Praising Scripture - Dec 8

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

AMO.3-4
ACT.20

2024 31-Day Praising Day 8:

Praising God with a Longing Heart (Psalm 42:1-11)
(Memory Verses: 1, 5-8)

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
4 When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
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.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Reflection:
Psalm 42 and 43, written by the sons of Korah, express their deep longing and devotion to God during their exile in Babylon. Though they were unable to worship and celebrate in God’s house with others, their longing for and praise of God helped them overcome the "cast down" and "disquieted" state of their souls. They found comfort, strength, and hope in His countenance.

Through the New Covenant accomplished by the blood of Christ, we now enjoy God’s abiding presence, "Emmanuel." Yet, without the sons of Korah’s vibrant and fervent longing for God, and without a yearning to worship with fellow believers, our spiritual lives can become dry, lacking vitality and strength.

Praise the Lord! The psalmists’ words show us the living and personal relationship we can have with God! Our worship and praise to Him can be so genuine and passionate! Yes, dear Lord, we ask You to reveal Your love and beauty to us more deeply. “Open our eyes and captivate our hearts,” so that we may experience Your lovingkindness by day and lift up songs of praise and prayer to the God of our lives by night!



年度讀經計畫

摩3-4
徒20

2024 讚美月 Day 8：

以切慕的心讚美 神 （詩篇42:1-11）
（背誦經文: 1, 5-8）
可拉後裔的訓誨詩，交於伶長。
1 神啊，我的心切慕祢，如鹿切慕溪水。
2 我的心渴想 神，就是永生 神，我幾時得朝見 神呢？
3 我晝夜以眼淚當飲食，人不住地對我說：「祢的 神在哪裡呢？」
4 我從前與眾人同往，用歡呼稱讚的聲音，領他們到神的殿裡，大家守節。我追想這些事，我的心極其悲傷。
5 我的心哪，你為何憂悶？為何在我裡面煩躁？應當仰望 神，因祂笑臉幫助我，我還要稱讚祂。
6 我的 神啊，我的心在我裡面憂悶，所以我從約旦地，從黑門嶺，從米薩山，記念祢。
7 祢的瀑布發聲，深淵就與深淵響應，祢的波浪洪濤漫過我身。
8 白晝，耶和華必向我施慈愛；黑夜，我要歌頌、禱告賜我生命的 神。
9 我要對 神我的磐石說：「祢為何忘記我呢？我為何因仇敵的欺壓時常哀痛呢？」
10 我的敵人辱罵我，好像打碎我的骨頭，不住地對我說：「祢的 神在哪裡呢？」
11 我的心哪，祢為何憂悶？為何在我裡面煩躁？應當仰望 神，因我還要稱讚祂，祂是我臉上的光榮，是我的 神。

【心得分享】詩篇42篇和43篇為可拉後裔所寫，講述了他們流亡在巴比倫、無法和眾人一同前往 神的殿敬拜、守節時，對 神深深的切慕與愛戴。即便在這樣艱難的環境，他們因著渴想、仰望和讚美 神，就勝過了心中的「憂悶」與「煩躁」，得著了祂「笑臉」所賜的安慰、力量和盼望。因著基督寶血所成就的新約，我們今天了都得著了 神「以馬內利」的同在。但若我們缺乏了可拉後裔這樣對 神活潑、熱烈的切慕和與眾同伴一同敬拜的嚮往，我們的信仰生活就仍會陷入枯乾，失去活潑的力量。感謝主！可拉後裔的詩句讓我們看到我們可以與 神結成何等活潑和人格的關係！我們對祂的敬拜和頌讚可以是多麼地真實和熱烈！是的，親愛的主，求祢向我們更深刻地啟示祢對我們的愛，彰顯祢的美麗，也「求祢開我眼，並奪我心」，讓我們白晝得享祢的慈愛，黑夜歌頌、禱告賜我們生命的 神！