The Thirsty Deer

The psalm writer used imagery of a thirsty deer looking for water. An animal is driven to look for a safe water source. Often this poem is read and a serene image of a sweet-looking fawn standing beside a clear brook is pictured in our mind. This is an inaccurate picture. A thirsty deer is on high alert looking for water, risking moving through predator-filled hours of the day, through broad fields or brushy woods. This deer is suffering if it is longing for water or panting hard after water. This is a picture of constant discontentment or restlessness.