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When can I go and meet with God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/psalms/42.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/psalms/42.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/psalms/42.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/psalms/42.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/psalms/42.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/psalms/42.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/psalms/42.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/psalms/42.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/psalms/42.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/psalms/42.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see the face of God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/psalms/42.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/psalms/42.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/psalms/42.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/psalms/42.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God. When will I see your face? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/psalms/42.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/psalms/42.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When may I come to see God's face?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/psalms/42.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/psalms/42.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When may I come and appear in God's presence?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/psalms/42.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God?s presence?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/psalms/42.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, "When will I be able to go and appear in God's presence?" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/psalms/42.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/psalms/42.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/psalms/42.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/psalms/42.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsted for God, for the living God, "" When do I enter and see the face of God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/psalms/42.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> My soul thirsted for God, for the living God, When do I enter and see the face of God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/psalms/42.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />My soul thirsted for God, for the living God: when shall I come and see the face of God?<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/psalms/42.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/psalms/42.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br /><V 41:3>My soul has thirsted for the strong living God. When will I draw close and appear before the face of God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/psalms/42.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/psalms/42.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/psalms/42.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />My soul thirsts after thee, O living God; when shall I come to see thy face?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/psalms/42.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />My soul is thirsty for you, Living God! When shall I come and see your face, oh, God?<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/psalms/42.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: 'When shall I come and appear before God?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/psalms/42.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />My soul has thirsted for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/psalms/42-2.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nFaD2oDhKPc?start=4961" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/psalms/42.htm">Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">1</span>For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. <span class="reftext">2</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/5315.htm" title="5315: nap̄·šî (N-fsc:: 1cs) -- From naphash; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. Animal of vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense.">My soul</a> <a href="/hebrew/6770.htm" title="6770: ṣā·mə·’āh (V-Qal-Perf-3fs) -- To be thirsty. A primitive root; to thirst.">thirsts</a> <a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: lê·lō·hîm (Prep-l:: N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">for God,</a> <a href="/hebrew/2416.htm" title="2416: ḥāy (Adj-ms) -- Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life. From chayah; alive; hence, raw; fresh, strong; also life, whether literally or figuratively.">the living</a> <a href="/hebrew/410.htm" title="410: lə·’êl (Prep-l:: N-ms) -- God, in pl. gods. Shortened from 'ayil; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty.">God.</a> <a href="/hebrew/4970.htm" title="4970: mā·ṯay (Interrog) -- When?. From an unused root meaning to extend; properly, extent; but used only adverbially, when.">When</a> <a href="/hebrew/935.htm" title="935: ’ā·ḇō·w (V-Qal-Imperf-1cs) -- To come in, come, go in, go. A primitive root; to go or come.">shall I come</a> <a href="/hebrew/7200.htm" title="7200: wə·’ê·rā·’eh (Conj-w:: V-Nifal-ConjImperf-1cs) -- To see. A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively.">and appear</a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: pə·nê (N-cpc) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition.">in</a> <a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: ’ĕ·lō·hîm (N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">God’s presence?</a> </span><span class="reftext">3</span>My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/7-37.htm">John 7:37-38</a></span><br />On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/5-6.htm">Matthew 5:6</a></span><br />Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/21-6.htm">Revelation 21:6</a></span><br />And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/22-17.htm">Revelation 22:17</a></span><br />The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/4-13.htm">John 4:13-14</a></span><br />Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. / But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/55-1.htm">Isaiah 55:1</a></span><br />“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Psalm 63:1</a></span><br />A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/84-2.htm">Psalm 84:2</a></span><br />My soul longs, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/143-6.htm">Psalm 143:6</a></span><br />I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/2-13.htm">Jeremiah 2:13</a></span><br />“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/17-13.htm">Jeremiah 17:13</a></span><br />O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame. All who turn away will be written in the dust, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/amos/8-11.htm">Amos 8:11</a></span><br />Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/12-3.htm">Isaiah 12:3</a></span><br />With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/41-17.htm">Isaiah 41:17</a></span><br />The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/6-35.htm">John 6:35</a></span><br />Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?