“As The Deer” (Ready to Worship S7E6)

March 2, 2018

Ready to Worship Season 7, Episode ZZ for Friday, March 2, 2018

On this season of Ready to Worship, we are examining songs that can prepare our minds for worship. This week, we are examining the song, As the Deer. Initially, this song was a staple at youth devotionals. Today, it is in most of our regular songbooks. As you likely know, the song is based on a statement from the book of Psalms, Israel’s songbook (Psa. 42:1).

Transcript

Since everyone may not be familiar with the song, let’s begin by noticing the words:

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee

You’re my friend

And You are my brother

Even though You are a King

I love You more than any other

So much more than anything

I want You more than gold

Or silver

Only You can satisfy

You alone are the real joygiver

And the apple of my eye

Chorus

You alone are my strength my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee

As the deer pants for the water brooks, we long or thirst to worship God. What does it mean to long to worship? I believe that the answer to this question is found in two words in the song. Pay close attention to the words “more than.” We are to love God more than any other person. We are to love God more than any other thing. We are to love God more than gold or silver. When we go to the Scriptures, we find verses that also instruct us to love God more than these things.

First, we are to love God more than anyone. Jesús declared, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt. 10:37). Obviously, children are to love their parents and parents are to love their children. To fail to do this is against nature. It is to be without natural affection (Rom. 1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3). However, to love parents or children more than God is to have misplaced or inordinate affection. We are to love God more than anyone else. We are to long to be with him in worship more than we long to be with anyone else.

Second, we are to love God more than anything. The apostle John spoke of some who “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). To their shame, these individuals loved the applause of the crowd more than the approval of Christ. They chose the synagogue over the Savior. As you recall, the Jewish leaders had decided that anyone who confessed Christ was to be cast out of the synagogue. These individuals longed to be in the synagogue more than they longed to be in the presence of the Savior.

Third, we are to love God more than gold or silver. The gospels record two women who clearly loved God more than gold or silver. Mark records a widow who cast in all of her living. Though the amount that this widow cast in was only two mites, it was “more than” all the others gave (Lk. 21:3). There is no question that this poor widow loved God more than gold or silver. Mark records another woman who did the same (Mk. 14:3-5). Rather than two mites, this woman had an alabaster box of ointment which could have been sold for “more than” 300 pence. Yet, she used the ointment to anoint Jesús. She loved Jesús more than the gold or silver that the sale of this ointment could have brought her.

As we get ready to worship this week, we need to make sure that we long to worship God as the deer pants for the water brooks. We need to make sure that we love God more than anyone or anything else.

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