42:title music director See note on 4:title.

A maskil See note on 32:title.

of the sons of Korah Possibly descendants of the same Korah who rebelled against Moses and Aaron (Num 16:1–50; 26:11).

42:1 As a deer longs for streams of water The psalmist’s desperation for God’s sustaining presence is like a thirst for water.

42:2 the living God Speaks to the presence and activity of God. See Josh 3:10 and note.

When shall I come This phrase—along with the geographic terms of Ps 42:6—may indicate the psalmist wanted to make a pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem.

42:3 My tears have been my food Lacking the spiritual nourishment of God’s presence (v. 1), the psalmist feels as if he is fed only by his suffering.

Where is your God The psalmist’s suffering is worsened by those who question God’s presence. Their doubt makes him long even more for God’s presence.

42:4 These I remember The psalmist describes past times when he would enter the temple in a festival procession to worship God (43:3). This is most likely in one of the three pilgrimage festivals (see note on Exod 23:14–17).

Israelite Festivals Table

42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul In this refrain—repeated in Ps 42:11 and 43:5—the psalmist questions his own despair. He wonders why he is troubled when he should instead hope in God.

Hope The Hebrew word used here, yachal, refers to hoping or waiting on God. It is not a futile activity. The psalmist has faith that God will act and bring deliverance (Prov 20:22).

42:6 within me my soul is in despair The psalmist acknowledges and questions his despair. He knows he can confidently place his hope in God, but this does not ease his despair.

the land of Jordan and the heights of Hermon Signifies the vast distance between the psalmist and God’s presence in the temple in Jerusalem. It is unclear if these places refer literally to the psalmist’s location or if they should be taken figuratively.

42:7 Deep The Hebrew word used here, tehom, refers to the deepest parts of the seas (Job 38:16). See note on Gen 1:2.

42:8 By day Yahweh commands his loyal love The psalmist expresses hope in Yahweh’s unfailing love.

42:9 Why have you forgotten me Although he has just expressed hope (Ps 42:8), the psalmist returns to despair as he questions God’s absence. He feels as though God has forgotten him (see 22:1 and note).

42:11 Why are you in despair, O my soul The psalmist is apparently still in despair; he closes this psalm by exhorting himself again to hope in God (see note on v. 5). Compare note on title–43:5.