</p><p class="hdg">thirsteth</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/36-8.htm">Psalm 36:8,9</a></b></br> They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Psalm 63:1</a></b></br> A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou <i>art</i> my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/7-37.htm">John 7:37</a></b></br> In the last day, that great <i>day</i> of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.</p><p class="hdg">living</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/23-3.htm">Job 23:3</a></b></br> Oh that I knew where I might find him! <i>that</i> I might come <i>even</i> to his seat!</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/2-13.htm">Jeremiah 2:13</a></b></br> For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, <i>and</i> hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/10-10.htm">Jeremiah 10:10</a></b></br> But the LORD <i>is</i> the true God, he <i>is</i> the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.</p><p class="hdg">when</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/27-4.htm">Psalm 27:4</a></b></br> One <i>thing</i> have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/84-4.htm">Psalm 84:4,10</a></b></br> Blessed <i>are</i> they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah… </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/psalms/21-9.htm">Appear</a> <a href="/psalms/37-2.htm">Dry</a> <a href="/psalms/37-15.htm">Enter</a> <a href="/psalms/41-12.htm">Face</a> <a href="/psalms/36-11.htm">Meet</a> <a href="/psalms/37-19.htm">Need</a> <a href="/psalms/42-1.htm">Soul</a> <a href="/exodus/17-3.htm">Thirsted</a> <a href="/judges/15-18.htm">Thirsteth</a> <a href="/revelation/21-6.htm">Thirsts</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/psalms/84-7.htm">Appear</a> <a href="/psalms/58-9.htm">Dry</a> <a href="/psalms/45-15.htm">Enter</a> <a href="/psalms/44-3.htm">Face</a> <a href="/psalms/59-4.htm">Meet</a> <a href="/psalms/50-9.htm">Need</a> <a href="/psalms/42-4.htm">Soul</a> <a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Thirsted</a> <a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Thirsteth</a> <a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Thirsts</a><div class="vheading2">Psalm 42</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/psalms/42-1.htm">David's zeal to serve God in the temple</a></span><br><span class="reftext">5. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/psalms/42-5.htm">He encourages his soul to trust in God</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/psalms/42.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/psalms/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/psalms/42.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>My soul thirsts for God</b><br>This phrase captures a deep spiritual longing and desire for communion with God. The imagery of thirst is powerful, suggesting an essential need, much like physical thirst for water. This longing reflects the human soul's innate desire for connection with its Creator, echoing the sentiments found in other scriptures such as <a href="/psalms/63.htm">Psalm 63:1</a>, where David expresses a similar yearning for God in a dry and weary land. The soul's thirst for God indicates a recognition of God's sustaining presence and the insufficiency of worldly pursuits to satisfy the deepest needs of the heart.<p><b>the living God</b><br>The term "living God" emphasizes God's active, dynamic presence and contrasts with the lifeless idols worshiped by surrounding nations. This designation of God as "living" is found throughout the Old Testament, such as in <a href="/deuteronomy/5-26.htm">Deuteronomy 5:26</a> and <a href="/jeremiah/10-10.htm">Jeremiah 10:10</a>, underscoring His sovereignty and ongoing involvement in the world. It also points to the personal relationship believers can have with God, who is not distant or detached but intimately involved in the lives of His people. This concept is foundational to understanding God's nature and His covenant relationship with Israel.<p><b>When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?</b><br>This question reflects a deep yearning for worship and fellowship with God, likely in the context of the temple in Jerusalem, where God's presence was uniquely manifest. The psalmist's desire to appear before God suggests a longing for the communal and sacrificial aspects of worship that were central to Israelite religious life. This phrase also resonates with the broader biblical theme of seeking God's presence, as seen in passages like <a href="/psalms/27-4.htm">Psalm 27:4</a> and <a href="/hebrews/10-19.htm">Hebrews 10:19-22</a>, which speak of drawing near to God with confidence. The question implies a sense of exile or separation, possibly during a time of distress or displacement, highlighting the importance of God's presence as a source of hope and restoration.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_psalmist.htm">The Psalmist</a></b><br>Traditionally attributed to the sons of Korah, the psalmist expresses a deep longing for God, reflecting a personal and communal yearning for divine presence.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/g/god.htm">God</a></b><br>Referred to as the "living God," emphasizing His active, life-giving presence and contrast to lifeless idols.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_temple.htm">The Temple</a></b><br>Implied as the place where the psalmist desires to appear before God, representing the central place of worship and God's dwelling among His people.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/s/spiritual_thirst.htm">Spiritual Thirst</a></b><br>Just as physical thirst indicates a need for water, spiritual thirst reveals our need for God. Recognize and respond to this thirst by seeking God through prayer, worship, and Scripture.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_living_god.htm">The Living God</a></b><br>Unlike idols or false gods, our God is living and active. Trust in His presence and power in your life, knowing He is always near and responsive.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/d/desire_for_god's_presence.htm">Desire for God's Presence</a></b><br>Cultivate a longing to be in God's presence. Regularly engage in practices that draw you closer to Him, such as attending church, participating in Bible studies, and personal devotion.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/hope_in_god's_timing.htm">Hope in God's Timing</a></b><br>The psalmist's question, "When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?" teaches us patience and trust in God's timing. Wait on the Lord with hope and expectation.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_psalm_42.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 42</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/am_i_seeking_more_in_life.htm">Am I desperate for something more in life?