Psalm 42:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

NIV: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

NASB: I remember these things and pour out my soul within me. For I used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God, With a voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.

CSB: I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts.

NLT: My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!

KJV: When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

NKJV: When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

As the psalmist prayed fervently to the Lord, he recalled leading a procession of worshipers to the sanctuary in Jerusalem. This strongly suggests the writer was a worship leader. This corresponds to the "Sons of Korah" mentioned at the beginning of the psalm (Psalm 42:1). They seem to have been a group connected to worship and music, as well as upkeep in the temple (1 Chronicles 9:19–20; 2 Chronicles 20:19). As the multitude moved along, they shouted with joy and sang praises.

Perhaps the festival alluded to in this verse was the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:39–43). Although believers of the church age are not under the Law and are not required to observe the Jewish feast days, they should worship the Lord joyfully and praise Him. Colossians 3:16 admonishes believers: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymn and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Just as the psalmist enjoyed going to the sanctuary to worship the Lord, Christians should look forward to attending church, where they fellowship with other believers and worship the Lord.

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.