Chapter Forty-One

With psalm XLI the second collection of psalms begins and ends with LXXI. Both psalms, from the similarity of their content and structure of speech, represent a mutual complement. The refrain “Why are you downcast, my soul,” divides both psalms into three parts, of which the first two, representing the outpouring of the sorrowful feelings of the psalmist about abandonment by God, are complemented by the third, containing prayer to the Lord for salvation from misfortunes. This similarity of the external structure of speech and content indicates that the writer of both psalms was one and the same person. According to the inscription above the XLI psalm in the Hebrew Bible, the author is called the sons of Korah, and to them the psalm XLII must be attributed.

In the psalms is depicted the sorrowful feeling of the writer, forced to live in separation from the temple (Ps 41:3), the memory of visiting which, for him, living in exile near the mountains of Hermon and thus deprived of this blessing (Ps 41:7), serves as a source of suffering (Ps 41:5). The reason for his flight was the uprising of “an evil people” and “a wicked and unjust man” (Ps 42:1). Such a condition of the psalmist is in harmony with the epoch of the persecutions and flight of David from Jerusalem, from Absalom, when he had to hide in the land beyond the Jordan, in the wilderness of Mahanaim, located near the mountains of Hermon, the border of the land of Judah from the north. Therefore in the Greek Bible after the name of the sons of Korah is placed the name of David. The same is also above the XLII psalm in the LXX and in the Vulgate. These additions can be explained by the fact that the writer of the psalms, belonging to the family of the sons of Korah, was a defender of David and together with the latter shared the dangers of exile. He well understood the mood of the royal exile, distinguished by religiousness and piety, but now forced to live far from the temple, and he depicted this mood in the mentioned psalms.

As the doe longs for the water brooks so my soul longs for You, my God, as the doe longs for the spring (2-3). I moisten my bread with tears and grieve over the impossibility, as before, of going together with the people to Your holy temple (4-5). My soul is downcast among the mountains of Hermon and cries out to the Lord, why have You abandoned me and given my enemies occasion to mock me? (6-12) Judge my cause against my wicked enemy and send me Your light, that I may go to Your altar and praise You, God. Do not be downcast, my soul, but trust in the Lord (Ps 42:1-5)!

Psalm 41:2. As a doe longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for You, O God! Psalm 41:3. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when will I come and appear before God? A vivid characterization of the feeling of oppressive longing and dissatisfaction that the writer was experiencing in separation from the temple. Life near the latter was for his soul such a necessary need as water is for quenching the thirst of a doe. “To God the strong, the living”—almighty in power and eternal. “Before God”—before the altar of the temple, or in the sanctuary, as the place of special and constant presence of God.

Psalm 41:4. My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day: “Where is your God? “My tears have been my food day and night”—I was fed only by my tears, that is, I could not take any food without being oppressed by the bitter feeling of consciousness of abandonment by God, which was maintained by the people surrounding me, with bewilderment and despair asking each day: “Where is your God?” Why is the help of Him whom you serve not evident?

Psalm 41:6. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why are you troubled? Trust in God, for I will praise Him yet, my Savior and my God. This state of spiritual oppression, naturally caused by the difficult position of the psalmist, however, did not turn into despair. He found in himself sufficient living faith in God and comforted himself with hope: “Trust in God: for I will praise Him, my Savior and my God.” He believes that God will not abandon His righteous one.

Psalm 41:7. My soul is downcast; therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan, from Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Mount Mizar—should be read—Mount Mizar. It is not known precisely where this mountain is located, but it is certain that it was one of the lower peaks of Mount Hermon near Mahanaim, where the writer of the psalm was. This locality was very far from Jerusalem and the tent, and therefore it is understandable the feeling of downheartedness that grew in the writer as he moved away from the temple.

Psalm 41:8. Deep calls to deep at the voice of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have swept over me. The main peaks of Mount Hermon rose above sea level to a height of 12 thousand feet and were covered with snow. The melting of the latter formed streams of water that fell noisily down the cliffs. These streams took on formidable dimensions when they were strengthened by heavy rains. Then they fell with a terrible noise, tore up trees and carried with them enormous stones. The noise of these waters was especially great and terrible because the water fell from steep cliffs. “Deep calls to deep”—after one mass of water, after one terrible stream, another rushes. By this comparison of the picture observed by the writer, he wanted to denote the force and impetuosity of the present calamities of exile that he was experiencing: “water and billows of Yours”—sent by You, the misfortunes are numerous and terrible, like the streams of Hermon.

Psalm 41:9. By day the Lord commands His loving-kindness, and by night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. But these misfortunes could not shake the faith of the exile in God. He waits for mercy from Him and by this faith lives day and night.