Prayer Starter - Saturday, January 21, 2026 As a deer pants for water...
For the rest of the month we will read a couple of Psalms a day (Psalm 42 - 72). You might read one or two chapters each evening before you go to sleep, then wake up and pray a prayer (if it is appropriate for you) to connect your life to the Psalms.
Ever have those days where your spirit just feels… tired? That’s the heart of Psalm 42. The writer compares his soul to a deer panting for water—desperate, thirsty, searching. He remembers better days, when worship felt easy and joy came naturally. Now he’s overwhelmed and asking, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?”
But here’s the turning point: he talks to himself and reminds his heart where hope is found.
“Put your hope in God.”
Psalm 42 gives us permission to be honest when we feel low. Faith doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means bringing our thirsty souls to God and trusting that He’s still our source of living water—even in dry seasons.
Lord, my soul feels thirsty today, and I need You. When my heart is heavy and my thoughts are restless, remind me that You are still my hope.
Help me to be honest with You about what I’m feeling, and draw me back to the joy of Your presence. Like the deer longs for water, let my heart long for You above everything else.
Lift my spirit, steady my mind, and teach me to trust You again.
I will put my hope in You, my Savior and my God.
In Jesus' Name; Amen.
