This Psalm has such special significance because it is written by the Sons of Korah who spent their life serving in the Temple. The title of the Psalm is “Yearning for God in the midst of distresses” which encourages me because it shows in life whatever you are doing you can experience distress. The last two years of the pandemic have been a time when the god of this world Satan through the media has succeeded in making many people distressed. The first thing that this psalm does is to focus on the only solution to feeling distressed is our relationship with the Lord. Verse 1 says: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you O God!”. This verse gives a very clear picture of the attitude required to deal with the hard times of life. The word ‘Pants” creates a picture of desperation which challenges me because at times I am tempted just to coast along with my relationship with the Lord and that is exactly what Satan wants to happen in my Christian walk. Because when I am coasting along I am expecting nothing good to happen in my Christian walk. The psalmist uses the word ‘Pants to describe his attitude toward his God, he desperately desires a close relationship with his Lord and this is a good example to pursue. There is no substitute for putting God in our lives. As I write this blog I have just experienced a special weekend of special meetings to encounter God in the church. God is gracious in allowing us to draw closer to Him. It should not be necessary to have special times to seek the Lord but because of our human weakness, it has been good to “Pant” after the Lord for an extended time. Verse 2 says: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”. The soul is that part of us that works things out and chooses the way to live, when we fill our soul (Mind) with the things of God it is easier to seek God when we experience the pressures of life. This is something that I have learned over my life loving God is not like a “Tap” that you can on or off when you feel like it. When we turn our back on God and allow other things to dominate our life it takes repentance and perseverance to get back close to the Lord again. The verse commences with “My soul thirsts for God” this is declaring his personal preference and that his desire is for God. I desire God in a meaningful way in my life, this is important because I am responsible for my actions. It is good to wake up in the morning and start to bless the Lord as the first thing of the day. The second thing this verse states is so powerful for the psalmist thirsts for the living God. This is such a great statement, God is alive in me! The truth of this brings such peace and comfort to me when we serve a living God, I am so encouraged by my Christian experience because it is a living one that gives new life all the time. May we in the season of our life be focussed and satisfied by the living God.