Psalm 42:8
The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.
The LORD decrees
The phrase "The LORD decrees" emphasizes the sovereign authority of God. The Hebrew word for "decrees" is "yetzav," which implies a command or an appointment. This suggests that God's actions are intentional and purposeful. In the context of the psalm, it reflects the psalmist's confidence in God's active role in his life, orchestrating events according to His divine will. Historically, this reflects the understanding of God as a king who issues decrees that are to be followed, underscoring His ultimate control over creation.

His loving devotion
The term "loving devotion" is translated from the Hebrew word "chesed," which is rich in meaning, encompassing love, mercy, kindness, and faithfulness. This word is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people, indicating a steadfast, loyal love that is not dependent on human actions. It is a reminder of God's unwavering commitment to His people, a theme that runs throughout the Old Testament, highlighting His grace and mercy.

by day
The phrase "by day" signifies the constancy and regularity of God's loving devotion. It suggests that God's care and presence are not limited to specific times but are available continuously. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the day was often associated with activity and life, indicating that God's love is active and present in the daily lives of His people.

and at night
"At night" complements "by day," indicating that God's presence and care extend into the night, a time often associated with fear and uncertainty. In biblical times, night was a period of vulnerability, yet the psalmist finds comfort in knowing that God's song is with him even then. This reflects the belief that God is a protector and comforter, providing peace and security at all times.

His song is with me
The phrase "His song is with me" suggests a personal and intimate relationship with God. The "song" can be understood as a symbol of joy, comfort, and divine presence. In the Hebrew tradition, songs were often used in worship and as expressions of faith. This indicates that even in times of distress, the psalmist experiences God's presence as a source of joy and reassurance.

a prayer to the God of my life
The concluding phrase, "a prayer to the God of my life," underscores the psalmist's dependence on God. The word "prayer" here is "tefillah" in Hebrew, which denotes a plea or supplication. It reflects the psalmist's acknowledgment of God as the source and sustainer of his life. This phrase encapsulates the essence of a life lived in communion with God, where every moment is an opportunity for prayer and connection with the divine. Historically, this reflects the centrality of prayer in the life of the faithful, serving as a lifeline to God in all circumstances.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Sons of Korah
The authors of Psalm 42, a group of Levitical singers and musicians in the temple worship.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature.

3. The Psalmist
The individual expressing deep longing and spiritual thirst for God, often considered to be David or a member of the Sons of Korah.

4. Day and Night
Symbolic of the entirety of life’s experiences, representing both times of clarity and times of darkness.

5. Prayer and Song
Expressions of communication and relationship with God, highlighting the psalmist's reliance on God.
Teaching Points
God's Constant Presence
God's loving devotion is not limited by time; He is present both day and night. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is always with them, regardless of their circumstances.

The Power of Prayer and Worship
Prayer and worship are vital responses to God's love. They are means through which believers can maintain a close relationship with God, especially during challenging times.

Spiritual Resilience
The psalmist's reliance on God's song and prayer during the night teaches believers to seek God in times of darkness and uncertainty, fostering spiritual resilience.

God as the Source of Life
Recognizing God as "the God of my life" emphasizes His role as the ultimate source of life and sustenance. Believers are encouraged to depend on Him for their spiritual and physical needs.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of God's loving devotion by day and His song at night provide comfort in your current life situation?

2. In what ways can you incorporate prayer and worship into your daily routine to strengthen your relationship with God?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's presence during a difficult period. How did this experience shape your faith?

4. How can understanding God as "the God of my life" influence your daily decisions and priorities?

5. What other scriptures can you find that emphasize God's constant presence and faithfulness, and how do they reinforce the message of Psalm 42:8?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 63:6
This verse also speaks of meditating on God during the night, showing a continuous devotion and reliance on God.

Lamentations 3:22-23
These verses emphasize God's steadfast love and faithfulness, which are renewed every morning, similar to the daily decree of loving devotion in Psalm 42:8.

Job 35:10
This verse mentions God giving songs in the night, paralleling the psalmist's experience of God's presence during difficult times.

