Oh, Deer

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

    so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

    When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food

    day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

    “Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember

    as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]

with shouts of joy and praise

    among the festive throng.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

I've been thinking about deer tonight so this psalm comes to mind as well.  My husband survived a run-in with a deer late Saturday night.  It ran into his car or the car ran into him.  It's all a matter of perspective.  The deer survived as did my husband.  The car isn't looking so good, however, but it's still running.  Tonight I was driving in one of our town's two busiest streets and had my own deer encounter.  Thankfully the deer made it across the road without harm, causing only a traffic slowdown as drivers' eyes strained to see it in the dark.  The thought of a deer panting for water does well illustrate what my soul's desire is or should be for my God.  So because of this psalm; and, yes, I'll have to admit it, Disney's "Bambi" movie, I'm always going to appreciate deer... unless it's one standing in my headlights.  

I Need Thee Every Hour - Forbes Family