For You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?
Parallel translations
- WEB For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
- 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?
- NKJV For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
- NASB For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
- NLT For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
He calls God his strength yet asks why he feels rejected and mournful under oppression. Felt abandonment and faith are held together.
Overview
The psalmist confesses God as his refuge while honestly voicing his sense of rejection. The tension echoes Psalm 42:9. Bringing such questions to the God he still trusts models faithful lament rather than abandoning hope.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 42:9I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”
- Ps 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Ps 94:14For the LORD will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage.
- Isa 40:31But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
- Ps 44:9But You have rejected and humbled us; You no longer go forth with our armies.
- Isa 45:24Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.
- Ps 140:7O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You shield my head in the day of battle.
- 1 Chr 28:9As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
- Zech 10:12I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.
- Ps 77:7“Will the Lord spurn us forever and never show His favor again?
- Ps 71:9Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
- Exod 15:2The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Ps 31:4You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 43:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.