Psalm Devotional
The Pursuit of Happiness
Structural Note Regarding Psalms 42–43: Although Psalm 42 and 43 are separate psalms in our Bibles, they really constitute one psalm, both thematically and textually. Reasons for treating these two psalms as one include the following: 1) Psalm 43 has no introductory title; 2) some ancient Hebrew manuscripts treat the psalms as one psalm; and 3) the two psalms hold a thematic unity which is reflected most powerfully in their shared verbatim refrain, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” Psalms 42–43 are also structurally noteworthy because they begin the second book of the Psalter, which runs through Psalm 72. This second book is often referred to as the “Elohistic Psalter” because it demonstrates an overwhelming preference for using Elohim to refer to God instead of Yahweh (“Jehovah”).
“Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This memorable triad of virtues, cited in the Declaration of Independence, remains central to the ethos of our nation. However, the meaning of these virtues has changed dramatically since the Declaration’s signing in 1776. Our culture now understands “life” solely in scientific terms; it understands “liberty” as self-centered license; and it has reinterpreted “the pursuit of happiness” to mean that everyone is entitled to satisfy all their desires and live free from sacrifice, suffering, and pain.
In Psalms 42–43 the psalmist is interested in fulfilling his desires for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, unlike most modern Americans, the psalmist’s desire cannot be fulfilled by anything other than an encounter with the living God.
The opening verses of Psalm 42 are among the best known in the entire Psalter. The imagery of a deer panting for water vividly captures the acute nature of the psalmist’s desire. In verse 2, the psalmist reveals the object of his thirst. “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” The psalmist’s sole desire is to worship the living God.
