TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 42 verses 6–11
Complaints and comforts here, as before, take their turn, like day and night in the course of nature.
I. He complains of the dejections of his spirit, but comforts himself with the thoughts of God, Psa 42:6. 1. In his troubles. His soul was dejected, and he goes to God and tells him so: O my God! my soul is cast down within me. It is a great support to us, when upon any account we are distressed, that we have liberty of access to God, and liberty of speech before him, and may open to him the causes of our dejection. David had communed with his own heart about its own bitterness, and had not as yet found relief; and therefore he turns to God, and opens before him the trouble. Note, When we cannot get relief for our burdened spirits by pleading with ourselves, we should try what we can do by praying to God and leaving our case with him. We cannot still these winds and waves; but we know who can. 2. In his devotions. His soul was elevated, and, finding the disease very painful, he had recourse to that as a sovereign remedy. "My soul is plunged; therefore, to prevent its sinking, I will remember thee, meditate upon thee, and call upon thee, and try what that will do to keep up my spirit." Note, The way to forget the sense of our miseries is to remember the God of our mercies. It was an uncommon case when the psalmist remembered God and was troubled, Psa 77:3. He had often remembered God and was comforted, and therefore had recourse to that expedient now. He was now driven to the utmost borders of the land of Canaan, to shelter himself there from the rage of his persecutors - sometimes to the country about Jordan, and, when discovered there, to the land of the Hermonites, or to a hill called Mizar, or the little hill; but, (1.) Wherever he went he took his religion along with him. In all these places, he remembered God, and lifted up his heart to him, and kept his secret communion with him. This is the comfort of the banished, the wanderers, the travellers, of those that are strangers in a strange land, that undique ad caelos tantundem est viae - wherever they are there is a way open heavenward. (2.) Wherever he was he retained his affection for the courts of God's house; from the land of Jordan, or from the top of the hills, he used to look a long look, a longing look, towards the place of the sanctuary, and wish himself there. Distance and time could not make him forget that which his heart was so much upon and which lay so near it.
II. He complains of the tokens of God's displeasure against him, but comforts himself with the hopes of the return of his favour in due time.
1.He saw his troubles coming from God's wrath, and that discouraged him (Psa 42:7): "Deep calls unto deep, one affliction comes upon the neck of another, as if it were called to hasten after it; and thy water-spouts give the signal and sound the alarm of war." It may be meant of the terror and disquietude of his mind under the apprehensions of God's anger. One frightful thought summoned another, and made way for it, as is usual in melancholy people. He was overpowered and overwhelmed with a deluge of grief, like that of the old world, when the windows of heaven were opened and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. Or it is an allusion to a ship at sea in a great storm, tossed by the roaring waves, which go over it, Psa 107:25. Whatever waves and billows of affliction go over us at any time we must call them God's waves and his billows, that we may humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and may encourage ourselves to hope that though we be threatened we shall not be ruined; for the waves and billows are under a divine check. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of these many waters. Let not good men think it strange if they be exercised with many and various trials, and if they come thickly upon them; God knows what he does, and so shall they shortly. Jonah, in the whale's belly, made use of these words of David, Jon 2:3 (they are exactly the same in the original), and of him they were literally true, All thy waves and thy billows have gone over me; for the book of psalms is contrived so as to reach every one's case.
