Psalms 42:4

4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within 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.

Psalms 42:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 42:4

When I remember these [things]
Either the reproaches of his enemies; or rather his past enjoyments of God in his house, he after makes mention of;

I pour out my soul in me,
that is, he had no life nor spirit in him, but was quite overwhelmed with distress and anguish; or he poured out his soul in prayer to God, that it might be with him as in times past;

for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of
God;
the place of public worship, whither he had often gone, with great pleasure and delight; and, which added thereto, there were many that went along with him; or whom he had "caused to go" F7, had brought along with him; which is the sense of the word, only used here and in ( Isaiah 38:15 ) ; as Dr. Hammond from R. Tanchum and Aben Walid, has shown: a good man will not only attend divine worship himself, but will bring others with him: but now, he could neither go alone, nor in company, the remembrance of which greatly affected his mind; see ( Psalms 137:1 ) ;

with the voice of joy and praise:
the people singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs;

with a multitude that kept holy day;
as especially on the three great festivals in the year, the feasts of passover, pentecost, and tabernacles, when all the males of Israel appeared before God together, and which was a large multitude; and a delightful sight it was to behold them, when they were all engaged in religious worship at once.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Mrda) "deduceham", Tigurine version; "assumebum mihi iilos", Michaelis; "efficiebam eos in societatem collectos socios esse mihi", Gussetius, p. 180.

Psalms 42:4 In-Context

2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, "Where is thy God?"
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within 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.
5 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.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites, from the hill of Mizar.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.