As the deer panteth for the waterThis song is special because the first three syllables of my last name means "deer in a glade". A glade is a clearing in a forest, so I have this picture in my mind of a deer in a glade or clearing between the forest and a stream of water, and the deer longs for the water--he is thirsty. A glade is not the normal habitat for a deer; it prefers the thickets of the dark forest, where it can easily hide from predators. In my picture the deer is standing in the clearing at the edge of a forest, eyeing the stream and debating whether to risk being vulnerable and go down to the stream to satisfy its thirst, or return to the security of the dark forest.
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
My mind tends to wander, so this mind picture of the deer frequently blends with a memory of a scene from the story of The Silver Chair, by C. S. Lewis. In this scene, a girl named Jill Pole is standing near a stream, and she is very thirsty, but there is a lion next to the stream, so she tries to figure out how she can get a drink without risking a close encounter with the lion. [If you are interested, this story of Jill and the stream can be found here.] In my blended picture, the deer is debating whether to go down to the stream risking an encounter with the lion, or to return to the forest. The stream with the living water and the lion are connected, the deer can't drink the living water without trusting and facing the lion, who, by the way, is not tame, but he is very good.
The deer is me. I am spiritually thirsty. I long for intimacy with God, but too often I run from the lion into the dark forest, where there is a false sense of security. However, true security and quenching of my thirst only comes from being close to the Lion. So I sing to him, "You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship thee..."
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