Psalms

Psalm 42:1–4

¹For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.^a

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul longs after You, O God.

²My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?^b

³My tears have been my food

both day and night,

while men ask me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

⁴These things come to mind as I pour out my soul:

how I walked with the multitude,

leading the festive procession to the house of God

with shouts of joy and praise.

Footnotes

a 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm. Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.
b 42:2 Or and see the face of God?

Read all of Psalm 42

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 42:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֥יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of the sons	לִבְנֵי־	liḇ·nê-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Korah	קֹֽרַח׃	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
As the deer	כְּאַיָּ֗ל	kə·’ay·yāl	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H354 hart, stag, deer
pants	תַּעֲרֹ֥ג	ta·‘ă·rōḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6165 long for
for	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
streams	אֲפִֽיקֵי־	’ă·p̄î·qê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H650 channel
of water	מָ֑יִם	mā·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
so	כֵּ֤ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֨י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
longs	תַעֲרֹ֖ג	ṯa·‘ă·rōḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6165 long for
after You	אֵלֶ֣יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
O God	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

Psalm 42:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My soul	נַפְשִׁ֨י׀	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
thirsts	צָמְאָ֬ה	ṣā·mə·’āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H6770 be thirsty
for God	לֵאלֹהִים֮	lê·lō·hîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
the living	חָ֥י	ḥāy	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
God	לְאֵ֪ל	lə·’êl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
When	מָתַ֥י	mā·ṯay	Interrogative	H4970 when?
shall I come	אָב֑וֹא	’ā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and appear	וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה	wə·’ê·rā·’eh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
in	פְּנֵ֣י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
God’s presence	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

Psalm 42:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My tears	דִמְעָתִ֣י	ḏim·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1832 tears
have been	הָֽיְתָה־	hā·yə·ṯāh-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
my	לִּ֬י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
food	לֶ֭חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
day	יוֹמָ֣ם	yō·w·mām	Adverb	H3119 daytime, by day
and night	וָלָ֑יְלָה	wā·lā·yə·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
while men ask	בֶּאֱמֹ֥ר	be·’ĕ·mōr	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
me	אֵלַ֥י	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
all day long	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
Where	אַיֵּ֥ה	’ay·yêh	Interrogative	H346 Where?
is your God	אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃	’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H430 God

Psalm 42:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
These things	אֵ֤לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
come to mind	אֶזְכְּרָ֨ה׀	’ez·kə·rāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H2142 remember
as I pour out	וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה	wə·’eš·pə·ḵāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H8210 pour out, pour
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֗י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
how	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I walked	אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר׀	’e·‘ĕ·ḇōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
with the multitude	בַּסָּךְ֮	bas·sāḵ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5519 throng
leading	אֶדַּדֵּ֗ם	’ed·dad·dêm	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H1718 [move slowly]
the festive	הָמ֥וֹן	hā·mō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H1995 sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance
procession	חוֹגֵֽג׃	ḥō·w·ḡêḡ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2287 make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the house	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of God	אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
with shouts	בְּקוֹל־	bə·qō·wl-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
of joy	רִנָּ֥ה	rin·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7440 ringing cry
and praise	וְתוֹדָ֗ה	wə·ṯō·w·ḏāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8426 thanksgiving