Bible Commentaries
Psalms 42

Introduction

Psalms 42:0 : PSALMS 42-72. THE SECOND, OR EXODUS BOOK*. ISRAEL. 42-49. CONCERNING ISRAEL''S RUIN. 50-60. CONCERNING ISRAEL''S REDEEMER. 61-72. CONCERNING ISRAEL''S REDEMPTION. 42-49. ISRAEL''S RUIN. 42-43 THE RUIN AND OPPRESSION REALIZED (Psalms 42:9 ; Psalms 43:2 ). NO HELP FROM MAN. IT OPENS WITH CRYING AND TEARS AS EXODUS DOES. (Cp. Exodus 2:23 ; Exodus 3:7-9 ; Exodus 6:9 .) 44 THE CRY FOR HELP TO THE DELIVERER AND REDEEMER (vv. Psa 42:23-26 ). 45 THE DELIVERER PRAISED. ANSWER TO THE CRY. 46 THE HELP OF THE DELIVERER. (Cp. Psalms 48:8 ) 47 48 THE DELIVERER PRAISED. (Cp. Psalms 48:8 with Psalms 44:1 .) 49 THE RUIN, AND NEED OF REDEMPTION REALIZED. NO HELP FROM MAN (v. 7), ONLY FROM GOD Psa 42:15 ). 50 60. ISRAEL''S REDEEMER. 50 GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE. HE BREAKS THE SILENCE AS IN Exodus 3:4 . Cp. Hebrews 12:25 , Hebrews 12:26 . 51 TRANSGRESSION. CONFESSED AND FORGIVEN. 52 53 54 55 TRANSGRESSORS. UNCONFESSED AND DESTROYED. 56 57 58 59 60 GOD''S PEOPLE SPEAK TO HIM OF ISRAEL''S REDEEMER AND HIS WORK:TELLING OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION (MICHTAM. Appdx-65. XII). 61 72. ISRAEL''S REDEMPTION. 61 62 63 64 ISRAEL WAITS FOR DELIVERANCE "FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH", WHICH IS THE WORK OF GOD ALONE (Psalms 64:9 ). 65 ZION WAITS FOR HER BLESSING. 66 67 PRAISE PROMISED. THE TROUBLE REMEMBERED (Psalms 66:10-12 ). 68 THE ANSWER TO 61 67. GOD ARISES. "BLESSED BE GOD" (v. 35). 69 THE KING WAITS FOR DELIVERANCE (v. 14) FROM SUFFERINGS, SHAME, AND SORROW. (THE TRESPASS OFFERING) 70 THE KING WAITS FOR DELIVERANCE. "MAKE HASTE". 71 PRAISE PROMISED (vv. Psa 42:22-24 ). THE TROUBLE REMEMBERED (v. 20). 72 THE ANSWER. THE KING BEGINS. "BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD" (v. 18). THIS WAS ALL HIS DESIRE (2 Samuel 23:5 ). THE REDEEMED NATION BLESSED, AND A BLESSING TO ALL NATIONS. * EXODUS is the Greek and is the name given to the book by the Septuagint Translators as descriptive of its chief eventthe going out of Israel from Egypt. But the Hebrew title for it is (ve''elleh shemoth), "AND THESE ARE THE NAMES." The Book is thus called because it begins with the names of those who came into the place whence they were redeemed and delivered from their ruin and oppression. It is indeed the book of " the NAMES "; for not only does the Lord speak so pointedly of knowing Moses "by name" (Psalms 33:12 , Psalms 33:17 ), but Moses asks by what Name he is to speak of the God of their fathers to the Israelites ( Psa 3:13 ), and the Lord reveals His Name ( Psa 3:14 , Psa 3:15 ); while in Psalms 6:3 ; Psalms 33:19 ; Psalms 34:5-7 , He further proclaims it. So, again, of the "Angel" that was sent before the People ( Psa 23:20 ), Jehovah said, "My Name is in Him" ( Psa 23:21 ). Moses speaks to Pharaoh in the Name of Jehovah ( Psa 5:23 ); and Pharaoh is raised up "that My Name may be declared throughout all the earth" (Psalms 9:16 ). It is in this book that we first have the third Commandment concerning the Name of the Lord (Psalms 20:7 ). Bezaleel is said to have been "called" by name (Psalms 31:2 ), whereas a different phrase is used of Aholiab (Psalms 31:6 ) both here and in 35:30 and 34. It is in Exodus also that we have the particular instructions as to the engraving of the names on the shoulder-stones of the ephod ( Psa 28:9-12 ), and on the breastplate stones (15-21), which were strictly carried out ( Psa 39:6-14 ). Thus "the names of the sons of Israel" were borne before the Lord with the Redeeming Blood in the Holy of Holies. Moreover, these names appear at the beginning of Exodus, in connection with the RUIN; and at the end in connection with the REDEMPTION "before God in the Sanctuary"; while we have the Name of the REDEEMER proclaimed and celebrated throughout, "The LORD is His name" (Exodus 15:3 ). Exodus is therefore the Book of REDEMPTION:and Redemption is individual and by name. It is the book in which the REDEMPTION of the People is first mentioned:" Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the People which Thou hast REDEEMED:Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation." (Exodus 15:13 ). The Title " Exodus " also occurs in Luke 9:31 (rendered " decease " in A. V. and R.V.), where it is the subject of which Messiah spake with Moses and Elijah on "the holy mount". This subject was His REDEMPTION work, viz. the "exodus which He should accomplish at Jerusalem", which was the great Antitype of that accomplished by Moses. The types of Exodus are also types of Redemption. The Divine title JAH (see Appdx-4. III), the. concentrated form of Jehovah, occurs for the first time in the Book of Exodus (Psalms 15:3 ); and it occurs also for the first time in the Psalms in this second or Exodus Book (Psalms 68:4 ). In this second Book of the Psalms we find the subject-matter corresponding with that of Exodus. Like the other books, its teaching is dispensational. In the Genesis Book, Man is the central thought; in this Exodus Book, it is the Nation of Israel around which the counsels and purposes of God are centered. It opens with the " cry " from the depth of the Ruin and Oppression, as Exodus does; and it ends with the King reigning over the redeemed Nation (Psalms 72:0 ), brought "again the second time" from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:11 ); as it was brought the first time from Egypt; and, at length, made a blessing to all the families of the earth. Of the Divine names and titles:Elohim occurs 262 times (two of them with Jehovah), El 14 times, and Jehovah only 37 times. Note the references to Sinai, Miriam, and other events in Exodus in this second Book. Psalms 42:0 and 43 are linked together by a recurring question and answer. See the Structure (p. 759). As Ps, 32 is the Sin Offering and Psalms 40:0 the Burnt Offering, so Psalms 69:0 is the Trespass Offering.