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/blaise_pascal__who_was_he_and_his_impact.htm">Who was Blaise Pascal and what are his contributions?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_psalm_42_1's_deer_analogy_symbolic.htm">Does the deer-panting analogy (Psalm 42:1) conflict with actual animal behavior, making it purely symbolic? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_defines_spiritual_emptiness.htm">What defines spiritual emptiness?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/psalms/42.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(2) <span class= "bld">Thirsteth.</span>--The metaphor occurs exactly in the same form (<a href="/psalms/63-1.htm" title="O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;">Psalm 63:1</a>), and only calls for notice since "God" Himself is here made the subject of the thirst, instead of righteousness, or knowledge, or power, as in the familiar and frequent use of the metaphor in other parts of the Bible, and in other literature.<p><span class= "bld">The living God.</span>--Evidently, from the metaphor, regarded as the fountain or source of life. (Comp. <a href="/psalms/84-2.htm" title="My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God.">Psalm 84:2</a>; <a href="/psalms/36-9.htm" title="For with you is the fountain of life: in your light shall we see light.">Psalm 36:9</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">Appear before God.</span>--<a href="/exodus/23-17.htm" title="Three items in the year all your males shall appear before the LORD God.">Exodus 23:17</a> shows that this was the usual phrase for frequenting the sanctuary (comp. <a href="/psalms/84-7.htm" title="They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God.">Psalm 84:7</a>), though poetic brevity here slightly altered its form and construction. . . . <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/42.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 2.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">My soul thirsteth for God</span> (comp. <a href="/psalms/63-1.htm">Psalm 63:1</a>; <a href="/psalms/143-6.htm">Psalm 143:6</a>; <a href="/isaiah/55-1.htm">Isaiah 55:1</a>). The devout soul is always athirst for God. David felt his severance from the tabernacle and its services as a sort of severance from God himself, whom he was accustomed to approach through the services of the sanctuary (see <a href="/2_samuel/15-25.htm">2 Samuel 15:25, 26</a>). <span class="cmt_word">For the living God</span>. This title of God occurs only in one other psalm (<a href="/psalms/84-2.htm">Psalm 84:2</a>); but it was a title familiar to David (<a href="/1_samuel/17-27.htm">1 Samuel 17:27</a>). It is first used in <a href="/deuteronomy/5-26.htm">Deuteronomy 5:26</a>; and, later, in <a href="/joshua/3-10.htm">Joshua 3:10</a>; <a href="/2_kings/19-4.htm">2 Kings 19:4, 16</a>; <a href="/isaiah/37-4.htm">Isaiah 37:4, 17</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/10-10.htm">Jeremiah 10:10</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/23-36.htm">Jeremiah 23:36</a>; <a href="/daniel/6-26.htm">Daniel 6:26</a>; <a href="/hosea/1-10.htm">Hosea 1:10</a>. It expresses that essential attribute of God that he is "the eternal Life" (<a href="/1_john/5-20.htm">1 John 5:20</a>), the Source and Origin of all life, whether angelic, human, or animal. <span class="cmt_word">When shall I</span> <span class="cmt_word">come and appear before God?</span> Appearance in the tabernacle must here be specially meant, but with this David connects his return to God's favour and to the light of his countenance (<a href="/2_samuel/15-25.htm">2 Samuel 15:25</a>). <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/psalms/42-2.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">My soul</span><br /><span class="heb">נַפְשִׁ֨י ׀</span> <span class="translit">(nap̄·šî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5315.htm">Strong's 5315: </a> </span><span class="str2">A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion </span><br /><br /><span class="word">thirsts</span><br /><span class="heb">צָמְאָ֬ה</span> <span class="translit">(ṣā·mə·’āh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6770.htm">Strong's 6770: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be thirsty</span><br /><br /><span class="word">for God,</span><br /><span class="heb">לֵאלֹהִים֮</span> <span class="translit">(lê·lō·hîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> </span><span class="str2">gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the living</span><br /><span class="heb">חָ֥י</span> <span class="translit">(ḥāy)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2416.htm">Strong's 2416: </a> </span><span class="str2">Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life</span><br /><br /><span class="word">God.</span><br /><span class="heb">לְאֵ֪ל</span> <span class="translit">(lə·’êl)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_410.htm">Strong's 410: </a> </span><span class="str2">Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty</span><br /><br /><span class="word">When</span><br /><span class="heb">מָתַ֥י</span> <span class="translit">(mā·ṯay)</span><br /><span class="parse">Interrogative<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4970.htm">Strong's 4970: </a> </span><span class="str2">Extent, when</span><br /><br /><span class="word">shall I come</span><br /><span class="heb">אָב֑וֹא</span> <span class="translit">(’ā·ḇō·w)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_935.htm">Strong's 935: </a> </span><span class="str2">To come in, come, go in, go</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and appear</span><br /><span class="heb">וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה</span> <span class="translit">(wə·’ê·rā·’eh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7200.htm">Strong's 7200: </a> </span><span class="str2">To see</span><br /><br /><span class="word">in</span><br /><span class="heb">פְּנֵ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(pə·nê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - common plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6440.htm">Strong's 6440: </a> </span><span class="str2">The face</span><br /><br /><span class="word">God’s presence?</span><br /><span class="heb">אֱלֹהִֽים׃</span> <span class="translit">(’ĕ·lō·hîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> </span><span class="str2">gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/psalms/42-2.htm">Psalm 42:2 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/psalms/42-2.htm">OT Poetry: Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsts for God (Psalm Ps Psa.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/psalms/42-1.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Psalm 42:1"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Psalm 42:1" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/psalms/42-3.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Psalm 42:3"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Psalm 42:3" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>