Summary

Once again, the poet expresses his intense longing for God. And he knows this God is the living God. Totally different from those impotent gods before which many bow (Psalm 115:4–7; Jeremiah 10:3–10). No real help is to be expected from them. How different it is with the true God. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light (Psalm 36:9). Therefore, the poet passionately longs to be able to appear before God again. He certainly thinks of the heydays here when he went up with many to Jerusalem to celebrate around the temple and be near God (see Exodus 23:14–17; Leviticus 23:4–44; Deuteronomy 16:1–17). Oh, how great that was… But how far away it is now. This believer experiences this longing as very painful. This is recognizable in all centuries for the real Christian, who must go through deep valleys and misses God’s nearness so much. These words from the psalm are also an encouragement to keep longing for the living God.