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Psalms / Chapter 42
Psalm 42 portrays a worshiper in exile-like sorrow whose desire for God feels like thirst. The poem alternates between remembered joy and present taunts, repeatedly turning inward to summon hope and renewed praise.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul after you, God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually ask me, "Where is your God?"
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I used to go with the crowd, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, The heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.
Yahweh will command his lovingkindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: A prayer to the God of my life.
I will ask God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, While they continually ask me, "Where is your God?"
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, The saving help of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 43
Psalms journey ยท Psalms 42
Full passage context
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Prayer, lament, praise, kingship, and hope teach God's people to sing truthfully.
Movement
Worship across the whole story
Artifact
Prayer book of the covenant people
Biblical Timeline
Kingdom
Psalms context: 1000 BC - 586 BC
Psalms context
Kingdom / 1000 BC - 586 BC
Psalms context is set in the kingdom period, where Israel's monarchy from David and Solomon to exile.
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Context snapshot
Date
Collected across Israel's worship life, c. 1000-450 BC
Genre
Poetry, prayer, and praise
Setting
Israel/Judah worship tradition
Audience
Israel
World Stage
Davidic and temple worship leaders collection over centuries
Psalms gathers prayers and songs from royal, temple, crisis, exile, and restoration settings. Its world is Israel's worship life across generations, bringing covenant memory into praise, lament, confession, and hope.
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