Interesting Green: Reflection - Psalm 42:5-11

Source (book): "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Psalm 42:5-11, "Night", Page 72.
By Bill Crowder, Our Daily Bread Writer

PHOTO: Psalm 42:5-11
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon — from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

By day the Lord direct his love,
at night his song is with me —
a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Night
In his riveting (very exciting) and unsettling (disturbing) book, Night, Elie Wiesel describes his boyhood experiences as one of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Ripped from his home and separated from everyone in his family except his father (who would die in the death campus), Wiesel suffered a dark night of the soul such as few will experience. It challenged his views and beliefs about God. His innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin's darkness.

David experienced his own dark night of the soul, which many scholars believe motivated his writing of Psalm 42. Harried and hounded (feeling overwhelmed and relentlessly pursued), probably as he was pursued by his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 16-18), David echoed the pain and fear that can be felt in the isolation of night. It's the place where darkness grips us and forces us to consider the anguish (agony) of our heart and ask hard questions of God. The psalmist lamented God's seeming absence, yet in it all he found a night song (Psalm 42:8) that gave him peace and confidence for the difficulties ahead.

When we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. We can say with the psalmist, "Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:11).
- Bill Crowder
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Psalm 42:5-11
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon — from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

By day the Lord direct his love,
at night his song is with me —
a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

PHOTO: By day the Lord direct his love,
at night his song is with me —
a prayer to the God of my life.
Picture posted by John Grisbach Photography
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SpyJclEDtBq9p_4Gbf9SDsMJbm_32zH0tp-oXd1HpgrJC9JobEdLAmrZ-DKZ6PJ3xE73xXt7b7z655bZvedInVqiraSjAfDewV13bHO7IM6_fBYWF120x3gUvEI_c8spgefI1yD_tRo2v8MK8t9V_guJCVcdvofbaV2lEtcjFcfXEGjgOSimni6D0ek/s800/zekAYg&s.png
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ8MiRz8jiMIY6PZYqSDgZdY74PD393zekAYg&s
https://www.johngrisbachphotographystore.com/psalm-428.html

Night
In his riveting (very exciting) and unsettling (disturbing) book, Night, Elie Wiesel describes his boyhood experiences as one of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Ripped from his home and separated from everyone in his family except his father (who would die in the death campus), Wiesel suffered a dark night of the soul such as few will experience. It challenged his views and beliefs about God. His innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin's darkness.

PHOTO: In his riveting (very exciting) and unsettling (disturbing) book, Night, Elie Wiesel describes his boyhood experiences as one of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Ripped from his home and separated from everyone in his family except his father (who would die in the death campus), Wiesel suffered a dark night of the soul such as few will experience. It challenged his views and beliefs about God. His innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin's darkness.
Picture posted by Lorcan Muldoon on 15 June 2021
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzijuatQKLj7VMz3LD9P5kFpbzVEMoxBATQfnLnhiDRYJUGR7AN1iipTZu6l1LrECa5tSmlv3Aw6zUz1oZivD65LE30HVkNUO-c2-1q83JA1UXR-m31ComuV3ONHJcjW1fd66IeWn2T-53E1JMGX0EmNTXPXhqGo1PUgQRPsPLsAwijMl-CEi_PCWnvwk/s922/1_FjaiTDrf9pZfUjfo_D-pIw.webp
https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:4800/format:webp/1*FjaiTDrf9pZfUjfo_D-pIw.jpeg
https://lorcandm.medium.com/night-121a22999133

David experienced his own dark night of the soul, which many scholars believe motivated his writing of Psalm 42. Harried and hounded (feeling overwhelmed and relentlessly pursued), probably as he was pursued by his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 16-18), David echoed the pain and fear that can be felt in the isolation of night. It's the place where darkness grips us and forces us to consider the anguish (agony) of our heart and ask hard questions of God. The psalmist lamented God's seeming absence, yet in it all he found a night song (Psalm 42:8) that gave him peace and confidence for the difficulties ahead.

PHOTO: David experienced his own dark night of the soul, which many scholars believe motivated his writing of Psalm 42. Harried and hounded (feeling overwhelmed and relentlessly pursued), probably as he was pursued by his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 16-18), David echoed the pain and fear that can be felt in the isolation of night. It's the place where darkness grips us and forces us to consider the anguish (agony) of our heart and ask hard questions of God. The psalmist lamented God's seeming absence, yet in it all he found a night song (Psalm 42:8) that gave him peace and confidence for the difficulties ahead.
Picture posted by Black and White Bible
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofIDuI_Ei-_y0lJu80bbh-81RAcLCibyzTvjWETziGRdHuJuyNdn5VAr8sR-HY31WYFQ8V4xvN2FJwRoJt_lCUFUXwm25VQs9sOaHjJfDCoCIg_kbjYdeXBH9TcDVVE2lhV8iC4EPejGZlnloT4W-xc1bYjG0XCvuz4kB944ewf1T716W-tzyr5gM22A/s1280/Absalom_1.png

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mNn7vdDE074/maxresdefault.jpg - (Absalom.jpg)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNn7vdDE074

When we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. We can say with the psalmist, "Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:11).
- Bill Crowder

PHOTO: When we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. We can say with the psalmist, "Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:11).
Picture posted by Adele Ankers-Range on 10 July 2021 at 12:49 am

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWZsrceDzwpIQof-xG5AsUn44ria8sQ16Qwcu8W68VTq3tFK4bf9laIig0MT90rU9lFiu5Hb1psqwqS86W6EGxUxXQmnrTk7JmSYFf85llcaSNkTI1rZRgLSkkZLCoYSkz8Yqu1HR3VAEYyXhWUbTG8dX0kmaByttCxQVBnQUG6tuIQEu_0NIZpa38p0/s2048/halloween-horror-nights-hill-house-1625845320392_1.png
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https://sea.ign.com/the-haunting-of-hill-house/174067/news/universal-studios-sets-haunting-of-hill-house-themed-halloween-horror-nights

PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we pray that when we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. May we can say with the psalmist, 'Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God'.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen."
Picture posted by aimeespurpose
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Reflection - Psalm 42:5-11 - Night
Source (book): "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Psalm 42:5-11, "Night", Page 72.

By Bill Crowder, Our Daily Bread Writer

Other Books (Links)

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html

"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html

"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html

"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html

Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html

"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper

Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html

Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html

"He Walks with Me - Devotions for Your Caregiving Journey with God", © 2018 by Our Daily Bread Ministries, Shelly Beach

Reflection - He Walks with Me (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/08/reflection-he-walks-with-me-links.html

"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries

Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 1 - 45 (Links), posted on 03 April 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/04/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-1-45.html

"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries

Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 46 - 90 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 24 October 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/10/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-46-90.html

"Making All Things New", 52 Reflections to Challenge the Way You Live, Copyright @ 2022 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Making All Things New, Chapter 1 - 28 (Links), posted on Saturday, 04 August 2024
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2024/08/reflection-making-all-things-new.html

"Making All Things New", 52 Reflections to Challenge the Way You Live, Copyright @ 2022 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Making All Things New, Chapter 29 - 52 (Links), posted on Saturday, 15 March 2025
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2025/03/reflection-making-all-things-new.html

Reference
[1] From "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Copyright @ 2009 by Discovery House Publishers, Psalm 42:5-11, "Night", Page 72.

Links

Other Books (Links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/reflection-books-links.html

2 Samuel 16-18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2016-18&version=NIV

Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV

Psalm 42 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2042&version=NIV

Psalm 42:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2042%3A8&version=NIV

Psalm 42:11 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2042%3A11&version=NIV