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 Psalm 42:5
Ever felt an aching depression in your soul? Ever felt overwhelmed with such anxiety that your heart seems sick? This is the condition I believe David is trying to express in this Psalm. They believe David wrote this while in exile. So, let’s begin with a direct Hebrew translation into English.
From Biblehub:
Why are you cast down my soul and [why] are you disquieted within me. Hope in God for yet I shall praise Him. [For] the help of His countenance.
As you can see there is quite a difference. Whenever seeking the deeper meaning within the scriptures always go to the original script language and look at the direct translation / language interpretation. The ‘word’ I wanted to look at here is the word translated to ‘turmoil’. This seems to be the descriptor of the ‘feeling’ David was experiencing in his soul / heart.
This particular Hebrew word in this verse is only used once. It is wat-te-he-mi. There are many variations of this Hebrew word. It comes from the base Hebrew word hamah / Strongs 1993. Hamah means 1. to make a loud sound like Engl. “hum”) 2. (by implication) to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor. A primitive root to make a loud sound like Engl. “hum”); by implication, to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor — clamorous, concourse, cry aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise, rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be in an uproar.
What would be the semantic overview and key takeaways of this use of the word in the Hebrew scriptures?
הָמָה depicts loud or turbulent movement—roaring, growling, rumbling, raging, murmuring, or internal agitation. It spans natural phenomena, animal sounds, military tumult, public clamor, and the quiet turmoil of the soul. About thirty-four occurrences form a thread that ties together creation’s unrest, human rebellion, and the need for divine intervention.
- הָמָה embodies the sound of creation and humanity out of harmony.
- Scripture consistently presents the LORD as master over every roar.
- The believer’s response is trust, praise, and proclamation of the One who says, “Peace, be still,” and whose word silences every tumult. (Biblehub)
I do all this so you have an intellectual understanding of the language. But I can’t just stop there. We ALL need the Holy Spirit to translate and help us understand what actually is going on in our soul. It’s one thing to ‘name’ it and describe it, it is another thing to find out ‘why’ we are in such ‘straights’, and angst. And ONLY the Holy Spirit can get the root cause of our heart issues. When reading the scriptures we NEED both the mind in intellectual understanding as well as the Holy Spirit directing us in the correct path OF our ‘soul’ understanding. The Holy Spirit directs us to our ‘core issues’. IF you ask Him, He will advise you and help you in your current state. But you must listen to Him. And that can be difficult under great duress. So, you have to ‘practice’ learning and discerning His voice when you aren’t under great ‘turmoil’. Are you in the practice of asking the Holy Spirit what is going on inside of you? Are you seeking His counsel? And you quick to hear and obey Him when He convicts you? Can you hear His Rhema words of ‘peace’ and assurance directly to your mind and heart? Can you begin praising Him when you don’t ‘feel’ like it?
As this world spins with greater and greater danger and evil – are we standing on the ‘rock’? Do we have that intimacy with Him? Do we have His clear strong voice within our soul through the Holy Spirit? Are we aware of the flesh nature within us and the root iniquities of pride, fear, and lust (discontentedness)? Which one is rising up in us now? Turn to the Holy Spirit for answers. That’s WHY He’s there for us and indwelling us. He IS our comforter.