Embrace the Word for Monday, March 30, 2026
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Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are two separate Psalms, and yet they are companions that are best understood when they are taken together. There are several reasons why these two Psalms are designed to be together. First, while Psalm 42 has a superscription, Psalm 43 does not. This is not a definitive reason, but it does suggest that the Psalms without a superscription have an important relationship to their preceding Psalm. Although Psalm 43 has a slightly different mood than Psalm 42, the focus between the two Psalms is easy to see. These two Psalms share the common theme of the struggle with a despairing sadness; but they also share a common perspective of where hope is found. Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 share a nearly identical refrain: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (42:5,11; 43:5). Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 each speak of the experience of sadness as being connected to the Psalmist’s enemies (42:9; 43:2). Thus, it seems reasonable that these two Psalms are meant to be paired together.
The superscription of Psalm 42 is new to the Psalter: “To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.” The Sons of Korah were among the men, “whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (See 1 Chronicles 6:31-32a). Korah was a descendant of Kohath, a son of Levi (See Numbers 16:1; 1 Chronicles 6:16,22). Whereas all of the Psalms with a superscription in Book 1 of the Psalter were from David, only a little more than half are David’s in Book 2. Book 3 has only one Psalm from David. The Sons of Korah have seven Psalms in Book 2 and four Psalms in Book 3. Many of the Psalms from the Sons of Korah, nevertheless pertain to David.
Psalm 42 opens with an expression of longing for God: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God” (42:1). The Psalmist describes the perspective of one who formerly worshipped the LORD in Jerusalem, but has now been removed or run off from the city. The Psalmist’s absence from Jerusalem has caused him to thirst for God. The imagery that the Psalmist uses to express his longings for the LORD is likened to a deer longing for streams of water. Psalm 42, the opening Psalm of Book 2 recalls Psalm 1, the opening of the Psalter, which likens the meditation on God’s Word as being, “planted by streams of water” (See Psalm 1:3a). The deer’s agonizing thirst amid drought captures the Psalmist’s soul languishing without the opportunity to appear before God, that is, at the place of public worship: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (42:2). Yes, the LORD is ever-present with His people, and His presence can be experienced wherever we might be; but the Psalmist understood that there can be found a satisfying, special presence of God that is normally only experienced through the gathering of God’s people. The Psalmist longs for God because he knows that only God can satisfy his desires, and what unfolds in this Psalm is that his particular yearning to see God can only be experienced in public worship.
The denial of the Psalmist’s longing to appear before God has left him in a profound state of grieving despair: “My tears have been my food day and night” (42:3a). The Psalmist’s anguish is profound; he has only constant tears in the absence of God’s satisfying presence. Even though the constant tears show the depth of his despair, they also show the range of his faithfulness to the LORD. The Psalmist longs and weeps. While the Psalmist feeds on his tears, his enemies feast on his despair: “while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” (42:3b). The taunting mockeries of these arrogant wicked only aggravate a sad situation exasperating the Psalmist’s despair. In addition to the tears and the taunts, the Psalmist’s sorrows continue to grow as the past joys of worship are now only a distant memory: “These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival” (42:4). As the Psalmist remembered a high-point in his life when he was with the people of God engaging in the movements of the public worship of God, he now realizes that he is at a low-point in his life. The Psalmist’s intolerable sorrow over his present situation prompts him to, “pour out my soul.” This same expression is used by Hannah as her intense sorrows stirred her to plead with the LORD (See 1 Samuel 1:15).
The first segment of Psalm 42 concludes as the Psalmist introduces the first of three refrains: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (42:5). This refrain, which will appear two more times in these two Psalms (42:11; 43:5), has two parts. The first part of the refrain consists of the Psalmist speaking to himself and asks a question: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” By the phrasing of these questions, the Psalmist gives further insight to his condition. He has a sense of deep despondency, and he recognizes that he is in a state of weary restlessness. The Psalmist has already told us the answer to his question, but we will return to the significance of the Psalmist questioning himself below. The second part of this refrain consists of the Psalmist speaking to himself with an admonishing exhortation, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” The Psalmist not only questions himself, he also gives direction to himself. The Psalmist counseled himself to look to God, and he cheered himself with the precious reality that God was “my God,” and “my salvation.” We will also return to the significance of the Psalmist giving direction to himself below as well.
