Psalm 42 7

Psalm 42:7 kjv

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Psalm 42:7 nkjv

Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

Psalm 42:7 niv

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

Psalm 42:7 esv

Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

Psalm 42:7 nlt

I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

Psalm 42 verses

Psalm 42 7 Meaning

Psalm 42:7 conveys the psalmist's profound spiritual despondency and feeling of being utterly overwhelmed by tribulation. It uses powerful imagery of water—deep calling to deep, waterfalls, breakers, and waves—to metaphorically represent overwhelming sorrow, distress, and a sense of being consumed by his troubles, as if torrents of divine judgment or chaotic forces are engulfing him. This imagery paints a vivid picture of successive waves of affliction crashing down upon the soul, with one difficulty seemingly calling forth another, pulling the psalmist further into the abyss of despair.

Psalm 42 7 Context

Psalm 42 is a psalm of lament from the sons of Korah, expressing profound distress and longing for God. The psalmist is likely in exile or separated from Jerusalem, longing for the physical presence in the temple and a closer walk with God. The previous verses speak of deep thirst for God, incessant weeping, and the taunts of those who question his faith ("Where is your God?"). Verse 7 intensifies this lament, moving from personal internal turmoil to a powerful, almost apocalyptic, imagery of natural forces representing overwhelming suffering. This particular verse reflects a soul drowning in affliction, where one wave of trouble leads to another, suggesting a cumulative burden of sorrows, possibly even experiencing these trials as divine judgment or neglect, despite the concurrent longing for God's presence.

Psalm 42 7 Word analysis

• Deep calls to deep:
  • Deep (תְּהוֹם, tehom): This Hebrew word refers to the great deep, the primal ocean. It signifies profound, vast, and often uncontrollable waters. In Gen 1:2, tehom is the dark, formless abyss before creation, representing primeval chaos. In a metaphorical sense, it points to unfathomable depths of distress, mystery, or even God's own being (Rom 11:33). Here, one great depth of trouble (personal suffering) calls out to another (the vast, chaotic forces seemingly unleashed upon the psalmist or even the depth of God's wrath/sovereignty). It suggests an overwhelming confluence of troubles, a compounding of misery where one tribulation seemingly precipitates or echoes another, pulling the individual further down. It avoids implying direct communication between the waters, but rather an echoing resonance between profound depths.
  • calls (קוֹרֵא, qore): Implies an invitation, an echo, or a reverberation. It suggests that one abyss of trouble seems to invite or mirror another, drawing the psalmist into an ever-deeper vortex of despair.
• at the roar of your waterfalls:
  • roar (לְקוֹל, leqol): Literally "at the voice/sound of." It conveys the powerful, resonant, and awe-inspiring sound of vast quantities of water. This sound intensifies the imagery of overwhelming force.
  • waterfalls (צִנּוֹרֶיךָ, tzinorot, from tzinnor - channel, pipe, or conduit): This word can refer to water spouts or conduits through which water rushes with immense force. In this context, it speaks of torrents of water descending, evoking the imagery of powerful, unstoppable gushes of affliction, potentially from divine judgment or an experience perceived as such. The "your" indicates these are God's waterfalls, either directed by Him or flowing from His immense power, which, for the psalmist, are now a source of distress rather than blessing. It links the natural world's power to the spiritual condition of the psalmist, recognizing divine hand in the troubles.
• all your breakers and your waves:
  • breakers (מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ, mishbareyka): Literally "your breaking waves" or "surf." These are the massive, crashing waves that break over the shore or ship, denoting intense, relentless blows of adversity that smash against the soul. It suggests a repeated, powerful assault.
  • waves (גַּלֶּיךָ, galleyka): More generally, "your rolling waves" or "billows." These are the continuous succession of waves that characterize the sea, implying a never-ending series of afflictions. Together with "breakers," this creates a picture of relentless and engulfing trouble, where one affliction is barely overcome before another, even larger one, arrives. The possessive "your" (referring to God) again highlights God's ultimate sovereignty even over these seemingly destructive forces, suggesting that these are either sent by Him or permitted by Him to pass over the psalmist.
  • have swept over me (עָבְרוּ־עָלָי, avaru alai): The verb signifies a passing over or a surging over, indicating that the psalmist feels completely submerged, engulfed, and overwhelmed by these watery forces of trouble. He is not merely wet; he is beneath the surface, unable to breathe or stand firm.

Psalm 42 7 Bonus section

The concept of "tehom" (deep) in the ancient Near East was not only primeval chaos but sometimes associated with chaotic deities, specifically in Canaanite myths with Yam, the sea god. By declaring that these overwhelming waters (his troubles) are "your waterfalls" and "your breakers," the psalmist indirectly subverts any notion that chaotic forces operate independently or are governed by other deities. Instead, all powerful forces, even the most overwhelming and destructive from a human perspective, are ultimately under the control and dominion of YHWH, the One True God. This makes the psalmist's suffering all the more poignant—he is not battling fate or other gods, but the waves permitted by his own God, which intensifies both his pain and his plea. The phrase "deep calls to deep" may also evoke a spiritual abyss answering another, such as a call from the depths of human despair to the incomprehensible depths of God's mystery or hidden purposes.

Psalm 42 7 Commentary

Psalm 42:7 is a masterful poetic expression of intense spiritual and emotional overwhelm. The psalmist, likening his suffering to vast, crashing ocean waters, conveys a profound sense of despair where troubles compound upon troubles, one 'deep' drawing in another. The imagery of "waterfalls" and "breakers and waves" signifies the relentlessness and force of his afflictions, suggesting that they come not as isolated incidents but as an unstoppable torrent. The repeated "your" (your waterfalls, your breakers, your waves) directed towards God is particularly striking. It indicates a recognition that these overwhelming experiences, whether directly sent or permitted, are under God's ultimate control. This paradox—acknowledging God's power while being crushed by what He allows—deepens the emotional complexity of the lament. It highlights a desperate soul wrestling with the sovereignty of God in the midst of pain, clinging to the hope of God even as His perceived judgment or absence weighs heavily. It teaches us that faith is often exercised not in the absence of overwhelming feelings, but precisely within them, crying out from the "deep" while still affirming the "God of my life" (Ps 42:8).

• Practical Usage Example: A believer facing severe illness might feel like "deep calls to deep" as one symptom or treatment complication leads to another, feeling "swept over" by physical and emotional burdens. Yet, acknowledging that these are ultimately "God's waves" helps anchor hope in His sovereignty rather than abandoning faith.