Psalm 42:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"

NIV: My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

NASB: My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'

CSB: My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, "Where is your God?"

NLT: Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, 'Where is this God of yours?'

KJV: My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

NKJV: My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”

The psalmist missed the worship of God in the sanctuary so much that he cried heavy tears day and night. There are two possible ways to interpret the metaphor which compares tears to bread. This might mean someone who cries daily, and regularly, as someone might daily and regularly eat food (Matthew 6:11). Another possibility is that the psalmist is upset to the point that he cries, but doesn't eat.

To add insult to injury, the psalmist's enemies mock him. They asked, "Where is your God?" When Jesus died on the cross, He felt the sting of separation from God. He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders, the very men who had campaigned for His crucifixion, jeered at Him and said sarcastically, "He trusts in God; let God deliver him now" (Matthew 27:43).

"Where is your God?" was frequently asked of righteous Jews by Gentiles who worshiped false gods (Psalm 115:2; Micah 7:10). Christians, too, may be the target of this question. It's commonly used to challenge the biblical view of God during some tragedy or bizarre circumstance (2 Peter 3:3–4). Of course, God is seated on a throne in heaven, but He also lives in the hearts of those who know Him.

Psalm 42:1–5 records the psalmist's feeling of distance from God. Yet he longs to be close to the Lord. He thirsts for God and is pained by the taunts he is subject to from his foes. He recalls the former days, when he led a jubilant procession to Jerusalem to observe a festival, and he urges himself to hope in God, because he will praise Him again.

The psalmist begins and ends with hope and dependence on God. His desire for God is like thirst: a vital need, not simply a minor emotion. Enemy attacks, mocking, or grief over being far from home should not override trust in God's goodness. Hardship naturally tempts us to become bitter and defeatist; instead, we should look forward to praising God as our Savior.

Psalms 1 through 41 are considered the first "book" of psalms. Psalm 42 is the first of "Book 2." Because of its similarity to Psalm 43, it is thought that both psalms were originally one psalm, but there is no explanation for why they were separated. This "maskil" has a similar tone to Psalms 32, 52, and 89. It is associated with the "Sons of Korah," likely a group tied to worship during the era of David and Solomon.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.