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Psalm Forty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 42
To the chief Musician
Maschil
for the sons of Korah. Of the word
"Maschil"
See Gill on Psalm 32:1
title.
Korah was he who was at the head of a conspiracy against Moses and Aaron
for
which sin the earth opened its mouth
and swallowed alive him and his company
and fire devoured two hundred and fifty more; the history of which is recorded
in Numbers 16:1; yet
all his posterity were not cut off
Numbers 26:11; some
were in David's time porters
or keepers of the gates of the tabernacle
and
some were singers; see 1 Chronicles 6:33;
and to the chief musician was this psalm directed for them to sing
for they
were not the authors of it
as someF2So R. Moses in Muis
Gussetius
Ebr. Comment. p. 918
& others. have thought; but most probably David
himself composed it; and it seems to have been written by him
not as
representing the captives in Babylon
as Theodoret
but on his own account
when he was persecuted by Saul
and driven out by men from abiding in the
Lord's inheritance
and was in a strange land among the Heathen
where he was
reproached by them; and everything in this psalm agrees with his state and
condition; or rather when he fled from his son Absalom
and was in those parts
beyond Jordan
mentioned in this psalm; see 2 Samuel 17:24; so
the Syriac inscription
the song which David sung in the time of his persecution
desiring to return to Jerusalem.
Psalm 42:1 As
the deer pants for the water brooks
So pants my soul for You
O God.
YLT
1To the Overseer. -- An
Instruction. By sons of Korah. As a hart doth pant for streams of water
So my
soul panteth toward Thee
O God.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks
.... Either
through a natural thirst that creature is said to have; or through the heat of
the summer season; and especially when hunted by dogs
it betakes itself to
rivers of water
partly to make its escape
and partly to extinguish its
thirst
and refresh itself. The word here used denotes the cry of the hart
when in distress for water
and pants after it
and is peculiar to it; and the
verb being of the feminine gender
hence the Septuagint render it the
"hind"; and Kimchi conjectures that the reason of it may be
because
the voice of the female may be stronger than that of the male; but the contrary
is asserted by the philosopherF3Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 4. c. 11.
who says
that the male harts cry much stronger than the females; and that
the voice of the female is short
but that of the male is long
or protracted.
SchindlerF4Lexic. Pentaglott. col. 68. so Kimchi. gives three
reasons why these creatures are so desirous of water; because they were in
desert places
where water was wanting; and another
that being heated by
destroying and eating serpents
they coveted water to refresh themselves; and
the third
when followed by dogs
they betake themselves into the water
and go
into that for safety;
so panteth my soul after thee
O God; being
persecuted by men
and deprived of the word and worship of God
which
occasioned a vehement desire after communion with him in his house and
ordinances: some render the words
"as the field"
or "meadow
desires
the shower"
&c.F5Sept. & Symmachus apud Drusium. ; or
thirsts after it when parched with drought; see Isaiah 35:7; and by
these metaphors
one or the other
is expressed the psalmist's violent and
eager thirst after the enjoyment of God in public worship.
Psalm 42:2 2 My soul thirsts for God
for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?[b]
YLT
2My soul thirsted for God
for the living God
When do I enter and see the face of God?
My soul thirsteth for God
for the living God
.... Who is so
called
in opposition to the idols of the Gentiles
which were lifeless
statues; and who is the author
giver
and maintainer of natural life; and who
has promised and provided eternal life in his Son; and is himself the fountain
of life
and the fountain of living waters
and a place of broad rivers and
streams: particularly his lovingkindness
which is better than life
is a pure
river of water of life
the streams where make glad the saints; and hence it is
that the psalmist thirsted after God
and the discoveries of his love: saying
when shall I come and appear before God? meaning
not
in heaven
as desiring the beatific vision; but in the tabernacle
where were
the worship of God
and the ark
the symbol of the divine Presence
and where
the Israelites appeared before him
even in Zion; see Psalm 84:7.
Psalm 42:3 3 My tears have been my food
day and night
While they continually say to me
“Where is your God?”
YLT
3My tear hath been to me
bread day and night
In their saying unto me all the day
`Where [is] thy God?'