As the Psalmist continues, he returns to expressing his despair: “My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar” (42:6). The Psalmist’s soul is still in its saddened state. Even though the Psalmist knows the right way forward—“Hope in God”—at present, neither his physical circumstances nor the posture of his soul have been altered. Importantly, the Psalmist keeps on crying out to the LORD in prayer. When the darkness doesn’t immediately lift, the Psalmist confesses, “I remember you.” Geographically, the Psalmist is a great distance from Jerusalem, where he wants to be, but he still seeks to focus on the LORD. The distress forged by the distance is still overwhelming and terrifying: “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me” (42:7). The Psalmist experiences a strong sense of judgment, destruction, and darkness. There are times when neither our situation nor our struggle change, even though we have sought the LORD through His Word and prayer. We can be tempted to think that those means do not work, that the LORD really can’t and/or won’t fix our troubles. Thus, we are tempted to think that we need something more, someone else—something more practical or tangible. But we might realize that perhaps the LORD is pleased to not offer a quick fix; perhaps the LORD’s good purposes to bless His people are worked out through a long season of despairing darkness and terrifying trouble.
The Psalmist reveals a few glimpses of hope: “By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (42:8). For the first time in this Psalm, the Psalmist specifically uses the covenant name, “the LORD.” The despair expressed in verse 7 and the desperate prayer stated in verses 9-10, are interrupted and for a moment the despair and desperation are countered by a sense of fresh confidence. The steadfast love of the LORD is made clear to the Psalmist, and as a result he sings and prays. Such an awareness—that the LORD will not abandon His people in their deepest sorrows—quickens perseverance amid troubles: “I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” (42:9-10). The Psalmist is somewhat simultaneously aware of the LORD’s loving presence and unaware of God’s surrounding presence. Such inner torment is only exasperated by the taunts of his enemies. The Psalmist returns to the refrain in verse 5 with its question and admonition: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (42:11).
As Psalm 43 begins, the first explicit request is offered: “Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!” (43:1). There is also a slight shift in tone: there seems to be an ever growing confidence. The Psalmist requests vindication, that is for the LORD to take up his situation and render a judgment on his behalf resulting in his defense and deliverance. And yet, there are still many lingering doubts swirling around a faith-filled confession: “For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (43:2). And yet, the Psalmist maintains his longing to gather back with the LORD and His people: “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!” (43:3). For the Psalmist knows exactly what he will do upon his return: “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God” (43:4). The Psalmist wants to ascend God’s mountain, approach His dwelling, and worship at God’s altar. The Psalmist is laser focused on rightly approaching the LORD through sacrifice with songs of praise. The Psalmist not only knows what he will do, he also knows why he wants to do that. The LORD is, “God my exceeding joy.” The Psalmist knows that a deer finds water by the stream, and he also knows that a stream of exceeding joy is found in the LORD.
And while the Psalmist longs to return to the public worship of God, but hasn’t arrived there just yet; he rehearses his refrain: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (43:5). The struggle of faith continued. The Psalmist had not yet arrived at his desired destination. The sorrowful despair still lingered. However, the Psalmist was still aware of the nature of his struggle; he still had a sense of deep despondency, as well as a recognition that he is in a state of weary restlessness. Nevertheless, what the Psalmist seeks to do is to turn himself away from his despair and fix his gaze on the LORD. The Psalmist admonishes himself to place all his hopes in the LORD, for he encourages himself with the promises that the LORD gives—given for him to sustain and strengthen. We must not miss that while Psalm 42 and 43 visually describe the troubles that wage against our souls, the instructions that they offer are completely Godward. The God-centeredness of these two Psalms should impress upon us the pathway out of despair—not necessarily a quick and easy pathway, but a pathway nevertheless. A pathway that entails a self-probing examination in which we ask ourselves, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” But also a pathway that includes true and wise counsel. This is a most revealing component, for the counsel we provide to ourselves will disclose the convictions we maintain concerning what we perceive to be the solution. In the face of our despair, our counsel should look like, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (43:5).
As we reflect on Psalms 42-43, we can consider the fact that Jesus has provided salvation for His people: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (See Acts 4:12). Through Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of His people, we are given access to God as our Father: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (See John 14:6). And while God’s people have salvation already, as well as access to the Father at this moment, there are fuller aspects of salvation and access to the Father that we do not yet perfectly experience. Believers have the indwelling presence of God’s Spirit, and therefore, we can experience assurance: “you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (See Romans 8:15-16). These salvation realities can already be applied against our struggles with despair. And yet, while we can gather with God’s people today in the presence of God (See Colossians 3:15-16), we are still not yet home in the eternal presence of God (See Hebrews 11:13). Ultimately, the Psalmist’s question, “When shall I come and appear before God?” (42:2), is not fully realized. But one day, it will be: “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (See Revelation 22:3-4). And when we appear before our God, we won’t feel another moment of despair.
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Monday, March 30, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Wednesday, April 1, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 44.