Philippians 4:6-7
Encourages believers to present their requests to God through prayer, aligning with the psalmist's practice of prayer as a response to God's loving devotion.
Blessings by Day, Songs in the NightHomiletic MagazinePsalm 42:8
God's Carriage unto David, and David's Carriage Again unto GodThomas Herren, D. D.Psalm 42:8
The AlarumCharles Haddon Spurgeon Psalm 42:8
The Changes of Life and Their Comforts in GodJohn Key, D. D.Psalm 42:8
The Song and the PrayerW. Buff.Psalm 42:8
A Thirst for GodC. Clemance Psalm 42:1-11
Desire After GodPsalm 42:1-11
GodHomilistPsalm 42:1-11
Living ThirstJ. Cumming, D. D.Psalm 42:1-11
Man's Craving for GodSamuel Cox, D. D.Psalm 42:1-11
Over the Aqueducts of WaterJames Nell, M. A.Psalm 42:1-11
Panting After GodBishop Armstrong.Psalm 42:1-11
Panting After GodJ. Kirkwood.Psalm 42:1-11
Religious Affections Attended with Increase of Spiritual LongingLewis O. Thompson.Psalm 42:1-11
Religious DepressionF. W. Robertson, M. A.Psalm 42:1-11
Spiritual DepressionW. Forsyth Psalm 42:1-11
The Feelings and Sentiments of a Renewed SoulT. Gordon.Psalm 42:1-11
The Korachite PsalmsA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 42:1-11
The Longing for GodCanon Morse.Psalm 42:1-11
The Panting HartPsalm 42:1-11
The Religious Aspects of a Soul in EarnestHomilistPsalm 42:1-11
The Soul Compared to a HindA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 42:1-11
The Soul of Man has no Resource Independent of GodPsalm 42:1-11
The Soul's Thirst for GodBishop Harvey Goodwin.Psalm 42:1-11
Thirsting for GodG. Thacker.Psalm 42:1-11
Thirsting for GodC. Bradley, M. A.Psalm 42:1-11
Thirsting for GodG. Hunsworth, M. A.Psalm 42:1-11
Thirsting for GodJ. Parker, D. D.Psalm 42:1-11
People
Hermonites, Korah, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Command, Commandeth, Commands, Daytime, Day-time, Kindness, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Loving-kindness, Mercy, Prayer, Song, Steadfast, Yet
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 42:8

     4957   night
     7963   song
     8662   meditation
     8724   doubt, dealing with

Psalm 42:1-11

     5831   depression

Psalm 42:4-11

     8670   remembering

Psalm 42:5-11

     8713   discouragement

Library
July 16. "As the Hart Panteth after the Waterbrooks, So Panteth My Soul after Thee, O God" (Ps. Xlii. 1).
"As the hart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God" (Ps. xlii. 1). First in order to a consecrated life there must be a sense of need, the need of purity, of power, and of a greater nearness to the Lord. There often comes in Christian life a second conviction. It is not now a sense of guilt and God's wrath so much as of the power and evil of inward sin, and the unsatisfactoriness of the life the soul is living. It usually comes from the deeper revelation of God's truth,
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Alarum
That is not, however, the topic upon which I now desire to speak to you. I come at this time, not so much to plead for the early as for the awakening. The hour we may speak of at another time--the fact is our subject now. It is bad to awake late, but what shall be said of those who never awake at all? Better late than never: but with many it is to be feared it will be never. I would take down the trumpet and give a blast, or ring the alarm-bell till all the faculties of the sluggard's manhood are
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Knox Little -- Thirst Satisfied
William John Knox Little, English preacher, was born 1839 and educated at Cambridge University. He has filled many parochial cures, and in 1881 was appointed canon of Worcester, and sub-dean in 1902. He also holds the vicarage of Hoar Cross (1885). He is of high repute as a preacher and is in much request all over England. He belongs to the High Church school and has printed, besides his sermons, many works of educational character, such as the "Treasury of Meditation," "Manual of Devotion for Lent,"
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 8