My tears have been my meat day and night
.... That is
he could not eat for sorrow
like Hannah
1Sa 1:7
8; or while he
was eating tears fell in plenty
and they were as common
day and night
as his
food
and mixed with itF6"--lachrymaeque alimenta fuere"
Ovid. Metamorph. l. 10. Fab. 1. v. 75. ; see Psalm 80:5;
while they continually say unto me
his enemies the
Philistines
where is thy God? theirs were to be seen
and pointed at
as the host of heaven
the sun
moon
and stars
and idols of
gold
silver
brass
wood
and stone; wherefore they ask
where was his? but
David's God was invisible; he is in the heavens
and does what he pleases
Psalm 115:2; or the
sense is
that if there was such a God he believed in and professed
and he was
his servant
surely he would never have suffered him to fall into so much
distress and calamity
but would have appeared for his relief and deliverance;
and therefore tauntingly
and by way of reproach
ask where he was.
Psalm 42:4 4 When I remember these things
I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went
with them to the house of God
With the voice of joy and praise
With a
multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
YLT
4These I remember
and pour
out my soul in me
For I pass over into the booth
I go softly with them unto
the house of God
With the voice of singing and confession
The multitude
keeping feast!
When I remember these things
.... Either the
reproaches of his enemies; or rather his past enjoyments of God in his house
he after makes mention of;
I pour out my soul in me
that is
he had no life
nor spirit in him
but was quite overwhelmed with distress and anguish; or he
poured out his soul in prayer to God
that it might be with him as in times
past;
for I had gone with the multitude
I went with them to the house
of God; the place of public worship
whither he had often gone
with
great pleasure and delight; and
which added thereto
there were many that went
along with him; or whom he had "caused to go"F7אדרם "deduceham"
Tigurine version;
"assumebum mihi iilos"
Michaelis; "efficiebam eos in societatem
collectos socios esse mihi"
Gussetius
p. 180.
had brought along with
him; which is the sense of the word
only used here and in Isaiah 38:15; as
Dr. Hammond from R. Tanchum and Aben Walid
has shown: a good man will not only
attend divine worship himself
but will bring others with him: but now
he
could neither go alone
nor in company
the remembrance of which greatly
affected his mind; see Psalm 137:1;
with the voice of joy and praise: the people singing
psalms
hymns
and spiritual songs;
with a multitude that kept holy day; as especially on the
three great festivals in the year
the feasts of passover
pentecost
and
tabernacles
when all the males of Israel appeared before God together
and
which was a large multitude; and a delightful sight it was to behold them
when
they were all engaged in religious worship at once.
Psalm 42:5 5 Why are you cast down
O
my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God
for I shall
yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.[c]
YLT
5What! bowest thou thyself
O my soul? Yea
art thou troubled within me? Wait for God
for still I confess
Him: The salvation of my countenance -- My God!
Why art thou cast down
O my soul?.... The psalmist
corrects himself
as being too much depressed in spirit with his present
circumstances
and expostulates with himself; adding
and why art thou disquieted in me? which
suggests
that the dejections of God's people are unreasonable ones; sin itself
is no just cause and reason of them; for though it is very disagreeable
loathsome
and abhorring
troublesome and burdensome
to a spiritual man
and
is ingenuously confessed
and heartily mourned over
and is matter of
humiliation; yet no true reason of dejection: because there is forgiveness of
it with God; the blood of Christ has been shed for the remission of it; it has
been bore and done away by him; nor is there any condemnation for it to them
that are in him; and though it rages
and threatens to get the ascendant; yet
it is promised it shall not have the dominion over the saints; neither the
nature of it
being great
as committed against God himself
nor the multitude
of sins
nor the aggravated circumstances of them
are just causes of
dejection
since the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin; nor are Satan and
his temptations; he is indeed an enemy
very powerful
subtle
and terrible; he
is the strong man armed
the old serpent
and a roaring lion; and his
temptations are very troublesome and grieving; and it becomes the saints to be
upon their guard against him and them; but they have no reason to be cast down
