What does Psalm 42:2 mean?
ESV: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
NIV: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
NASB: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?
CSB: I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?
NLT: I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
KJV: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
NKJV: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Verse Commentary:
The psalmist repeats his thirst for the Lord, whom he calls "the living God." The prior verse compared this desire to that of a thirsty animal who "pants" when desperately thirsty. This suggests a vital need which can only be helped in one way. The soul seeking restoration doesn't simply prefer God—it urgently needs Him. The psalmist longed to worship the living God in the sanctuary at Jerusalem.
Other nations in Old Testament times worshiped a variety of false gods, physical idols, and aspects of nature such as wind or fire. In contrast, the people of Israel were called to worship the living God. Abraham, the father of Israel, worshiped false gods in Ur of the Chaldees. Yet the Lord revealed Himself to Abraham, calling him to leave his homeland and travel to Canaan (Genesis 12:1; Joshua 24:3, 14). At Mount Sinai, God explicitly commanded the Israelites to reject all false gods and idols. He insisted they not make statues and carvings for worship (Exodus 20:2–6).
Verse Context:
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.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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.
Book Summary:
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.
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Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