Be not Far from Me, O My Strength,
"Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts; all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." -- Psalm 42:7,8. Be not far from me, O my strength, Whom all my times obey; Take from me anything Thou wilt; But go not Thou away, -- And let the storm that does Thy work Deal with me as it may. On Thy compassion I repose, In weakness and distress:
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations

Longing for the Courts of the Lord's House. --Ps. Xlii.
Longing for the Courts of the Lord's House.--Ps. xlii. As the hart, with eager looks, Panteth for the water-brooks, So my soul, athirst for Thee, Pants the loving God to see: When, O when, with filial fear, Lord, shall I to Thee draw near? Tears my food by night, by day, Grief consumes my strength away; While his craft the Tempter plies, "Where is now Thy God?" he cries; This would sink me to despair But I pour my soul in prayer. For, in happier times, I went, Where the multitudes frequent; I,
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

As Pants the Wearied Hart for Cooling Springs
[1190]Pax Dei: John Bacchus Dykes, 1868 Psalm 42 Latin Version by Robert Lowth, 1753; Tr. George Gregory, 1787 DOXOLOGY As pants the wearied hart for cooling springs, That sinks exhausted in the summer's chase, So pants my soul for thee, great King of kings, So thirsts to reach thy sacred dwelling place. Lord, thy sure mercies, ever in my sight, My heart shall gladden through the tedious day; And midst the dark and gloomy shades of night, To thee, my God, I'll tune the grateful lay. Why faint,
Various—The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA

Questions which Ought to be Asked
ELIHU PERCEIVED the great ones of the earth oppressing the needy, and he traced their domineering tyranny to their forgetfulness of God: "None saith, Where is God my Maker?" Surely, had they thought of God they could not have acted so unjustly. Worse still, if I understand Elihu aright, he complained that even among the oppressed there was the same departure in heart from the Lord: they cried out by reason of the arm of the mighty, but unhappily they did not cry unto God their Maker, though he waits
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 26: 1880

1 to Pray Does not Imply that Without Prayer God Would not Give us Anything...
1. To pray does not imply that without prayer God would not give us anything or that He would be unaware of our needs, but it has this great advantage, that in the attitude of prayer the soul is best fitted to receive the Giver of blessing as well as those blessings He desires to bestow. Thus it was that the fullness of the Spirit was not poured out upon the Apostles on the first day, but after ten days of special preparation. If a blessing were conferred upon one without a special readiness for
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

The Kingdom Divided
THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS: Jonah Page Amos Page Isaiah Page OUTLINE FOR STUDY OF PROPHETICAL BOOKS 1. Class. 2. Commission of Prophet. 3. Biographical Description of Prophet. 4. Title of Prophet. 5. Historical Place. (a) Name of Kingdom. (b) Names of Kings. 6. Outline of Contents. 7. Prophecies of Earthly Kings or Kingdoms. 8. Prophecies of Christ. 9. Prophecies of Christ's Kingdom. 10. Leading Phrases. 11. Leading Chapters. 12. Leading Teachings. 13. Questions. 14. Items of Special Interest.
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible

The Holy War,
MADE BY SHADDAI UPON DIABOLUS, FOR THE REGAINING OF THE METROPOLIS OF THE WORLD; OR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. THE AUTHOR OF 'THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' 'I have used similitudes.'--Hosea 12:10. London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry; and Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Bunyan's account of the Holy War is indeed an extraordinary book, manifesting a degree of genius, research, and spiritual
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

His Past Work.
His past work was accomplished by Him when he became incarnate. It was finished when He died on Calvary's cross. We have therefore to consider first of all these fundamentals of our faith. I. The Work of the Son of God is foreshadowed and predicted in the Old Testament Scriptures. II. The incarnation of the Son of God. III. His Work on the cross and what has been accomplished by it. I. Through the Old Testament Scriptures, God announced beforehand the work of His Son. This is a great theme and one
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ

