The Meaning of Psalms 42:9 Explained

Psalms 42:9

KJV: I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

YLT: I say to God my rock, 'Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning in the oppression of an enemy?

Darby: I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

ASV: I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I will say  unto God  my rock,  Why hast thou forgotten  me? why go  I mourning  because of the oppression  of the enemy? 

What does Psalms 42:9 Mean?

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 42:9 mean?

I will say to God my Rock why have You forgotten me why mourning do I go because of the oppression of the enemy
אוֹמְרָ֤ה ׀ לְאֵ֥ל סַלְעִי֮ לָמָ֪ה שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי לָֽמָּה־ קֹדֵ֥ר אֵלֵ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ ؟ אוֹיֵֽב

אוֹמְרָ֤ה ׀  I  will  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְאֵ֥ל  to  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
סַלְעִי֮  my  Rock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: crag, cliff, rock.
לָמָ֪ה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי  have  You  forgotten  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
לָֽמָּה־  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
קֹדֵ֥ר  mourning 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָדַר  
Sense: to mourn, be dark.
אֵלֵ֗ךְ  do  I  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּלַ֣חַץ  because  of  the  oppression 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לַחַץ  
Sense: oppression, distress, pressure.
؟ אוֹיֵֽב  of  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.