What's Your Happy Place?

Image from Ian Lindsey, from Pixabay.com

I dreamed of Israel last night, and this morning, my devotional time took me to Psalm 42.  Before you look it up, that's the one where David says that his heart pants to spend time with God, like a thirsty deer pants for the water of the creek.  Every time I read that I think, "I wish I had such a thirst for God!"  I would like to tell you I do, but that would be an exaggeration.  Honestly, most of the time, I am distracted by lesser pursuits.

Still, the verse I want to focus on this morning is Psalm 42:5-7.  Here they are in the ESV:

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him,

my salvation and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mizar.

When I read these verses, I was able to picture the land of Israel, deep in my soul, because I have a sense now of how far it is from the Jordan to Hermon, in the far north of the land.  (Did you know that Israelis go skiing on Mt. Hermon?  Yes!  There are ski resorts there! I would love to go there, on a return trip, as I have never been to the farthest northern parts.)  Oh, that beautiful Land!  How I love it! 

The reference I did not get was "Mount Mizar".  There are two schools of thought on this place; therefore, no one is totally sure where it was or is today. 
1.  Some say Mount Mizar was a small hill near Mount Hermon.  They say this because David goes on to mention the rushing headwaters of the Jordan River, which begins in that region, the mountains of Hermon (Mount Hermon being one of those).  Perhaps there was known to David an actual Mount Mizar.  If so, today, we are not sure where it is.1
2.  Some say (Spurgeon included2) this is a poetic reference by David, to mean a place where he experienced a sweet, intimate time of fellowship with his God.  In other words, David's "happy place".  If we are honest, we can all name one or more of those, plus the reasons we name those places as such.

Regardless of the more actual location or a poetic reference, David is making an important point.
"Wherever we are, if we are fellowshipping with God, it is a happy place."  He emphasizes in these verses that his soul is "cast down", or that he is sad, depressed, etc. when he writes those words.  So, even when he "isn't feeling it", God's presence is the ultimate happy place.

I don't know "where you are" today, whether your soul is skipping merrily along or whether it is "cast down".  I do know that God's love is waiting for you, in His presence, and as it says in verse 11, The Message version - -

Then God promises to love me all day,

sing songs all through the night!

Other versions speak of hope restored, in His presence.  What glory!

Where is your more personal and concrete "happy place" and why is it special to you?  Comment in the comments section of the blog!

Sources:

1    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizar_(mountain)

2    https://www.mountmizar.com/what-s-in-a-name