Psalms 42:10

Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly in the midst of sustained enemy oppression, immediately after questioning divine presence in verse 9 and before turning inward to his own soul in verse 11.

The words — בְּרֶ֤צַח׀ בְּֽעַצְמוֹתַ֗י (be./Re.tzach 'at.zmo.Ta/i) = with a shattering in my bones, describing the physical and psychological weight of the taunt.

The thread — The identical taunt “Where is your God?” recurs in Psalms 42:3, while Joel 2:17 records the priests’ plea for mercy in response to such distress, and Proverbs 12:18 contrasts the enemy’s piercing words with the wise tongue’s healing.

Why it lands — The text records the enemies’ relentless verbal assault and the psalmist’s reporting of it to God, demanding honest acknowledgment of suffering before any resolution is offered.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בְּרֶ֤צַח׀be./Re.tzachwith/ a shattering בְּֽעַצְמוֹתַ֗יbe./'atz.mo.Ta/iin/ bones/ my חֵרְפ֥וּנִיche.re.Fu./nithey have taunted/ me צוֹרְרָ֑יtzo.Ra/iopposers/ my בְּאָמְרָ֥םbe./'a.me.Ra/mwhen/ say/ they אֵלַ֥י'e.La/ito/ me כָּל־kol-all הַ֝יּ֗וֹםhai./Yomthe/ day אַיֵּ֥ה'ai.Yehwhere?אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃'e.lo.Hei./kha[is] God/ your

King James Version

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Cross-references

Psalms 42:3 My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Joel 2:17 Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Proverbs 12:18 Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Luke 2:35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
Micah 7:10 Then my enemy will see and will be covered with shame—she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her; at that time she will be trampled like mud in the streets.