Psalm 42
42
BOOK II: PSALMS 42-72
Psalms 42 & 43
An Exile's Prayer: Why Are You Cast Down?#42:0 These two psalms are treated as a unit since they are united by a common theme, a common refrain, and a single heading.
For the choir director. A maskil#42:0 Maskil is a musical term of uncertain meaning. It may be a skillful song or a song that gives wisdom. This form is used also in Psalms 44 and 45. by the Sons of Korah.#42:0 the Sons of Korah were a group of levitical musicians, who apparently were descendants of the Korah who rebelled against Moses. In this section of Psalms, Psalms 42–49 were written by them
Longing for the Temple
1As a doe pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and appear before God?#42:2 A different reading of the Hebrew verb yields the translation see the face of God.
3My tears have been food for me day and night,
while people are saying to me all day,
“Where is your God?”
4I am overcome by my emotions
whenever I remember these things:
how I used to arrive with the crowd,
as I led the procession to the house of God,
with loud shouts of thanksgiving,
with the crowd celebrating the festival.
Refrain
5Why are you so depressed,#42:5 Literally bowed down or cast down O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for salvation from his presence.#42:5 Many translations emend this verse to agree with verses 42:11 and 43:5.
Remembrance of the Lord
6My God, my soul is depressed within me.
Therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,
from the heights of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your rapids.
All your breakers and your waves have swept over me.
8By day the Lord commands his mercy,
and at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go around mourning because of oppression by the enemy?”
10It is like breaking my bones when my foes taunt me.
All day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
Refrain
11Why are you so depressed, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I will again praise him
for my salvation from the face of my God.#42:11 Literally the salvation of my face and my God
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Psalm 42: EHV
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Evangelical Heritage Version © The Wartburg Project, 2021