2.He expected his deliverance to come from God's favour (Psa 42:8): Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness. Things are bad, but they shall not always be so. Non si male nunc et olim sic erit - Though affairs are now in an evil plight, they may not always be so. After the storm there will come a calm, and the prospect of this supported him when deep called unto deep. Observe (1.) What he promised himself from God: The Lord will command his lovingkindness. He eyes the favour of God as the fountain of all the good he looked for. That is life; that is better than life; and with that God will gather those from whom he has, in a little wrath, hid his face, Isa 54:7, Isa 54:8. God's conferring his favour is called his commanding it. This intimates the freeness of it; we cannot pretend to merit it, but it is bestowed in a way of sovereignty, he gives like a king. It intimates also the efficacy of it; he speaks his lovingkindness, and makes us to hear it; speaks, and it is done. He commands deliverance (Psa 44:4), commands the blessing (Psa 133:3), as one having authority. By commanding his lovingkindness, he commands down the waves and the billows, and they shall obey him. This he will do in the daytime, for God's lovingkindness will make day in the soul at any time. Though weeping has endured for a night, a long night, yet joy will come in the morning. (2.) What he promised for himself to God. If God command his lovingkindness for him, he will meet it, and bid it welcome, with his best affections and devotions. [1.] He will rejoice in God: In the night his song shall be with me. The mercies we receive in the day we ought to return thanks for at night; when others are sleeping we should be praising God. See Psa 119:62, At midnight will I rise to give thanks. In silence and solitude, when we are retired from the hurries of the world, we must be pleasing ourselves with the thoughts of God's goodness. Or in the night of affliction: "Before the day dawns, in which God commands his lovingkindness, I will sing songs of praise in the prospect of it." Even in tribulation the saints can rejoice in hope of the glory of God, sing in hope, and praise in hope, Rom 5:2, Rom 5:3. It is God's prerogative to give songs in the night, Job 35:10. [2.] He will seek to God in a constant dependence upon him: My prayer shall be to the God of my life. Our believing expectation of mercy must not supersede, but quicken, our prayers for it. God is the God of our life, in whom we live and move, the author and giver of all our comforts; and therefore to whom should we apply by prayer, but to him? And from him what good may not we expect? It would put life into our prayers in them to eye God as the God of our life; for then it is for our lives, and the lives of our souls, that we stand up to make request.
III. He complains of the insolence of his enemies, and yet comforts himself in God as his friend, Psa 42:9-11.
1.His complaint is that his enemies oppressed and reproached him, and this made a great impression upon him. (1.) They oppressed him to such a degree that he went mourning from day to day, from place to place, Psa 42:9. He did not break out into indecent passions, though abused as never man was, but he silently wept out his grief, and went mourning; and for this we cannot blame him: it must needs grieve a man that truly loves his country, and seeks the good of it, to see himself persecuted and hardly used, as if he were an enemy to it. Yet David ought not hence to have concluded that God had forgotten him and cast him off, nor thus to have expostulated with him, as if he did him as much wrong in suffering him to be trampled upon as those did that trampled upon him: Why go I mourning? and why hast thou forgotten me? We may complain to God, but we are not allowed thus to complain of him. (2.) They reproached him so cuttingly that it was a sword in his bones, Psa 42:10. He had mentioned before what the reproach was that touched him thus to the quick, and here he repeats it: They say daily unto me, Where is thy God? - a reproach which was very grievous to him, both because it reflected dishonour upon God and was intended to discourage his hope in God, which he had enough to do to keep up in any measure, and which was but too apt to fail of itself.
2.His comfort is that God is his rock (Psa 42:9) - a rock to build upon, a rock to take shelter in. The rock of ages, in whom is everlasting strength, would be his rock, his strength in the inner man, both for doing and suffering. To him he had access with confidence. To God his rock he might say what he had to say, and be sure of a gracious audience. he therefore repeats what he had before said (Psa 42:5), and concludes with it (Psa 42:11): Why art thou cast down, O my soul? His griefs and fears were clamorous and troublesome; they were not silenced though they were again and again answered. But here, at length, his faith came off a conqueror and forced the enemies to quit the field. And he gains this victory, (1.) By repeating what he had before said, chiding himself, as before, for his dejections and disquietudes, and encouraging himself to trust in the name of the Lord and to stay himself upon his God. Note, It may be of great use to us to think our good thoughts over again, and, if we do not gain our point with them at first, perhaps we may the second time; however, where the heart goes along with the words, it is no vain repetition. We have need to press the same thing over and over again upon our hearts, and all little enough. (2.) By adding one word to it; there he hoped to praise God for the salvation that was in his countenance; here, "I will praise him," says he, "as the salvation of my countenance from the present cloud that is upon it; if God smile upon me, that will make me look pleasant, look up, look forward, look round, with pleasure." He adds, and my God, "related to me, in covenant with me; all that he is, all that he has, is mine, according to the true intent and meaning of the promise." This thought enabled him to triumph over all his griefs and fears. God's being with the saints in heaven, and being their God, is that which will wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev 21:3, Rev 21:4.
"I will say unto God, You are my lifter up. Why have You forgotten me?" [Psalm 42:9]. For I am suffering here, even as if You had forgotten me. But You are trying me, and I know that Thou dost but put off, not take utterly from me, what You have promised me. But yet, "Why have You forgotten me?" So cried our Head also, as if speaking in our name. "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" I will say unto God, "You are my lifter up; why have You forgotten me?"
