Psalm 42:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

NIV: By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life.

NASB: The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.

CSB: The Lord will send his faithful love by day; his song will be with me in the night -- a prayer to the God of my life.

NLT: But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.

KJV: Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

NKJV: The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me— A prayer to the God of my life.

In this verse, the psalmist's focus turns from his trials (Psalm 42:3, 5–7, 9–10). He acknowledges the Lord's unfailing love and joy are greater than his earthly struggles. Earlier in the psalm, the writer compared his desire for God to that of a thirsty animal (Psalm 42:1), or a deep need calling out for an equally deep response (Psalm 42:7).

The apostle Paul experienced harsh conditions as he served the Lord (2 Corinthians 11:21–33). Yet he knew nothing could separate him from God's love. He writes in Romans 8:38–39: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Even when he was under house arrest and undergoing a trial that would determine whether he would live or die, Paul's joy in the Lord spilled over. He penned the letter to the Philippians that reveals his joy in the Lord (Philippians 1:18–19) and his exhortation to his readers to "rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 4:4).

Psalm 42:6–11 describes the psalmist's intense dejection, but he acknowledges the Lord's power to control the storms of life. He views God as the God of his life and his Rock, and he tells his troubled soul again to hope in God and be assured that he will praise God again as his deliverer and his God.

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.