⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation ⁶ and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
⁸ By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
¹⁰ As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

1) What are the questions the Psalmist asks? What do these questions indicate?
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil?” “Why have you [God] forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Other people ask, “Where is your God?” These questions indicate that the Psalmist is experiencing some circumstances (oppression from enemies, people mocking him) that are causing him inner turmoil. He is in a tough place emotionally.

2) What are the responses to those questions?
Immediately after each of these questions is asked in the text, the Psalmist points back to hoping in God. He says he will again praise God, and calls Him his salvation. He says he will remember God, and speaks of His steadfast love and nearness.

3) Verse 7 uses the metaphors of a waterfall, breakers, and waves. What do these mean?
Anyone who has ever been in the ocean knows the power of the strong breakers and waves, how they come one after another, pushing down. Likewise, a waterfall’s unrelenting power can actually carve the rocks upon which it falls, all with a roaring sound that overwhelms the ears. This verse speaks of the depth of the troubles and afflictions of the writer—he is overwhelmed by the oppression of his circumstances.

4) What is the overall message of this psalm?
Even with the imagery that shows the depths of the trouble the Psalmist endures, he is able to point to the solution to his trouble—hope in God. He trusts God as his salvation from these trials, and his soul is comforted by praising Him.

1) What are the questions the Psalmist asks? What do these questions indicate?
Troubles abound in this life. There are difficult things that we go through as Christians, sometimes because of our own sin, sometimes because of the sin of others, and sometimes because of spiritual attack by the enemies of Christ. This psalm (and others) teach us that it is okay to cry out to God! He can handle our questions, and He is not threatened when we express what our souls are feeling.

2) What are the responses to those questions?
The Psalmist was honest with his feelings, but he was also quick to state his hope in God. He knew that God was his salvation, and he remembered Him. May we be quick to remember our Savior in our times of despair. He is the only One with the power to change our circumstances and comfort our hearts.

3) Verse 7 uses the metaphors of a waterfall, breakers, and waves. What do these mean?
Somehow, in the midst of our troubles, it is comforting to know that people throughout history have felt overwhelmed by the circumstances in their lives that cause pain. But God is good, and He is faithful, and He cares for us. He will pluck us from the waves and hold our souls steady, even in the midst of trials.

4) What is the overall message of this psalm?
Trials and sorrows abound, but God is our Savior, worthy to be praised! Let us teach our souls to remember Him and sing His praises, even in the depths of our despair. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead your heart to Jesus, who endured much more than us so that it can be well with our souls, even in the pits of this life.

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

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