The Meaning of Psalms 42:2 Explained

Psalms 42:2

KJV: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

YLT: My soul thirsted for God, for the living God, When do I enter and see the face of God?

Darby: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

ASV: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My soul  thirsteth  for God,  for the living  God:  when shall I come  and appear  before  God? 

What does Psalms 42:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 42:1-11 - Thirsting After God
This psalm clearly embalms the holy musings and yearnings of the exiled king during Absalom's rebellion. Their setting to music was left to the sons of Korah, 2 Chronicles 20:19. It was a great favorite with the early Church, driven to the Catacombs, on the walls of which are many designs of hunted deer.
The water brooks, Psalms 42:1-3. The hind suffers much from the sultry heat, but it dare not linger too long at the water-hole, because the wild beasts gather there. We never realize the value of God's house till we are compulsorily separated from its sacred rites. How blessed it is to return to the sanctuary after such separation! "In the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into thy house," Psalms 5:7, r.v.
The blessed past, Psalms 42:4-6. Exiled to the Hermons, beyond the Jordan, the fugitive recalls the festal crowds, wont to gather at the holy feasts. But when such thoughts oppress us, we should turn our hearts to God and in touching Him, we cease to be lonely. See Hebrews 12:22, etc.
The bitter present, Psalms 42:7-11. The day of pain and rebuke, when the heart is pierced, is the day of God! "His lovingkindness;" "his song;" "the God of my life;" "God of my rock;" "the health of my countenance;" "my God"-what a heritage is this! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 42

1  David's zeal to serve God in the temple
5  He encourages his soul to trust in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 42:2 mean?

Thirsts My soul for God for God the living when shall I come and appear before God
צָמְאָ֬ה נַפְשִׁ֨י ׀ לֵאלֹהִים֮ לְאֵ֪ל חָ֥י מָתַ֥י אָב֑וֹא וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה פְּנֵ֣י ؟ אֱלֹהִֽים

צָמְאָ֬ה  Thirsts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: צָמֵא  
Sense: (Qal) to be thirsty.
נַפְשִׁ֨י ׀  My  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לֵאלֹהִים֮  for  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְאֵ֪ל  for  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
חָ֥י  the  living 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
אָב֑וֹא  shall  I  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה  and  appear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
פְּנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
؟ אֱלֹהִֽים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).