Psalm-42
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Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ having been corrected like it once was pre the now “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following two truth’s from our
beloved Scriptures!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם -
the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens,
PhD.
Just before
commencing the study, I would like to provide one more vital quote from the
book of Yahoshua - Joshua Ch 1:7-8. (JPS-1917).
“Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey the entire Torah My servant Moshe has given you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
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Introduction:
Tehillim - Psalm 42 opens with a striking image: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
Thee, O אֱלֹהִים”.
This Psalm is traditionally attributed to the sons of ‘Korah’ and it serves as
the opening poem of ‘Book Two’ of the Psalter, setting a tone of communal
lament and personal yearning that contrasts with ‘Book One’s’ emphasis on
Davidic authorship.
The Psalm moves between vivid emotional description and repeated self-address, creating a pattern of honest feeling, followed by deliberate hope!
Let us now
read Tehillim - Psalm 42. (JPS-1917 version):
1. “For the Leader; Maschil of the sons of Korah.
2. As
the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God).
3. My
soul thirsteth for אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, for the living אֱלֹהִים: ‘When shall I come and appear before אֱלֹהִים?’
4. My
tears have been my food day and night, while they say unto me all the day:
'Where is thy אֱלֹהִים?'
5. 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 אֱלֹהִים, with the voice of joy and praise, a
multitude keeping holyday.
6. Why
art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me?.
7. O
my אֱלֹהִים, my soul is cast Hope thou in אֱלֹהִים; for I shall yet praise Him for the
salvation of His countenance down within me; therefore do I remember Thee from
the land of Jordan, and the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.
8. Deep
calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts; all Thy waves and Thy billows
are gone over me.
9. By
day יְהוָה - the LORD will command His
lovingkindness, and in the night His song shall be with me, even a prayer unto
the אֱלֹהִים of my life.
10. I
will say unto אֱלֹהִים my Rock: ‘Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why
go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy?’
11. As
with a crushing in my bones, mine adversaries taunt me; while they say unto me
all the day: ‘Where is thy אֱלֹהִים - Elohim?’
12. Why
art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in אֱלֹהִים; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation
of my countenance, and my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim”.
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Just for
interest:
Tehillim - Psalm 42 is, as we have read, is a raw, and a honest prayer of spiritual thirst and longing. The Psalmist confesses a deep despair, and remembers past worship, and it repeatedly turns hope toward אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, being the only true source of renewal.
Let us now look at its Structure and the Key Themes:
Longing and
Thirst:
The Psalmist’s spiritual thirst is the central
image: physical need (a deer panting) becomes a metaphor for the soul’s craving
for אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim’s presence. This
longing is not abstract; it is urgent and bodily, showing that relationship
with God is essential to life itself XX
Memory of
Worship:
Interwoven with the present pain are memories of
past worship processions to the house of אֱלֹהִים,
communal praise, and festivals. These recollections both intensify the present loss
and provide a resource: remembering אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim’s past
faithfulness fuels hope for future restoration
An Honest
Lament:
The psalmist does not hide despair: tears,
questions from others (“Where is your אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim?”), and the sense
of being overwhelmed are voiced plainly. This honesty models a faith that can
bring doubt and sorrow before אֱלֹהִים
rather than pretending everything is fine
Dialogue of
the Soul:
A striking feature is the repeated self-address,
“Why are you cast down, O my soul?” followed by the command “Hope in אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim.” This internal
dialogue shows spiritual discipline: the speaker recognizes despair and
intentionally redirects toward trust and praise
Cosmic Imagery
and Depth:
Lines like “Deep calls to deep” and references to
waterfalls and waves convey the psalmist’s sense of being engulfed, yet they
also suggest that אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim’s depths are vast and responsive there is a dynamic, even mysterious,
relationship between human suffering and divine presence.
Practical
Meaning for Readers:
Psalm 42 teaches that longing for אֱלֹהִים
is normal, that memory of worship can sustain us, and that faith includes both
lament and disciplined hope. It invites readers to bring real emotions to אֱלֹהִים,
to remember communal and personal encounters with אֱלֹהִים,
and to practice speaking hope into despair.
Conclusion:
Psalm 42 is both a mirror and a
map: For it mirrors our deepest spiritual thirst and maps a path from honest
lament back to hope in אֱלֹהִים - Elohim. It’s
repeated refrain turning the soul toward wonderful praise, reminding us that
faith is not the absence of struggle, but the steady choice to trust our
beloved אֱלֹהִים who has been faithful
before and promises renewal ahead!
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PLEASE NOTE: This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember
what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following, via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk
in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My
Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel
- Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as
follows;
“The More Torah, the
More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace
of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts.
be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as
well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim –
(Feasts), and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers)
and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s
(blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem -
Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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