Psalm 42

Regarding the setting of the psalm, in verse 9, he mentions the "oppression of the enemy", and in verse 10 "the reproaches of the adversaries", so probably there is an enemy or enemies making the psalmist's life miserable.

The psalmist is emotionally disturbed for some reason. In verse 3, the tears of the psalmist have been the psalmist's bread continually, day and night. Pastorally, this can validate an emotionally disturbed person, that they are indeed trusting God in the midst of their emotional turmoil.

In verse 1, there is the image of a thirsty deer panting after water to drink. The psalmist desires God, so he thirsts for God (v. 2).

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לִבְנֵי־קֹֽרַח׃

For the Chief Musician. A Maschil. Of the sons of Korah.

42:1Just like the deer pants after the streams of water, in the same way my soul pants after you, O God.

42:2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I go and appear before God?

42:3 My tears have been my bread day and night, while they are saying to me all the day, “Where is your God?”

42:4 These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me, for I would pass by with the throng, and leading them slowly in procession to the house of God, with the sound of joy and praise, a multitude making pilgrimage.

42:5Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you unsettled within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise him for the salvation of his face.

42:6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me. For this reason I remember you from the land of Jordan, and the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

42:7Deep calls to deep at the sound of your waterfalls. All your breakers and waves have gone over me.

42:8Yet the LORD will command his steadfast love in the daytime, and in the night his song will be with me, my prayer to the God of my life.

42:9I will say to God my rock, Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

כְּאַיָּ֗ל תַּעֲרֹ֥ג עַל־אֲפִֽיקֵי־מָ֑יִם

כֵּ֤ן נַפְשִׁ֨י תַעֲרֹ֖ג אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

צָמְאָ֬ה נַפְשִׁ֨י׀ לֵאלֹהִים֮ לְאֵ֪ל חָ֥י

מָתַ֥י אָבֹ֑וא וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה

פְּנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֬י דִמְעָתִ֣י לֶ֭חֶם

יֹומָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה

בֶּאֱמֹ֥ר אֵלַ֥י כָּל־הַ֝יֹּ֗ום

אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

אֵ֤לֶּה אֶזְכְּרָ֨ה׀

וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה עָלַ֨י׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י

כִּ֤י אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר׀ בַּסָּךְ֮

אֶדַּדֵּ֗ם עַד־בֵּ֥ית אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים

בְּקֹול־רִנָּ֥ה וְתֹודָ֗ה הָמֹ֥ון חֹוגֵֽג׃

מַה־תִּשְׁתֹּ֬וחֲחִ֨י׀ נַפְשִׁי֮

וַתֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י

הֹוחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים

כִּי־עֹ֥וד אֹודֶ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ות פָּנָֽיו׃

אֱֽלֹהַ֗י עָלַי֮ נַפְשִׁ֪י תִשְׁתֹּ֫וחָ֥ח עַל־כֵּ֗ן אֶ֭זְכָּרְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יַרְדֵּ֑ן וְ֝חֶרְמֹונִ֗ים מֵהַ֥ר מִצְעָֽר׃

תְּהֹֽום־אֶל־תְּהֹ֣ום קֹ֭ורֵא

לְקֹ֣ול צִנֹּורֶ֑יךָ

כָּֽל־מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ וְ֝גַלֶּ֗יךָ עָלַ֥י עָבָֽרוּ׃

יֹומָ֤ם׀ יְצַוֶּ֬ה יְהוָ֨ה׀ חַסְדֹּ֗ו וּ֭בַלַּיְלָה שִׁירָהּ עִמִּ֑י

תְּ֝פִלָּ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל חַיָּֽי׃

אֹומְרָ֤ה׀ לְאֵ֥ל סַלְעִי֮

לָמָ֪ה שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי

לָֽמָּה־קֹדֵ֥ר אֵלֵ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ אֹויֵֽב׃

בְּרֶ֤צַח׀ בְּֽעַצְמֹותַ֗י חֵרְפ֥וּנִי צֹורְרָ֑י בְּאָמְרָ֥ם אֵלַ֥י כָּל־הַ֝יֹּ֗ום

אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

42:10As by a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me. All the day they say to me, Where is your God?

מַה־תִּשְׁתֹּ֬וחֲחִ֨י׀ נַפְשִׁי֮

וּֽמַה־תֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י

הֹוחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים

כִּי־עֹ֣וד אֹודֶ֑נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ת פָּ֝נַ֗י וֵֽאלֹהָֽי׃

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you unsettled within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, who is the salvation of my face, and my God.