The Meaning of Psalms 43:2 Explained

Psalms 43:2

KJV: For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

YLT: For thou art the God of my strength. Why hast Thou cast me off? Why mourning do I go up and down, In the oppression of an enemy?

Darby: For thou art the God of my strength: why hast thou cast me off? why go I about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

ASV: For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thou [art] the God  of my strength:  why dost thou cast me off?  why go  I mourning  because of the oppression  of the enemy? 

What does Psalms 43:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God had apparently deserted His servant who relied on Him for strength. His enemy had the upper hand.

Context Summary

Psalms 43:1-5 - "the Help Of My Countenance"
The exiled king still pours out his soul to God. Already David has addressed Him as God of my life; here God appeals to David as God of my strength, Psalms 43:2, and God, the gladness of my joy, Psalms 43:4, r.v., margin. Speak well of thy God, even though His back seems turned on thee!
Thy light and thy truth, Psalms 43:3, may refer to the Urim and Thummim. Or we may think of them as two white-vestured angels sent from God's presence-chamber to guide the exile's steps back to his home. "Send them forth, commissioned to find me in this lone land and bring me to thine altar." There seem to be four steps in the approach. Unto thy holy hill-this was Mount Zion. To thy tabernacles, the earthly Presence-chamber. Unto the altar of God. Here is a step in advance. Our altar is the Cross where Jesus died, Hebrews 13:10. But God's altar is not enough; we need Him. So we still press on unto God my exceeding joy. Then the hue of health appears on our faces! See Psalms 43:5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 43

1  David, praying to be restored to the temple, promises to serve God joyfully
5  He encourages his soul to trust in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 43:2 mean?

For You [are] the God of my strength why do You cast me off why mourning do I go because of the oppression of the enemy
כִּֽי־ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י מָֽעוּזִּי֮ לָמָ֪ה ؟ זְנַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי לָֽמָּה־ קֹדֵ֥ר אֶתְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ ؟ אוֹיֵֽב

אַתָּ֤ה ׀  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מָֽעוּזִּי֮  of  my  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מָעֹוז 
Sense: place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
לָמָ֪ה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
؟ זְנַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי  do  You  cast  me  off 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: זָנַח 
Sense: to cast off, reject, spurn.
לָֽמָּה־  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
קֹדֵ֥ר  mourning 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָדַר  
Sense: to mourn, be dark.
אֶתְהַלֵּ֗ךְ  do  I  go 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּלַ֣חַץ  because  of  the  oppression 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לַחַץ  
Sense: oppression, distress, pressure.
؟ אוֹיֵֽב  of  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.