the Third Sunday after Easter
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New King James Version
Psalms 42:11
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- DailyParallel Translations
Why, my soul, are you so dejected?Why are you in such turmoil?Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,my Savior and my God.
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, The saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
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.
Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I should put my hope in God and keep praising him, my Savior and my God.
Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Why are you in despair, my soul? And why are you restless within me? Wait for God, for I will again praise Him For the help of His presence, my God.
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, The saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Why art thou cast downe, my soule? and why art thou disquieted within mee? waite on God: for I wil yet giue him thankes: he is my present helpe, and my God.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?And why are you disturbed within me?Wait for God, for I shall still praise Him,The salvation of my presence and my God.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God.
My adversaries' taunts make me feel as if my bones were crushed, as they ask me all day long, ‘Where is your God?' " My soul, why are you so downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Hope in God, since I will praise him again for being my Savior and God.
Why art thou cast down, my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, "Wait for God's help! You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you."
Why are you disturbed, O my soul? and why are you bewildered? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, the Saviour of my honor and my God.
Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, because I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
O my soul, why are you cast down? And why do you moan within me? Hope in God, for I yet thank Him for the salvation of my face and my God.
Why art thou so heuy (o my soule) & why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, for I wil yet thanke him for the helpe of his countenaunce, and because he is my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Why are you crushed down, O my soul? and why are you troubled in me? put your hope in God; for I will again give him praise who is my help and my God.
As with a crushing in my bones, mine adversaries taunt me; Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? {P}
Why art thou cast downe, O my soule? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why art thou so discouraged O my soule, & why art thou so vnquiet within me? attende thou vpon the Lorde, for I wil yet acknowledge him to be only my present saluation, and my Lorde.
Wherefore art thou very sad, O my soul? and wherefore dost thou trouble me? hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; he is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Mi soule, whi art thou sori; and whi disturblist thou me? Hope thou in God, for yit Y schal knouleche to hym; `he is the helthe of my cheer, and my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted inside me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, my salvation and my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
Why are you sad, O my soul? Why have you become troubled within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my help and my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
Why shouldst thou be sat down, O my soul? And why shouldst thou moan over me? Wait thou for God, for yet shall I praise him, As the triumph of my presence and my God.
(41-12) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
What! bowest thou thyself, O my soul? And what! art thou troubled within me? Wait for God, for still I confess Him, The salvation of my countenance, and my God!
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
cast down: Psalms 42:5, Psalms 43:5
the health: Jeremiah 30:17, Jeremiah 33:6, Matthew 9:12
Reciprocal: Genesis 49:6 - O my soul 1 Samuel 30:6 - David 1 Kings 8:38 - the plague Job 21:4 - if it were Psalms 6:3 - My Psalms 44:3 - light Psalms 55:22 - Cast Psalms 62:5 - soul Psalms 63:1 - thou Psalms 71:5 - For thou Psalms 73:1 - Truly Psalms 74:1 - O God Psalms 119:50 - This Psalms 131:2 - quieted Proverbs 12:25 - Heaviness Proverbs 18:14 - but Isaiah 36:7 - We trust Isaiah 50:10 - let Lamentations 3:20 - humbled Lamentations 3:24 - therefore Jonah 2:7 - I remembered 1 Corinthians 13:13 - hope 2 Corinthians 4:9 - cast 1 Thessalonians 5:8 - the hope Hebrews 6:19 - both Hebrews 11:1 - is the
Cross-References
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.
Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, "By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.
And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land."'
He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?.... The same expostulation as in Psalms 42:5; and so is what follows,
and why art thou disquieted within me? and the same argument and means are made use of to remove dejection and disquietude;
hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him; Psalms 42:5- :; to which is added a new argument, taken from the grace and goodness of God, and covenant interest in him;
[who is] the health of my countenance, and my God; as the bodily health of man is seen in the countenance, and for the most part to be judged of by it; so is the spiritual health of the saints, and which they have from the Lord; when he, as the sun of righteousness, arises upon them with healing in his wings, he, by his gracious presence, makes their countenances cheerful, fills them with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and causes them to lift up their heads with an holy boldness and confidence, and without shame and fear: or as it may be rendered, who "is the salvations of my countenance" o; that is, who is or will be the author of full and complete salvation to me; which will be so public and open, so clear and manifest, as to be beheld by myself and others; and this the psalmist mentions, in order to remove his present dejections; and besides, this God of salvation he believed was his covenant God, and would be so even unto death; and therefore he had no just reason to be dejected and disquieted.
o ישועת "salutes", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Michaelis.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? - This closes the second strophe of the psalm, and, with one or two slight and immaterial variations, is the same as that which closes the first Psalms 42:5. In this latter, the word “why” is inserted, and the expression “the salvation of my countenance” occurs instead of “salvations of his countenance,” with the addition of the words “and my God” at the close. The sense, however, is the same; and the verse contains, as before, self-reproof for being thus cast down, and self-exhortation to put trust in God. In the former part of the psalm Psalms 42:5 he had addressed this language to himself, as designed to impress his own mind with the guilt of thus yielding to discouragement and sorrow; but he had then almost immediately admitted that his mind was distressed, and that he was cast down; here he rallies again, and endeavors to arouse himself to the conviction that he ought not to be thus depressed and dejected. He exhorts himself, therefore; he charges his own soul to hope in God. He expresses again the assurance that he would yet be permitted to praise him. He regards God now as the “salvation of his countenance,” or as his Deliverer and Friend, and expresses the conviction that he would yet make such manifestations of himself as to clear up and illuminate his countenance, at present made dark and saddened by affliction; and he appeals to him now as “his God.” He has reached the true source of comfort to the afflicted and the sad - the living God as his God; and his mind is calm. Why should a man be sorrowful when he feels that he has a God? Why should his heart be sad when he can pour out his sorrows before Him? Why should he be cast down and gloomy when he can hope: hope for the favor of God here; hope for immortal life in the world to come!