Continue studying Psalms 42:9 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalm 42:9 articulates a profound and raw lament from a soul grappling with deep distress and perceived divine abandonment. Despite affirming God as an unshakeable "rock" and ultimate refuge, the psalmist poses anguished "why" questions, expressing bewilderment and sorrow in the face of relentless suffering and the oppression of enemies. This verse powerfully captures the tension between theological conviction and emotional desolation, presenting a model of faith that is courageous enough to bring its most perplexing questions and deepest sorrows directly before the divine presence.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 42:9 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its poignant message. The primary device is Lament, a foundational form in the Psalms where the speaker expresses deep sorrow, suffering, and a fervent plea for divine intervention. This lament is powerfully articulated through Rhetorical Questions ("Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning?"), which are not asked for informational answers but to express intense emotion, bewilderment, and a desperate yearning for God's active presence and explanation. The phrase "God my rock" is a profound Metaphor, portraying God as an unyielding, secure foundation and an impregnable refuge, contrasting sharply with the psalmist's feelings of instability and abandonment. The "mourning" and "oppression" evoke strong Imagery of deep sorrow and crushing burden, painting a vivid picture of the psalmist's internal and external suffering. The verse's direct address to God, despite its questioning tone, also exemplifies Intimacy in Prayer, showcasing a relationship where raw honesty and vulnerable questioning are not only permissible but integral to genuine faith.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 42:9 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of faith in suffering: it is permissible, even vital, to bring our deepest, most painful questions and feelings of abandonment directly to God. This verse challenges any notion that faith requires a stoic silence in the face of adversity, instead affirming that authentic spiritual life often includes raw lament. The psalmist's cry of "Why hast thou forgotten me?" is not an accusation of God's character, but an expression of the human experience of feeling distant from a God who is simultaneously acknowledged as "my rock"—a steadfast, unchanging refuge. This tension highlights the mystery of divine sovereignty and human suffering, inviting believers to trust in God's unchanging nature even when His actions or presence feel obscured by pain and external pressures. It underscores the biblical truth that God is big enough to handle our doubts and our deepest anguish, and that His faithfulness endures even when our feelings falter.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 42:9 serves as a profound validation for anyone navigating periods of deep distress, perceived divine absence, or relentless opposition. It grants permission to lament honestly, to voice the "why" questions that often accompany profound suffering, and to bring our rawest emotions before God without fear of judgment. The psalmist's ability to address God as "my rock" even while feeling forgotten offers a powerful model: our intellectual and theological understanding of God's unchanging character can serve as an anchor when our emotional experience is one of drift and despair. This verse encourages believers to lean into the tension between what they know to be true about God and what they feel in the moment, trusting that God hears and cares for the cries of His children, even when answers are not immediately apparent. It reminds us that faith is not the absence of doubt or sorrow, but the courage to bring those very things into the presence of the One who is our ultimate refuge, knowing that He is both strong enough to bear our burdens and compassionate enough to receive our deepest cries.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God truly forget His people when they suffer?
Answer: Biblically, God does not forget His people in the sense of neglecting His covenant promises, losing awareness of their existence, or abandoning His ultimate plan for them. The psalmist's question "Why hast thou forgotten me?" is an expression of profound emotional distress and a feeling of abandonment, not a theological statement about God's nature. It reflects the human experience of suffering where God's presence or intervention feels absent. Scriptures consistently affirm God's unwavering faithfulness and remembrance of His covenant, even when His people feel distant or forgotten (e.g., Isaiah 49:15; Deuteronomy 31:6). This lament highlights the legitimate human experience of suffering and the feeling of divine absence, which is a valid part of lament and a cry for God's manifest presence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 42:9 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's anguished cry, "Why hast thou forgotten me?", echoes with chilling precision in Christ's own cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). In that agonizing moment, Jesus, the very Son of God, fully entered into the depths of human abandonment and the crushing weight of sin's oppression, becoming the ultimate mourner and the one truly "forgotten" by God on our behalf. He is the true "Rock" (as affirmed in 1 Corinthians 10:4) who endured the full force of the enemy's oppression—sin, death, and the devil—not for His own transgressions, but to deliver us from ours. Through His unparalleled suffering, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus validates our laments, transforms our mourning into everlasting joy (John 16:20), and provides the definitive answer to the "why." Because He was forsaken, we who are in Him never have to be (Hebrews 13:5), and in Him, God's promise to never forget His people is eternally secured.