The Meaning of Psalms 42:8 Explained

Psalms 42:8

KJV: Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

YLT: By day Jehovah commandeth His kindness, And by night a song is with me, A prayer to the God of my life.

Darby: In the day-time will Jehovah command his loving-kindness, and in the night his song shall be with me, a prayer unto the God of my life.

ASV: Yet Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the day-time; And in the night his song shall be with me, Even a prayer unto the God of my life.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Yet] the LORD  will command  his lovingkindness  in the daytime,  and in the night  his song  [shall be] with me, [and] my prayer  unto the God  of my life. 

What does Psalms 42:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Nevertheless he believed God would remain loyal to him. In the daytime the Lord would pour out His love to the psalmist, and in the night he would respond by praising God.
"God"s continual love is a comfort for the soul continually beset by questions and mourning (cf. Psalm 42:3)." [1]

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 42:8 mean?

in the daytime will command Yahweh His lovingkindness and in the night - His song [shall be] with me a prayer to the God of my life
יוֹמָ֤ם ׀ יְצַוֶּ֬ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ חַסְדּ֗וֹ וּ֭בַלַּיְלָה שירה [שִׁיר֣וֹ] (עִמִּ֑י) תְּ֝פִלָּ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל חַיָּֽי

יוֹמָ֤ם ׀  in  the  daytime 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יׄומָם  
Sense: by day, in the daytime subst.
יְצַוֶּ֬ה  will  command 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְהוָ֨ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
חַסְדּ֗וֹ  His  lovingkindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
וּ֭בַלַּיְלָה  and  in  the  night 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
שירה  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
[שִׁיר֣וֹ]  His  song  [shall  be] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
(עִמִּ֑י)  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
תְּ֝פִלָּ֗ה  a  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
לְאֵ֣ל  to  the  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
חַיָּֽי  of  my  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.