on account hereof; for God
who is on the side of his people
is mightier than
he; Christ is stronger than the strong man armed
and the divine Spirit who is
in them is greater than he that is in the world: Satan is under divine
restraints
and can go no further in tempting than he is suffered
and his
temptations are overruled for good; besides
good armour is provided for the
Christian to fight against him with
and in a short time he will be bruised
under his feet: nor are the hidings of God's face a sufficient reason of
dejection; for though such a case is very distressing
and gives great trouble
to those that love the Lord; nor can they
nor does it become them to sit easy
and unconcerned in such circumstances
as they are great trials of faith and
patience; yet it is the experience of the people of God in all ages: some good
ends are answered hereby
as to bring saints to a sense of sins
which has
deprived them of the divine Presence
to make them prize it the more when they
have it
and to be careful of losing it for the future. Besides
the love of
God continues the same when he hides and chides; and he will return again
and
will not finally and totally forsake his people; and in a little while they
shall be for ever with him
and see him as he is; and though by one providence
or another they may be deprived for a while of the word
worship
and
ordinances of God
he that provides a place for his church
and feeds and
nourishes her in the wilderness
can make up the lack of such enjoyments by his
presence and Spirit. The means and methods the psalmist took to remove his
dejections and disquietudes of mind are as follow;
hope thou in God; for the pardon of sin; for which there is
good ground of hope
and so no reason to be cast down on account of it; for
strength against Satan's temptations
which is to be had in Christ
as well as
righteousness; and for the appearance of God
and the discoveries of his love
who has his set time to favour his people
and therefore to be hoped
and
quietly waited for. Hope is of great use against castings down; it is an
helmet
an erector of the head
which keeps it upright
and from bowing down:
it is an anchor of the soul
sure and steadfast
and is of great service in the
troubles of life
and against the fears of death;
for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance; or "the
salvations of his countenance"F8ישועות
פניו "salutes faciei ipsius"
Cocceius; so
Michaelis. ; which implies that the psalmist believed
notwithstanding his
present circumstances
that he should have salvation upon salvation; salvation
of every kind; or a full and complete one
which should spring
not from any
merits of his
but from the free grace and favour of God
expressed in his
gracious countenance towards him; and also intimates
that the light of his
countenance would be salvation to himF9"Salutes sunt facies
ejus"
De Dieu. now; and that his consummate happiness hereafter would lie
in beholding his face for evermore: all which would give him occasion and
opportunity of praising the Lord. Now such a faith and persuasion as this is a
good antidote against dejections of soul
and disquietude of mind; see Psalm 27:13.
Psalm 42:6 6 O my God
[d] my soul is
cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan
And from the heights of Hermon
From the Hill Mizar.
YLT
6In me doth my soul bow
itself
Therefore I remember Thee from the land of Jordan
And of the Hermons
from the hill Mizar.
O my God
my soul is cast down within me
.... Which the
psalmist repeats
partly to show the greatness of his dejection
though he had
not lost his view of interest in God as his covenant God; and partly to observe
another method he made use of to remove his dejection and refresh his spirits;
and that was by calling to mind past experiences of divine goodness;
therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan; the country
round about it
or rather beyond it; which was at the farthest parts of the
land of Canaan
where David was obliged to flee
and where he had often met
with God;
and of the Hermonites; who inhabited the
mountain of Hermon; or the Hermonian mountains
as the Targum; see Psalm 133:3; a
mountain upon the border of the land of Israel eastward
and which was very
high; Cocceius thinks the Geshurites are meant; see 1 Samuel 27:8; here
also the Lord had appeared to him
and for him; and
from the hill Mizar; or "the little
hill"F11מצער מהר
"de monte modico"
V. L. Musculus; "parvo"
Pagninus
Vatablus; so Montanus
Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ;
which might be so in comparison of Hermon. The above interpreter thinks Zoar is
meant
which Lot so called
Genesis 19:20;