Dialogue ii. --The Unconfounded.
Eranistes and Orthodoxus. Eran.--I am come as I promised. 'Tis yours to adopt one of two alternatives, and either furnish a solution of my difficulties, or assent to what I and my friends lay down. Orth.--I accept your challenge, for I think it right and fair. But we must first recall to mind at what point we left off our discourse yesterday, and what was the conclusion of our argument. Eran.--I will remind you of the end. I remember our agreeing that the divine Word remained immutable, and took
Theodoret—The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret

The Exile.
David's first years at the court of Saul in Gibeah do not appear to have produced any psalms which still survive. "The sweetest songs are those Which tell of saddest thought." It was natural, then, that a period full of novelty and of prosperous activity, very unlike the quiet days at Bethlehem, should rather accumulate materials for future use than be fruitful in actual production. The old life shut to behind him for ever, like some enchanted door in a hill-side, and an unexplored land lay beckoning
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

"But it is Good for Me to Draw Near to God: I have Put My Trust in the Lord God, that I May Declare all Thy
Psal. lxxiii. 28.--"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." After man's first transgression, he was shut out from the tree of life, and cast out of the garden, by which was signified his seclusion and sequestration from the presence of God, and communion with him: and this was in a manner the extermination of all mankind in one, when Adam was driven out of paradise. Now, this had been an eternal separation for any thing that
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Love
The rule of obedience being the moral law, comprehended in the Ten Commandments, the next question is: What is the sum of the Ten Commandments? The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' Deut 6: 5. The duty called for is love, yea, the strength of love, with all
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
1. The Hebrews reckon but three books as poetical, namely: Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, which are distinguished from the rest by a stricter rhythm--the rhythm not of feet, but of clauses (see below, No. 3)--and a peculiar system of accentuation. It is obvious to every reader that the poetry of the Old Testament, in the usual sense of the word, is not restricted to these three books. But they are called poetical in a special and technical sense. In any natural classification of the books of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6 We are now come to the fourth step of blessedness: Blessed are they that hunger'. The words fall into two parts: a duty implied; a promise annexed. A duty implied: Blessed are they that hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (Isaiah 26:9). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Motives to Holy Mourning
Let me exhort Christians to holy mourning. I now persuade to such a mourning as will prepare the soul for blessedness. Oh that our hearts were spiritual limbecs, distilling the water of holy tears! Christ's doves weep. They that escape shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity' (Ezekiel 7:16). There are several divine motives to holy mourning: 1 Tears cannot be put to a better use. If you weep for outward losses, you lose your tears. It is like a shower
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Of Faith. The Definition of It. Its Peculiar Properties.
1. A brief recapitulation of the leading points of the whole discussion. The scope of this chapter. The necessity of the doctrine of faith. This doctrine obscured by the Schoolmen, who make God the object of faith, without referring to Christ. The Schoolmen refuted by various passages. 2. The dogma of implicit faith refuted. It destroys faith, which consists in a knowledge of the divine will. What this will is, and how necessary the knowledge of it. 3. Many things are and will continue to be implicitly
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms.
1. Beware of singing divine psalms for an ordinary recreation, as do men of impure spirits, who sing holy psalms intermingled with profane ballads: They are God's word: take them not in thy mouth in vain. 2. Remember to sing David's psalms with David's spirit (Matt. xxii. 43.) 3. Practise St. Paul's rule--"I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also." (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 4. As you sing uncover your heads (1 Cor. xi. 4), and behave yourselves in comely reverence as in the
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Letter Xl to Thomas, Prior of Beverley
To Thomas, Prior of Beverley This Thomas had taken the vows of the Cistercian Order at Clairvaux. As he showed hesitation, Bernard urges his tardy spirit to fulfil them. But the following letter will prove that it was a warning to deaf ears, where it relates the unhappy end of Thomas. In this letter Bernard sketches with a master's hand the whole scheme of salvation. Bernard to his beloved son Thomas, as being his son. 1. What is the good of words? An ardent spirit and a strong desire cannot express
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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