The Meaning of Psalms 42:5 Explained

Psalms 42:5

KJV: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

YLT: What! bowest thou thyself, O my soul? Yea, art thou troubled within me? Wait for God, for still I confess Him: The salvation of my countenance -- My God!

Darby: Why art thou cast down, my soul, and art disquieted in me? hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, for the health of his countenance.

ASV: 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 For the help of his countenance.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Why art thou cast down,  O my soul?  and [why] art thou disquieted  in me? hope  thou in God:  for I shall yet praise  him [for] the help  of his countenance. 

What does Psalms 42:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The psalmist encouraged himself rhetorically by reminding himself that he would again praise God. He needed to continue to hope in God until then.

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 42:5 mean?

Why are you cast down my soul and [why] are you disquieted within me Hope in God for yet I shall praise Him [For] the help of His countenance
מַה־ תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י ׀ ؟ נַפְשִׁי֮ וַתֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י הוֹחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־ ע֥וֹד אוֹדֶ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּע֥וֹת פָּנָֽיו

מַה־  Why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י ׀  are  you  cast  down 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שָׁחַח 
Sense: to bow, crouch, bow down, be bowed down.
؟ נַפְשִׁי֮  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.
וַתֶּהֱמִ֪י  and  [why]  are  you  disquieted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָמָה  
Sense: to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar.
עָ֫לָ֥י  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.
הוֹחִ֣ילִי  Hope 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: יָחַל  
Sense: to wait, hope, expect.
לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים  in  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
ע֥וֹד  yet 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
אוֹדֶ֗נּוּ  I  shall  praise  Him 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
יְשׁוּע֥וֹת  [For]  the  help 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
פָּנָֽיו  of  His  countenance 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.