The Meaning of Psalms 42:4 Explained

Psalms 42:4

KJV: When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

YLT: These I remember, and pour out my soul in me, For I pass over into the booth, I go softly with them unto the house of God, With the voice of singing and confession, The multitude keeping feast!

Darby: These things I remember and have poured out my soul within me: how I passed along with the multitude, how I went on with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a festive multitude.

ASV: These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When I remember  these [things], I pour out  my soul  in me: for I had gone  with the multitude,  I went  with them to the house  of God,  with the voice  of joy  and praise,  with a multitude  that kept holyday. 

What does Psalms 42:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 42:1-11 - Thirsting After God
This psalm clearly embalms the holy musings and yearnings of the exiled king during Absalom's rebellion. Their setting to music was left to the sons of Korah, 2 Chronicles 20:19. It was a great favorite with the early Church, driven to the Catacombs, on the walls of which are many designs of hunted deer.
The water brooks, Psalms 42:1-3. The hind suffers much from the sultry heat, but it dare not linger too long at the water-hole, because the wild beasts gather there. We never realize the value of God's house till we are compulsorily separated from its sacred rites. How blessed it is to return to the sanctuary after such separation! "In the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into thy house," Psalms 5:7, r.v.
The blessed past, Psalms 42:4-6. Exiled to the Hermons, beyond the Jordan, the fugitive recalls the festal crowds, wont to gather at the holy feasts. But when such thoughts oppress us, we should turn our hearts to God and in touching Him, we cease to be lonely. See Hebrews 12:22, etc.
The bitter present, Psalms 42:7-11. The day of pain and rebuke, when the heart is pierced, is the day of God! "His lovingkindness;" "his song;" "the God of my life;" "God of my rock;" "the health of my countenance;" "my God"-what a heritage is this! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 42

1  David's zeal to serve God in the temple
5  He encourages his soul to trust in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 42:4 mean?

these [things] when I remember and I pour out within me my soul for I used to go with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast
אֵ֤לֶּה אֶזְכְּרָ֨ה ׀ וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י כִּ֤י אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר ׀ בַּסָּךְ֮ אֶדַּדֵּ֗ם עַד־ בֵּ֥ית אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים בְּקוֹל־ רִנָּ֥ה וְתוֹדָ֗ה הָמ֥וֹן חוֹגֵֽג

אֵ֤לֶּה  these  [things] 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
אֶזְכְּרָ֨ה ׀  when  I  remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה  and  I  pour  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
עָלַ֨י ׀  within  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נַפְשִׁ֗י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר ׀  I  used  to  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בַּסָּךְ֮  with  the  multitude 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָךְ  
Sense: throng, multitude.
אֶדַּדֵּ֗ם  I  went  with  them 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּדָה  
Sense: to move slowly.
בֵּ֥ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּקוֹל־  with  the  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
רִנָּ֥ה  of  joy 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִנָּה  
Sense: ringing cry.
וְתוֹדָ֗ה  and  praise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּודָה  
Sense: confession, praise, thanksgiving.
הָמ֥וֹן  with  a  multitude 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
חוֹגֵֽג  that  kept  a  pilgrim  feast 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָגַג  
Sense: to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger.