Psalm 42 — My Soul Thirsts for God
Introduction: The verses for this study were taken from the Jewish Publication Society Bible (JPS) and the Bible in Basic English (BBE). Psalm 42 is the first psalm within Book II of the five books of Psalms. In the JPS Bible, the verse numbering marks off the psalm into twelve verses, whereas the BBE and the KJV mark off only eleven verses. Because of the numbering difference, the sequence below will seem askew, but the verse content is grouped appropriately.
Psalm 42:1–3 — The Soul’s Longing
JPS “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?”
BBE “Like the desire of the roe for the water-streams, so is my soul’s desire for you, O God. My soul is dry for need of God, the living God; when may I come and see the face of God?”
Psalm 42:4–6 — Why Cast Down?
JPS “My tears have been my food day and night, while they say unto me all the day: Where is Thy God? These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I passed on with the throng, and led them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him for the salvation of His countenance.”
BBE “My tears have been my food day and night, while they keep saying to me, Where is your God? Let my soul be overflowing with grief when these things come back to my mind, how I went in company to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with the song of those who were keeping the feast. Why are you crushed down, O my soul? and why are you troubled in me? put your hope in God; for I will again give him praise who is my help and my God.”
Psalm 42:7–12 — Hope in God
JPS “O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore do I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and the Hermons, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts; all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me. By day the LORD will command His lovingkindness, and in the night His song shall be with me, even a prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my Rock: Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy? As with a crushing in my bones, mine adversaries taunt me; while they say unto me all the day: Where is Thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my God.”
Comments — My Desire for Communion with God
This Psalm expresses some very deep emotions of David, with direction from the Holy Spirit. I studied some of the Hebrew terms by Strong’s reference and the lexicon, and I did word searches for certain key words; but until I tried to identify with King David, and then with the passion of Christ Jesus, I could not seem to get a personal application from this Psalm.
David had that faith which enabled him to go against Goliath, to wait for God to remove Saul as king, to dance and leap as the ark was brought into Jerusalem, and to maintain his trust in God as he fled from his own son Absalom. As we imagine the picture of the multitude at the house of the Lord, we should remember that worship in David’s day was not at the lavish temple, because his son Solomon did not build that temple until after David’s death. As for Jesus, he waited patiently through the first thirty years of his life, he took nothing of the luxuries of the physical world, and he endured the shame of the cross for the joy which was set before him.
Additional Related Verses for Further Contemplation
Jesus the creator fulfilled scripture about himself by displaying his zeal for the proper attitude toward worship, and focused on his own resurrection as his seal of authority. John 2 “19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.” Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Revelation 21:6 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” We worship the living God, who says of himself “I am that I am.” Peter’s declaration remains the supreme expression of recognition: Matthew 16:16 “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Reflections in Prayer
Verses 1–5: Through contemplation about the triune God, I realize that you have placed within my soul a desire to be blessed by you, which is as strong as that which drives a robust animal to seek out to quench its thirst with pleasant cool running water. Now that desire wells up within me, to be renewed by the living water from the True and Living God, and to see your face and have sweet communion with you. In those dark times of feeling separation from you, my tears of longing can be an almost constant companion, and the world of unbelievers all around say “There is no God.” And then I remember those times of great joy, when the fellowship of other believers in agreement as the Word of God is preached, or the corporate praise of our Savior, was truly uplifting to my soul. The question then comes to mind, why should I be downcast within my soul since I know my hope is sure and steadfast in the God of my salvation?
Verses 6–11: O my God, now I realize that whenever my soul is cast down within me, I must remember you as the source of my joy and blessings, with whatever sweet memories are recalled from my past. As the trials and tribulations which come to me seem to sweep over me as if to drown me in a flood, I will trust that you, Jehovah, will command your lovingkindness in the daytime; And in the night as your song comes to me, I will pray to you, the God of my life. In that prayer I will tell you, God my rock, how I feel. But this will bring my thoughts back to the question “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” Then shall I place my hope in God; For I shall yet praise him, and I will remember that my hope is that same sure hope of King David, that God guarantees resurrection to eternal life for those who put their trust in him! Amen.
Published 4 June 2004, first issued 9 August 1999