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 42:11. Why art thou cast down — There is no reason why thou shouldst despair. God will appear and release thee and thy brother captives and soon thy sighing and sorrowing shall flee away.
Who is the health of my countenance — As a healthy state of the constitution shows itself in the appearance of the face; God will so rejoice thy heart, heal all thy spiritual maladies, that thy face shall testify the happiness that is within thee.
There is a curious gloss on the first verse of this Psalm in my old Psalter, which I cannot withhold from the reader. The author translates and paraphrases the verse thus: -
Trans. Als the Hert yernes til the welles of waters; so my saule yernes til the God.
Par. This Psalm es al of perfite men, that er brinnand in the flamme of Goddes luf, and passes in til the contemplatyf lif: and tharfore it es sungen in the office of the dede men: for than haf thai, that thai yearned; that es, the syght of God. Far thi, sais he, als the Hert that has eten the nedder, gretely yernes to com til the welles of waters for to drynk and wax yong opayne: so destroyed in me vices and unclennes, my saule desyres with brinnand yernyng, to come til the God.
AElian, Appian, Aristotle, Nicander, and Pliny, all inform us that one cause why the hart thirsts for the waters is, that they eat serpents, and that the poison of them diffused through their entrails produces a burning heat and fever, to ease and cure themselves of which they have recourse to water. Many of the fathers tell the same tale, and from them the paraphrast in the old Psalter has borrowed what is inserted above: "Like as the hart, which has eaten the adder, greatly longs to come to the fountains of water to drink, that he may grow young again." The hart is undoubtedly a cunning animal; but it would be as difficult to believe that he eats serpents as it would be to believe that he seeks for and eats the fresh water crab or cray fish, in order to cure and make him grow young again, as Eusebius, Didymus, Theodoret, Jerome, Epiphanies, Gregory Nyssen, and others of the primitive fathers gravely inform us.
ANALYSIS OF THE FORTY-SECOND PSALM
The psalmist, driven from the assemblies of Modes people, complains; and as men overwhelmed with troubles are also oppressed with grief, so is he; and as they abruptly express their thoughts, so does he; for sometimes he expostulates, sometimes he complains! sometimes he corrects and checks himself for his weakness. One while he opens his doubts, and presently again sets forth his confidence in God. It is difficult on this account to analyze this Psalm; but it may be reduced to these four heads: -
I. The zeal of the psalmist to serve God in God's own house; Psalms 42:1-2; Psalms 42:4; Psalms 42:6.
II. His complaint and expressions of grief for his absence, for his affliction, and his enemies' insults on that ground; Psalms 42:3-4; Psalms 42:7; Psalms 42:10.
III. His expostulation with his soul for its diffidence, Psalms 42:5-6; and again with God for his desertion, Psalms 42:9.
IV. His faith and confidence in God's promises; Psalms 42:5; Psalms 42:8; Psalms 42:11.
I. 1. He begins with an expression of his grief for his exile from the ordinances of God, and the assemblies of his people. And he sets forth his zeal and longing desire under the expressive similitude of a hard-hunted and thirsty stag: "As the hart panteth," c. Psalms 42:1-2.
2. He shows the state he was in. 1. "My tears have been my meat day and night;" Psalms 42:3. 2. And the cause was the bitter sarcasm of his enemies: "Where is now thy God?" Where is thy Protector? him in whom thou trustest?
II. That which added to his grief was that which gave occasion to this sarcasm, his banishment from the sanctuary.
1. When I remember these things, my absence, their insults, I pour out my heart to myself; tear follows tear, and one complaint succeeds to another.
2. And much reason I have to grieve when I compare my present with my former condition. Formerly "I went with the multitude to the house of God, - with the voice of joy and praise," c. I had gone now I cannot and must not go.
III. Hitherto he had expressed his zeal, his sorrow, and his complaints, with their causes. These put his soul in a sad condition; and thus he expostulates with himself: -
1. Blaming himself for his weakness and diffidence: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul," c.
2. Then presently fortifies himself in God's promises: "Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him," c.
In all which is described the combat that a good man has when he is in heaviness through manifold temptation, and finds great difficulty to struggle between hope and despair but at last conquers by faith, and inherits the promises.
3. But his conflict is not yet over he exclaims again, and still more affectingly, "O my God, my soul is cast down." Of which he assigns two causes: -
1. That though he was ready to remember and serve God, yet he was forced to do it in an improper place. He remembered the pleasant land of Palestine, the stately mountains of Hermon, and the little hill of Sion: but there he could not worship; he was in an enemy's country, and in captivity in that country.
2. The greatness and continual succession of his troubles: "Deep calleth unto deep." Calamity on calamity, one trial on the heels of another; so that he might well say, "All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me."
3. And yet he despairs not, he encourages himself in the Lord: "Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness," &c. 1. "His song shall be with me." 2. "And my prayer unto the God of my life."
IV. On which he grows more confident and courageous, and again expostulates, not now with his soul, as before, but with his GOD: "I will say unto God my rock."
1. "Why hast thou forgotten me?"
2. "Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
3. Why am I wounded with grief, "as with a sword in my bones," while they use the sarcasm, "Where is now thy God?"
But in the conclusion, after all his complaints and expostulations, he gains a full assurance of God's favour and protection.
1. Chiding himself for his discontent and diffidence, "Why art thou cast down?"
2. Then he encourages his heart in God's goodness and faithfulness: "Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."
The forty-third is most probably a part of this Psalm: they should be read and expounded together, as the subject is not complete in either, taken as separate Psalms. See, therefore, on the following.
