What does Psalm 42:1 mean?

The authorship of Psalm 42 is unclear, although the author may have been a worship leader in the sanctuary (Psalm 42:4). The text refers to "the Sons of Korah," likely meaning descendants of a group spared from their family's destruction after the exodus (Numbers 26:9–11). Whether the "Sons of Korah" wrote the psalms associated with them, or the psalms were written "for" them to perform, is uncertain. This is the first of the second "book" of psalms, continuing through Psalm 72.

This psalm expresses intense desire to know God intimately. The psalmist compares his thirst for God to a deer's thirst for flowing water. The Hebrew term translated "pant" or "panting" implies an intense experience. This is not simple thirst, but rather a desperate need for something vital. Perhaps the land was experiencing a drought; Joel 1:20 refers to animals panting because the water brooks had dried up. Anyone who has been outdoors for long on an extremely hot summer day knows how thirsty he becomes and how he wants to hydrate. He finds a drink of cold water very refreshing. The Bible commends those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. In His Beatitudes Jesus promised, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6). Jesus spoke of thirst that only He can quench (John 4:13–14).

This psalm is referred to as a "maskil," from a Hebrew term that is not clear. It probably means a self-reflective song, given the other psalms labeled using the word. Examples are Psalms 32, 52, and 89.