably composed when David was fleeing Absalom. He was cut off from worship at the Tabernacle in Jerusalem, where the Ark of God resided. At this stage he likely had no knowledge if he would be restored to the throne or not. As the Psalm is begun, we feel the hearts cry of a man who wants God more than anything else.)

²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (This Psalm gives a forepicture of Israel when out of Covenant relationship with Jehovah and suffering the oppression of the Antichrist. At that time, she will cast herself for Deliverance upon God as Elohim.

This means that the Messiah, for thats Who this Psalm portrays, cries for Israel and, as the Redeemer, He cries for us.)

³My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is your God? (This was said of David in his darkest hour, and also of Christ by the religious leaders of Israel, when He was on the Cross. Moreover, this very taunt will be addressed to the unhappy sons of Israel by the Antichrist and his minions in the coming Time of Jacobs Trouble [Joel 2:17].)

⁴When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the House of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude who kept holyday (David said, I remember! As well, it speaks of Christ remembering all the times of worship before His public Ministry began, and with it the rejection of Israel!).

⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted in me? Hope you in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His Countenance (David has faith and confidence that he will be restored to the throne, and so he was!).

⁶O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember You from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar (the hill Mizar lies between Mount Hermon and the Jordan River, a long ways from Jerusalem; no matter how far away from the Tabernacle, he would continue to remember and worship).

⁷Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterspouts: all your waves and your billows are gone over me (in effect, David is saying by this statement that at times we must be brought into deep distress before we can be brought to the deep things of God; when this deep distress happens, it is as though we have been thrown into a waterspout, with such spewing us up and tumbling us head over heels; we are defenseless, but yet this is necessary, that is, if we are to be brought to the place of total consecration).

⁸Yet the LORD will command His Lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life (during the day, David felt the kindness of the Lord, and continuously; in the night, he sang the Psalms, and then prayed himself to sleep).

⁹I will say unto God my Rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (This Verse not only pictures Davids troubles, but also the coming future suffering of Israel under the Antichrist; in fact, the suffering will be so severe that they will think the Promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are forgotten.)

¹⁰As with a sword in my bones, my enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is your God? (Not only did Davids enemies say this of him, Where is your God?, but it was also said to Christ while He was on the Cross. It will also be said to Israel by the Antichrist during the Battle of Armageddon, when it seems like the Chosen People will be completely annihilated. And finally, the same presently is at times said to us.)

¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? hope you in God: for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God. (By Faith, David claims restoration, i.e., health. Likewise, at the Second Coming, the Lord will bring Israel back to health. He will do the same for all who will trust Him.)