which was near Sodom and Gomorrah: Kimchi thinks it might be Zior
mentioned in
Joshua 15:54; but
be it what or where it will
in this little hill David enjoyed the divine
Presence; or was indulged with some remarkable favour; from all which he
concludes he had no just reason to be dejected and disquieted in his mind: and
right it is for the people of God to call to mind past experiences
and make
mention of them; partly for the glory of divine grace
and to express their
gratitude to God
and their sense of his goodness; and partly to cheer and
refresh their own spirits
and prevent dejection and despondency: and
delightful it is to call to mind
how
at such a time
and in such a place
the
Lord was pleased to manifest his love
apply some gracious promise
or deliver
from some sore temptation or distress: all which must tend to encourage faith
and hope. The Jewish writers differently interpret these words; Jarchi
of
David's remembrance of the wonderful works God did for the people of Israel of
old
in drying up the river Jordan
and giving them the law on Mount Sinai
a
little hill
in comparison of some others: Aben Ezra
Kimchi
and Ben Melech
understand them as a reason of his dejection
when he remembered how the
Israelites came from those several parts to the solemn feasts at Jerusalem
which he was now deprived of; and the Targum paraphrases them of the
inhabitants of those places
and of the people that received the law on Mount
Sinai
remembering God; and so Arama thinks "beyond Jordan" is
mentioned because the law was given there; and by the hill Mizar he understands
Sinai: and some Christian interpreters consider them as a reason why David's
soul was cast down in him
he being in such places as here mentioned
at a
distance from his own house
from Jerusalem
and the place of divine worship
and so render the words
"because that I remember thee"
&c.F12על־כן "propterea quod"
Tigurine version
Piscator
Muis; "quia"
Noldius
p. 727
No. 1790. .
Psalm 42:7 7 Deep calls unto deep at
the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
YLT
7Deep unto deep is calling
At the noise of Thy water-spouts
All Thy breakers and Thy billows passed over
me.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of the water spouts
.... By which
are meant afflictions
comparable to the deep waters of the sea
for their
multitude and overwhelming nature; see Psalm 69:1; these
came pouring down
one after another
upon the psalmist: as soon as one
affliction over
another came
as in the case of Job; which is signified by one
calling to another
and were clamorous
troublesome
and very grievous and
distressing;
all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me: with which he
seemed to be covered and overwhelmed
as a ship is at sea. It may be observed
that the psalmist calls afflictions God's water spouts
and "his"
waves and "his" billows; because they are appointed
sent
ordered
and overruled by him
and made to work for the good of his people: and now
though these might seem to be a just cause of dejection
yet they were not
as
appears from Psalm 42:8.
Psalm 42:8 8 The Lord will command
His lovingkindness in the daytime
And in the night His song shall be
with me—A prayer to the God of my life.
YLT
8By day Jehovah commandeth
His kindness
And by night a song [is] with me
A prayer to the God of my life.
Yet the Lord will command his
lovingkindness in the daytime
.... Which is a tender affection in God
towards his people
springs from his sovereign will and pleasure
is from
everlasting
is ever the same
never removes from them
and is better than
life; the effects of which are all spiritual blessings
grace
and glory: and this
the Lord "commands" when he sends it forth with power
makes a clear
manifestation and home application of it to them; when he commands his
covenant
or bestows covenant blessings on them; when he commands his strength
or gives them strength to bear up under afflictions; when he commands
deliverances for Jacob
or works salvation for them; and when he commands
blessings temporal and spiritual on them
especially life for evermore: see Psalm 111:9; and
this is done in "the daytime"; either
as some interpret it
in a fit
and seasonable time
in God's appointed time
who has his set time to favour
his people
and show his lovingkindness to them; or openly and publicly
so as
themselves and others may see the salvation of the Lord; or continually; for
mercy
goodness
and lovingkindness
follow them all the days of their lives;
yea
are from everlasting to everlasting: and these words may be read either in
the past tense
as some do
"yet the Lord hath commanded"F13יצוה "praecepit"
Tigurine version;
"mandavit"
Hammond; so Aben Ezra and others.
