Psalms 42:9

Psalms 42:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
• New International Version (NIV)I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)I say to God, my rock: "Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

Context of Psalms 42:9

7I hear your waterfalls make a noise like thunder. It seems like all that water is pouring over me and it knocks me down to the ground. 8Each day, the Lord shows me that he loves me with his faithful love. Each night he gives me a song to sing, as I pray to the God who lives for ever. I say to God, who is my high rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I be so sad? How much longer must I continue to weep, because my enemies do cruel things to me?’ 10My enemies laugh at me all the time. It is like they are breaking all my bones. They are always saying, ‘Where is your God?’ 11I ask myself again, ‘Why am I so sad and upset?’ I must wait patiently for God to help me. Then I will praise my God once again, because he is the one who saves me.

Psalms 42:9 word by word

אוֹמְרָ֤ה׀ לְאֵ֥ל סַלְעִי֮ לָמָ֪ה שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי לָֽמָּה־קֹדֵ֥ר אֵלֵ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ אוֹיֵֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
• my rockסֶ֫לַעsela‛ · cragH5553
• Why hast thou forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• me? why goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• I mourningקָדַרqâdar · be darkH6937
• because of the oppressionלַ֫חַץlachats · oppressionH3906
• of the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341

Cross-references for Psalms 42:9

• Psalms 18:2The Lord keeps me safe. He is my great rock and my strong place. God is my high rock. I run to him to hide and be safe. He keeps me safe like a soldier's shield. He is the strong place where I can hide safely.
• Psalms 28:1Lord, I am calling to you for help. You are my safe place, like a high rock. Please do not refuse to listen to me. If you do not answer me, I will be like those who are going down into the deep hole of death.
• Psalms 62:2He alone is the strong rock where I can hide and be safe. With him, nothing will make me fall.
• Psalms 78:35They remembered that God was their strong Rock. They remembered that the Most High God was their Redeemer.
• Psalms 13:1Lord, will you forget about me for ever? When will you remember to come and help me?
• Psalms 22:1My God! My God, why have you left me alone? Why is my help far away? I am crying out in great pain!
• Psalms 44:23Lord, do something! Why are you sleeping? Wake up! Do not turn away from us for ever!
• Psalms 77:9Has God forgotten to be kind and help us? Is he so angry that he will not be kind to us any more?’ Selah.
• Isaiah 40:27You Israelites, descendants of Jacob, say, ‘The Lord does not know about our troubles. He does not bring justice to us.’ Why do you say that?
• Isaiah 49:15The Lord replies, ‘Can a mother forget the baby who drinks milk at her breast? Can she refuse to be kind to the child that she has given birth to? Perhaps those mothers might forget their children. But I would not ever forget you, Zion.
• Psalms 38:6My body is bent down to the ground. Every day I weep because I am so sad.
• Psalms 43:2God, you are the safe place where I can hide. Why have you pushed me away? How much longer must I continue to weep, because my enemies do cruel things to me?
• Psalms 88:9My eyes have become weak because I am so sad. Lord, every day I call to you for help. I lift my hands up to you as I pray.
• Job 30:26But when I hoped for good things to happen, trouble came instead. When I looked for light to shine on me, everything became dark.
• Psalms 55:3I am afraid because of what my enemies say. Those wicked people give me much pain. They are so angry that they hate me and they give me nothing but trouble.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1I saw again all the ways that people are cruel on the earth. I saw some people who were crying because cruel people were hurting them. There was nobody who could help them. Nobody could rescue them from those cruel people.

Commentaries on Psalms 42:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9I will say unto God my rock - God, my Fortress and Support. Why hast thou forgotten me? - This and the following verse is badly pointed in our Bibles: "Why go I mourning as with a sword in my bones because of the oppression of the enemy? Mine enemies reproach me daily, while they say unto me, Where is thy God?" See on Psalm 42:3; (note). Their reproaches are to my soul as cutting and severe as a sword thrust into my body, and separating between my bones…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9I will say unto God my rock - I will appeal to God as my defense, my helper, my Saviour. On the word rock, as applied to God, see the notes at Psalm 18:2. Why hast thou forgotten me? - See the notes at Psalm 22:1. He had seemed to forget and forsake him, for He did not come to interpose and save him. This is a part of the prayer which he says Psalm 42:8 that he would use. Why go I mourning? - On the meaning of the word used here - קדר qodēr - see Psalm…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 The way to forget our miseries, is to remember the God of our mercies. David saw troubles coming from God's wrath, and that discouraged him. But if one trouble follow hard after another, if all seem to combine for our ruin, let us remember they are all appointed and overruled by the Lord. David regards the Divine favour as the fountain of all the good he looked for. In the Saviour's name let us hope and pray. One word from him will calm every…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10The psalmist brings his many doubts, discouragements, and questions directly to God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-109-10. in view of which [Psa 42:8], he dictates to himself a prayer based on his distress, aggravated as it was by the cruel taunts and infidel suggestions of his foes.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 42:9

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Desire

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Cast
• Disquiet
• Fat
• Pant
• Poetry
• Psalms
• Thirst
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Psalms 42

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings