Psalm 42:7
New International Version
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

New Living Translation
I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

English Standard Version
Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

Berean Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.

King James Bible
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

New King James Version
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

New American Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me.

NASB 1995
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

NASB 1977
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Thy waterfalls; All Thy breakers and Thy waves have rolled over me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

Amplified Bible
Deep calls to deep at the [thundering] sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

Christian Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your billows have swept over me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me.

American Standard Version
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Contemporary English Version
Your vicious waves have swept over me like an angry ocean or a roaring waterfall.

English Revised Version
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
One deep sea calls to another at the roar of your waterspouts. All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.

International Standard Version
Deep waters call out to what is deeper still; at the roar of your waterfalls all your breakers and your waves swirled over me.

Majority Standard Bible
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.

NET Bible
One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls; all your billows and waves overwhelm me.

New Heart English Bible
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your breakers and waves have swept over me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Deep calleth to deep at the noise of thy water-spouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

World English Bible
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Deep is calling to deep "" At the noise of Your waterspouts, "" All Your breakers and Your billows passed over me.

Young's Literal Translation
Deep unto deep is calling At the noise of Thy water-spouts, All Thy breakers and Thy billows passed over me.

Smith's Literal Translation
Deep calling to deep at the voice of thy cataracts: all thy breakers and thy waves passed over me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Deep calleth on deep, at the noise of thy flood-gates. All thy heights and thy billows have passed over me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Abyss calls upon abyss, with the voice of your floodgate. All your heights and your waves have passed over me.

New American Bible
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your torrents, and all your waves and breakers sweep over me.

New Revised Standard Version
Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Deep calls to deep at the sound of thy waterfalls: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The Deep to deep calls The Voice to the voice of the waters of your fountains. All your storms and your waves passed over me.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Deep calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts; All Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Deep calls to deep at the voice of thy cataracts: all thy billows and thy waves have gone over me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor
6O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—even from Mount Mizar. 7Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me. 8The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.…

Cross References
Jonah 2:3
For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

Matthew 8:24-27
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” / “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. ...

Job 38:8-11
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, / when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, / when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, ...

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Habakkuk 3:10
The mountains saw You and quaked; torrents of water swept by. The deep roared with its voice and lifted its hands on high.

Ezekiel 26:19
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When I make you a desolate city like other deserted cities, and when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you,

2 Samuel 22:5
For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

Luke 8:23-25
As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”

Mark 4:37-39
Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. / But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” / Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

Nahum 1:4
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.

Psalm 88:7
Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me. Selah

Psalm 69:1-2
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck. / I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.

Psalm 93:3-4
The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. / Above the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is majestic.

Revelation 17:15
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Lamentations 3:54
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.


Treasury of Scripture

Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterspouts: all your waves and your billows are gone over me.

Deep calleth

Job 1:14-19
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: …

Job 10:17
Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

Jeremiah 4:20
Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

water-spouts.

all thy

Psalm 69:14,15
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters…

Psalm 88:7,15-17
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah…

Lamentations 3:53-55
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me…

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Psalm 42
1. David's zeal to serve God in the temple
5. He encourages his soul to trust in God














Deep calls to deep
This phrase suggests a profound communication or connection, often interpreted as the depths of human emotion or spirit reaching out to the depths of God. It reflects the psalmist's intense longing for God amidst turmoil. The repetition of "deep" emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the psalmist's experience. This can be connected to Romans 8:26, where the Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words, indicating a deep spiritual communication.

in the roar of Your waterfalls;
The imagery of waterfalls suggests a powerful, overwhelming force, symbolizing the trials and tribulations the psalmist is experiencing. Waterfalls in the region of ancient Israel, such as those in the Golan Heights, are known for their intensity and noise, which could drown out other sounds, symbolizing how the psalmist feels overwhelmed by his circumstances. This can be compared to the overwhelming nature of God's voice in Ezekiel 43:2, described as the sound of many waters.

all Your breakers and waves
Breakers and waves are often used in Scripture to symbolize chaos and adversity. The psalmist attributes these to God, acknowledging His sovereignty over all circumstances. This imagery is reminiscent of Jonah 2:3, where Jonah describes being engulfed by the waves, recognizing God's hand in his situation. It also foreshadows Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:39, demonstrating His authority over creation.

have rolled over me.
This phrase conveys a sense of being submerged or overwhelmed by life's challenges. The psalmist feels engulfed by his troubles, much like the waters of a stormy sea. This can be linked to the experience of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, where the waters were a barrier that God miraculously parted, as described in Exodus 14. It also points to the baptism of Jesus, where He identifies with humanity's struggles and emerges victorious, as seen in Matthew 3:16-17.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Sons of Korah
The authors of Psalm 42, a group of Levitical singers and musicians who served in the temple. They are known for their deep spiritual insights and expressions of longing for God.

2. Waterfalls
Symbolic of overwhelming circumstances and the powerful voice of God. In the context of the psalm, it represents the tumultuous experiences of the psalmist.

3. Breakers and Waves
These are metaphors for the trials and tribulations that the psalmist is experiencing. They convey a sense of being overwhelmed by life's challenges.
Teaching Points
Understanding Spiritual Depths
The phrase "deep calls to deep" suggests a profound spiritual connection and longing. It encourages believers to seek a deeper relationship with God, especially in times of trouble.

God's Sovereignty in Trials
The psalmist acknowledges that the waves and breakers are "Your" waves, indicating God's control over life's challenges. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign over their circumstances.

Crying Out to God
Just as the psalmist expresses his distress, believers are encouraged to bring their struggles before God, trusting in His ability to hear and respond.

Endurance Through Faith
The imagery of being overwhelmed by waves can teach believers about the importance of enduring through faith, trusting that God will provide strength and deliverance.(7) Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts.--Better, Flood calleth unto flood at the noise of thy cataracts. The exile is describing what was before his eyes, and in his ears. There can, therefore, be little doubt that, as Dean Stanley observed, this image was furnished by the windings and rapids of the Jordan, each hurrying to dash itself with yet fiercer vehemence of sounding water over some opposing ledge of rocks "in cataract after cataract to the sea." Thus every step taken on that sorrowful journey offered an emblem of the griefs accumulating on the exile's heart. The word rendered waterspout only occurs besides in 2Samuel 5:8, where the Authorised Version has "gutter," but might translate "watercourse."

All thy waves and thy billows.--From derivation, breakers and rollers. The poet forgets the source of his image in its intensity, and from the thought of the cataract of woes passes on to the more general one of "a sea of troubles," the waves of which break upon him or roll over his head. The image is common in all poetry. (Comp. "And as a sea of ills urges on its waves; one falling, another, with huge (literally, third) crest, rising."--'sch., Seven against Thebes, 759.)

Verse 7. - Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts. Blow follows blow. Misfortunes "come not in single file, but in battalions." The imagery may be taken from the local storms that visit the Trans-Jordanic territory (see Lynch, 'Expedition to the Jordan and the Dead Sea;' and Wilson, 'Negeb,' pp. 26, 27). All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me (comp. Psalm 69:1, 2; Psalm 88:7, 17; Psalm 144:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Deep
תְּהֽוֹם־ (tə·hō·wm-)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 8415: An abyss, the deep

calls
ק֭וֹרֵא (qō·w·rê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

deep
תְּה֣וֹם (tə·hō·wm)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 8415: An abyss, the deep

in the roar
לְק֣וֹל (lə·qō·wl)
Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of Your waterfalls;
צִנּוֹרֶ֑יךָ (ṣin·nō·w·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6794: A culvert

all
כָּֽל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

Your breakers
מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ (miš·bā·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4867: A breaker (of the sea)

and waves
וְ֝גַלֶּ֗יךָ (wə·ḡal·le·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1530: Something rolled, a heap of stone, dung, a spring of water

have rolled
עָבָֽרוּ׃ (‘ā·ḇā·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

over me.
עָלַ֥י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT Poetry: Psalm 42:7 Deep calls to deep at the noise (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 42:6
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