Psalm 42 4

Psalm 42:4 kjv

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in 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.

Psalm 42:4 nkjv

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Psalm 42:4 niv

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

Psalm 42:4 esv

These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 42:4 nlt

My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!

Psalm 42 verses

Psalm 42 4 Meaning

Psalm 42:4 encapsulates the Psalmist's profound distress as he contrasts his current spiritual desolation with cherished, vivid memories of past joyful worship. Amidst his deep internal lament, he recalls a time when he led enthusiastic throngs of pilgrims in a festive procession to the house of God, offering loud shouts of joy and songs of thanksgiving. This poignant recollection serves to underscore the depth of his present anguish, stemming from his separation from the divine presence and communal worship he once so dearly experienced.

Psalm 42 4 Context

Psalm 42, likely penned by one of the Sons of Korah—Levites entrusted with temple worship—is a fervent lament from an individual experiencing profound spiritual and physical separation from the house of God in Jerusalem. The Psalmist is situated in a distant, perhaps northern, land (likely near Mount Hermon, as hinted in v. 6), where he faces continuous mockery from adversaries who question the presence and power of his God (v. 3, 10). In the midst of this present despair and isolation, verse 4 functions as a powerful, almost desperate, remembrance. It serves as a stark contrast, bringing to mind vibrant past experiences of leading joyful pilgrimage processions to the Temple. This memory intensifies the present grief but also underscores the Psalmist's core identity as a worshipper who yearns for the collective experience of God's manifest presence. The subsequent lament of "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" (v. 5) arises directly from this agonizing contrast.

Psalm 42 4 Word analysis

• These things I remember (אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה - elleh ezkerah):
  • Elleh (these): Refers to the collective sum of the joyous, communal worship experiences that are about to be described, highlighting their profound personal significance to the Psalmist.
  • Ezkerah (I remember/I will remember): An active, deliberate mental act. The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing or habitual process of recollection, suggesting these memories are ever-present and intensely painful in his current state, yet perhaps also a form of clinging to hope.
• as I pour out my soul within me (עָלַי נַפְשִׁי אֶשְׁפֹּךְ - alai nafshi eshpoch):
  • Eshpoch (I pour out): A potent metaphor. It implies an unreserved outpouring of emotions—grief, lament, complaint—akin to liquid being released without restraint. It speaks to a deep, agonizing, and overwhelming emotional burden being discharged.
  • Nafshi (my soul/my being): Refers to the totality of the inner person: intellect, emotions, will, and vitality. To "pour out my soul" means to express one's deepest anguish and innermost thoughts completely.
  • Alai (upon me/within me): This preposition indicates an internal act, perhaps suggesting a deeply personal and almost self-directed lament, an inward spiritual battle and processing of grief before God.
• how I went with the throng and led them in procession (אֶדַדֵּם בְּסַךְ - edaddedam b'sach):
  • Edaddedam (I would go in procession with them/I would lead them): Derived from the root dadah, meaning "to step slowly" or "to walk gently," it implies a dignified and deliberate progression. This could suggest a significant role, perhaps a Levite guiding or participating prominently in the pilgrimage.
  • B'sach (with the throng/multitude): Refers to being embedded within a large crowd or multitude, emphasizing the collective and communal nature of the past worship experience, contrasting sharply with the Psalmist's current isolation.
• to the house of God (אֵל בֵּית אֱלֹהִים - el beit Elohim):
  • Beit Elohim (house of God): Designates the Temple in Jerusalem, the central sanctuary and locus of God's presence, sacrifice, and corporate worship. It represents a tangible connection point with the divine.
• with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving (בְּקוֹל רִנָּה וְתוֹדָה - b'kol rinnah v'todah):
  • Rinnah (glad shouting/joyful cry): An expression of joyous exultation, a resounding vocalization of celebration. It speaks of boisterous, unrestrained praise.
  • Todah (thanksgiving/thanksgiving offering): Encompasses both verbal expressions of gratitude and, potentially, the ritual sacrifice or offering made in acknowledgment of God's goodness and deliverance. It highlights intentional gratitude in communal worship.
• a multitude keeping festival (הָמוֹן חוֹגֵג - hamon chogeg):
  • Hamon (multitude/throng): Reiterates the presence of a vast number of people, signifying the national and widespread participation in these religious celebrations.
  • Chogeg (keeping festival/celebrating): From the root chagag, meaning "to celebrate a feast," particularly the pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Weeks, Tabernacles). These festivals involved joyful gatherings, often with singing, dancing, and communal meals, emphasizing vibrant communal observance.

Psalm 42 4 Bonus section

The active participation of the Psalmist ("I went with... and led them") is significant. It implies a previous position of influence or leadership in these communal pilgrimages, likely as a Levite singer or gatekeeper (given the superscription attributing it to the Sons of Korah). This personal investment in past worship makes his present exile and isolation even more unbearable. The term "house of God" would invoke images of the annual pilgrimage festivals when Israelites from all corners converged, turning the journey itself into an act of worship. The joy described—"glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving"—was not merely emotional outburst but a theological act, acknowledging God's faithfulness, covenant, and presence. This verse showcases the strong bond between personal faith, communal worship, and physical proximity to the symbolic dwelling of God in ancient Israel. It underscores how deeply interwoven a believer's spiritual well-being can be with participation in the collective acts of corporate praise and celebration.

Psalm 42 4 Commentary

Psalm 42:4 reveals the core agony of the Psalmist: a desperate spiritual thirst amidst exile, heightened by vivid recollections of past joys. His "pouring out of soul" is a deeply interiorized lament, a processing of immense grief by recalling experiences that now underscore his present lack. The remembered procession to the "house of God" — complete with "glad shouts" and "songs of thanksgiving" from a "multitude keeping festival" — highlights the lost privileges of communal worship and direct access to God's symbolic dwelling. For the Psalmist, the Temple was not just a building, but the embodiment of God's tangible presence among His people, a place of vibrant, joyous interaction with the Divine. The memory serves a dual purpose: it amplifies his present sorrow by showing how far he has fallen, yet it also preserves hope by reminding him of God's past faithfulness and the joy once experienced in His presence. It demonstrates how a true believer's identity is interwoven with participation in the body of worshippers and the manifest presence of God. This profound longing for communal spiritual life echoes through the ages for believers experiencing spiritual dryness or separation from fellowship.