&c. and so
respect what had been
and relate to the former experiences and manifestations
of the love of God
with which the psalmist encourages himself under his
present afflictions; or in the future
as in our version; and so they are an
expression of faith as to what would be hereafter
that the Lord would appear
again
and show him his face and favour;
and in the night his song shall be with me; signifying
hereby
that he strongly believed he should have occasion of singing praise to
God in the night season
though he was now in such mournful circumstances: he
calls it "his song"; that is
the Lord's song; because the matter of
it are his lovingkindness
and the blessings springing from it; because the
Lord himself is the subject of it; his perfections
his works
his salvation
and glory; and because he gives songs in the night
and puts them into the
mouths of his people; see Isaiah 12:2; and
the psalmist says it would be with him
in his heart
and in his mouth
and be
his constant companion wherever he was
lying down
or rising up; and that
"in the night"; either figuratively understood of affliction and
distress
out of which he would be delivered
and so be compassed about with
songs of deliverance; or literally
it being a time of leisure to call to mind
the salvation and mercies of the day
and be thankful for them; see Psalm 77:6;
and my prayer unto the God of
my life: natural
spiritual
and eternal; being the author
giver
and
preserver of each; and this is no inconsiderable mercy
to have such a God to
pray unto in a time of distress; as well as in a time of salvation
to go to
and make known requests with thanksgiving; which seems to be intended here
since it is joined with a song. Prayer and praise go together
the object of
which are not lifeless idols
that cannot save; but the living God
who is a
God hearing and answering prayer
and does not despise the prayer of the
destitute. The prayer of the psalmist follows.
Psalm 42:9 9 I will say to God my Rock
“Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of
the enemy?”
YLT
9I say to God my rock
`Why
hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning in the oppression of an enemy?
I will say unto God my rock
.... A name frequently
given to the eternal God
Father
Son
and Spirit
Deuteronomy 32:4;
See Gill on Psalm 18:2;
why hast thou forgotten me? See Gill on Psalm 13:1;
why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? meaning
perhaps Saul; though it may be applied to any spiritual enemy
sin
Satan
and
the world; who are very oppressive and afflicting
and occasion continual
mourning to the children of God.
Psalm 42:10 10 As
with a breaking of my bones
My enemies reproach me
While they say to me all
day long
“Where is your God?”
YLT
10With a sword in my bones
Have mine adversaries reproached me
In their saying unto me all the day
`Where [is] thy God?'
As with a sword in my bones
mine enemies reproach me
.... The reproaches of his enemies were grievous and cutting to
him
as if a sword pierced through the marrow in his bones
which
being very
sensitive
gives exquisite pain. There is a various reading here: some copies
as Vatablus observes
read ב
"in"
or
with
and others כ
"as"
which seems to be
the truest; and our translators supply "as"
to make the sense
though they read "with"; but someF14כרצח
ως σφαγην
Symmachus in Drusius;
"ut occisio"
Pagninus
Amama; so Aben Ezra interprets it. only read
"as"; and the sense is
the reproaches cast upon the psalmist were as
a sword cutting and killing; and these reproaches were as follow;
while they say daily unto me
where is thy God? See Gill on Psalm 42:3.
Psalm 42:11 11 Why are you cast down
O
my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet
praise Him
The help of my countenance and my God.
YLT
11What! bowest thou thyself
O my soul? And what! art thou troubled within me? Wait for God
for still I
confess Him
The salvation of my countenance
and my God!
Why art thou cast down
O my soul?.... The same
expostulation as in Psalm 42:5; and so
is what follows
and why art thou disquieted within me? and the same
argument and means are made use of to remove dejection and disquietude;
hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him; See Gill on Psalm 42:5; to
which is added a new argument
taken from the grace and goodness of God
and
covenant interest in him;
who is the health of
my countenance
and my God; as the bodily health of man is seen in the
countenance
and for the most part to be judged of by it; so is the spiritual
health of the saints
and which they have from the Lord; when he
as the sun of
righteousness
arises upon them with healing in his wings
he
by his gracious
presence
makes their countenances cheerful
fills them with joy unspeakable
and full of glory
and causes them to lift up their heads with an holy boldness
and confidence
and without shame and fear: or as it may be rendered
who
"is the salvations of my countenance"F15ישועת "salutes"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
Michaelis. ; that is
who is or will be the author of full and complete
salvation to me; which will be so public and open
so clear and manifest
as to
be beheld by myself and others; and this the psalmist mentions
in order to
remove his present dejections; and besides
this God of salvation he believed
was his covenant God
and would be so even unto death; and therefore he had no
just reason to be dejected and disquieted.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)