Verse 1

Psalms 42-72, The Exodus Book, has to do with Israel; as the first book (1-41) had to do with Man. Psalms 42:0 and Psalms 43:0 are linked together, because (1) Psalms 43:0 has no title; (2) the Structure shows the correspondence of the repeated appeal.

Title. Maschil = Instruction. The second of thirteen so named. See note on Psalms 32:0 , Title, and App-65

for = by.

the sons of Korah. The first of the eleven Psalms so distinguished (Psalms 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, 88). Korah died by Divine judgment (Numbers 16:31-35 ), but his sons were spared in grace (Numbers 26:11 ). The men of Numbers 16:32 did not include the "sons". See notes, and App-63 .

son = descendants.

panteth = crieth, or longeth. Compare Joel 1:20 . The cry of Israel in Egypt.

after = for.

brooks = channels: water in gorges or pipes, difficult of approach. Hebrew. 'aphikim. See note on 2 Samuel 22:16 .

my soul = I myself. Hebrew. nephesh.

after = upon.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . The Creator, not yet revealed as Jehovah to Israel in the Egyptian oppression.

Verse 2

GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 . Because "the living", in contrast with idols.

When shall I come, &c. Figures of speech Interjectio, Erotesis, and Apostrophe. App-6 .

appear before God = see the face of God. So it is in some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, and Syriac. See notes on Exodus 23:15 ; Exodus 34:20 .

Verse 3

continually = all the day.

Verse 4

had gone = shall go.

went = shall go.

holy day = feast day.

Verse 5

Why . . . ? Figure of speech Cycloides. The question repeated in Psalms 42:11 and Psalms 43:5 . See the Structure, above.

And why . . . ? This second "why" is in the text of some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, as in Psalms 42:11 and Psalms 43:5 .

help. Hebrew, plural salvations. Plural of majesty = great help, or great salvation.

His. Hebrew text reads "my", so that, where I go I am delivered.

countenance. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), put for the whole person.

Verse 6

O my God. In some codices this is joined on to the end of Psalms 42:5 = "the great deliverance of me, and [praise]my God". Compare Psalms 42:11 with Psalms 43:5 .

Jordan. The reference is to 2 Samuel 17:22 .

the Hermonites = the Hermons. Refers to the two peaks.

hill = mountain.

Verse 8

Yet. Omit this.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

His lovingkindness . . . His song. Figure of speech Ellipsis (Complex), App-6 , by which each is to be repeated in the other = "His lovingkindness [and His song] in the daytime; and in the night His song [and His lovingkindness] shall be with me".

GOD of my life. Some codices, with Syriac, read "the living GOD" ( App-4 . IV).

Verse 9

GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 . In edition of 1611 this was printed "My God".

rock = mountain crag, or fortress. Hebrew. sela'. See note on Deuteronomy 32:13 .Deuteronomy 18:1 , Deuteronomy 18:2 .

forgotten. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

Verse 10

As with. Some codices read "Like".

enemies = adversaries. The second Psalm of each book has for its subject the enemy. See App-10 .

Verse 11

health = salvation.