Psalm 42 is the first psalm of the second book, and already we can see a subtle difference from Book 1. Notably, in Book 1 there are 4 anonymous (untitled) psalms, 37 psalms “of David”, and 0 psalms ascribed to any other author. There can be no doubt that Book 1 was intended to be a book of Davidic psalms, perhaps following a specific musical tradition. Book 2 breaks this pattern immediately, with the very first psalm assigned to “the sons of Korah”.
Besides that, this psalm certainly has a lot of the same deeply emotional language and imagery that we see in Davidic psalms. In terms of structure, this psalm is perhaps most akin to a prayer psalm, but ultimately the differences seem greater than the similarities. The similarity is that the psalm contains a desperate longing for God to break in and work some kind of deliverance from a vague oppression and “adversaries” (v. 10).
The differences, however, are numerous. Perhaps most significantly, the psalm doesn’t have a central prayer or petition clause. The point of the prayer is not to ask, “God, deliver me! Save me! Rescue me!” Instead, the central focus of the psalm is defined in verse 1, as it is for so many other psalms. The central focus is the longing and desire of the psalmist to enter the presence of God. His soul longs for God, even the way that a deer longs and thirsts for water.
Another repeated element of this psalm is the question, “where is your God”? Although the question is asked by the “adversaries”, we can imagine the psalmist is asking the same question of himself: in the midst of these troubles, where is my God? Although deliverance from the adversaries is certainly part of this, we can also see that the presence of the LORD itself is the object of the psalmist’s desire. In the same way that we need water to survive, we need the presence of God to survive. We can’t live without it.
One thing that amazes me about this psalm is the emotional progression that we follow through the psalm. After the initial expressions of grief in v. 1-3, we see verse 4 recall the former times of joy when the psalmist was leading a joyful multitude in “procession towards the house of God”. It reminds me of David leading the ark of the covenant and the people as they marched towards the tabernacle in Jerusalem. In that case, David stripped off his clothes and danced in a linen robe with all his might. This psalm, while unlikely to be referring to the same historical event, is very likely referring to something with a similar emotional character. The important things I would point out in this recollection are: 1) it was a whole crowd acting together in pursuit of God, and 2) it was a movement towards the house of God, i.e. a movement towards the presence of God. In contrast, in the psalmist’s present life we see that “the crowd” is now a group of adversaries and we feel a greater sense of isolation in the psalmist’s attitude. His desire for God is the same, but he feels threatened and isolated, and he does not feel that his desire for God is reaching fulfillment.
The psalmist “remembers” a second time in v. 6, remembering the LORD from the land of the Jordan and mount Hermon. I don’t know exactly what that means but I suspect it’s referring to the distance the psalmist feels from the LORD’s presence in Jerusalem and the temple. It’s worth pointing out that Mount Hermon is far outside the traditional lands of Israel, in the transjordan region near Syria. As such, the psalmist is probably indicating that the physical distance from Jerusalem is symbolic of the spiritual distance between the author and God, and his “remembrance” of the LORD means that in the absence of the LORD’s presence, the author has not and will not forget the LORD.
Interestingly, the first time the psalmist “remembers”, he is remembering the insults and mockery of his enemies, asking him, “where is your God?” He “remembers” this as he cries out in prayer. The second time the psalmist “remembers”, he is remembering God in the land far away from the LORD’s presence, but still believing and trusting in him. In some sense, his first “remembrance” is the trouble and adversity that he faces, and the second “remembrance” is the answer to those troubles. This is what makes it so similar and yet so different from a prayer psalm. Although the psalmist lays out a problem statement, his answer isn’t for God to rise up and pluck him out of the watery depths or the mire and place him on a solid rock, in the style of Psalm 18. It is not some work of God or act of God that he desires. Rather, the psalmist places his desire on the presence of God itself.
Verses 7-8 are also tremendously powerful. “Deep calls to deep” means that in the deep places of the psalmist’s heart, he is calling out to the deep of God’s heart. The breakers and waves of v. 7 mean that the adversity and challenges the psalmist faces are battering and discouraging him, but he remains committed to the LORD: he believes in the lovingkindness and the “song” of the LORD surrounding him day and night, much like the pillars of fire and smoke covered the nation of Israel day and night as they wandered through the wilderness of Sinai.
Although this psalm contains few overt references to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, we can easily imagine such parallels. In the midst of many difficulties, and in a dry and barren land, the psalmist pursues the presence of God (represented by the promised land) and even when God feels distant, the psalmist nevertheless acknowledges that God’s presence is around him day and night.
That particular duality seems poignant and I believe it is relevant for our lives. The promised land signifies the covenant, the law, and the presence of God. Wandering in the desert, the people of Israel were symbolically separated from God’s presence. Generations later, during the exile, the people are taken away from God’s presence, only to be restored to the land and to God during the reign of Cyrus. For example, 2 Kings 7:23 makes this connection directly, stating that “the LORD removed Israel from his sight” in the Babylonian exile.
However, at the same time that Israel is marching towards the promised land, they have the presence of God going with them, signified by the fire and the cloud. The presence of God encompassed the tabernacle during their journey. In this way, they had God’s presence going with them even while they were journeying to the land that itself embodies the presence of God. Although this feels like a contradiction, I think we actually experience something like this in much of our ordinary lives. As believers in God, we live in pursuit of God’s presence. We are not yet in heaven, do not yet see the face of God, but that is our destiny. While we live on the earth and long to behold God, much like Moses prayed in Exodus 33:18, we also have God’s presence with us and surrounding us. How can we have God’s presence with us, and yet seek to find God’s presence in a greater way? Oftentimes, our knowledge of God’s presence is merely intellectual, an acknowledgement that God is with us without perceiving or living by that fact. The psalmist therefore calls us to remember God, and to hope in him.
“For I shall yet praise him” (v. 5, 11). There is praise that is coming, because a deliverance is coming. I will yet praise him because in the future, I will see God overcome these challenges in my life. The psalmist has confidence, he has placed his hope, and he believes in what he has not yet seen.
In other places, I have mentioned that the bible frames God as a great judge, who blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. In this sense God is an arbiter in whom the righteous place their hope, because they can have a firm expectation that God will judge them well and protect them from their enemies. God is just, righteous, merciful and fair, but he is not particularly close. David says that God “delights in me” (Psalm 18:19), and while this expresses affection, it does not express a bonding of hearts or longing like what we see in Psalm 42.
Psalm 42 feels like a psalm written by someone in a depression. It abounds with statements of profound grief, longing and unfulfilled desire. Yet at the same time, woven between each question, “where is your God”, there is a proclamation of hope. In a prayer psalm the imperative statement is directed towards God: “Save me! Help me! Deliver me!” In this psalm, the imperative is directed towards the psalmist’s own heart: “Hope in God! Trust in him! Remember him!” In some sense the psalmist is taking his deliverance for granted, or else he would not “praise him” in some future time. Rather, the psalmist is adjuring his own heart to not give up, to not lose faith or trust in the midst of the trials, and to stay strong and continue believing in God in the midst of the trials, knowing both that God’s presence is still with him in the wilderness, and that a promised land awaits in his future.
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