Psalm 42-44

Common English Bible

BOOK II

(Psalms 42–72)

Psalm 42^[a]

For the music leader. A maskil^[b] of the Korahites.

42 Just like a deer that craves streams of water,
    my whole being^[c] craves you, God.
²My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When will I come and see God’s face?^[d]
³My tears have been my food both day and night,
    as people constantly questioned me,
    “Where’s your God now?”

⁴But I remember these things as I bare my soul:
    how I made my way to the mighty one’s abode,^[e]
    to God’s own house,
        with joyous shouts and thanksgiving songs—
        a huge crowd celebrating the festival!
⁵Why, I ask myself, are you so depressed?
    Why are you so upset inside?
Hope in God!
    Because I will again give him thanks,
        my saving presence and my God.

⁶My whole being is depressed.
    That’s why I remember you
    from the land of Jordan and Hermon,
        from Mount Mizar.
⁷Deep called to deep at the noise of your waterfalls;
    all your massive waves surged over me.
⁸By day the Lord commands his faithful love;
    by night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹I will say to God, my solid rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
        Why do I have to walk around,
        sad, oppressed by enemies?”
¹⁰With my bones crushed, my foes make fun of me,
    constantly questioning me: “Where’s your God now?”

¹¹Why, I ask myself, are you so depressed?
    Why are you so upset inside?
        Hope in God!
        Because I will again give him thanks,
        my saving presence and my God.

Psalm 43

43 Establish justice for me, God!
    Argue my case against ungodly people!
    Rescue me from the dishonest and unjust!
²Because you are my God, my protective fortress!
    Why have you rejected me?
    Why do I have to walk around,
        sad, oppressed by enemies?
³Send your light and truth—those will guide me!
    Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
        to your dwelling place.
⁴Let me come to God’s altar—
let me come to God, my joy, my delight—
    then I will give you thanks with the lyre,
    God, my God!

⁵Why, I ask myself, are you so depressed?
    Why are you so upset inside?
    Hope in God!
        Because I will again give him thanks,
        my saving presence and my God.

Psalm 44

For the music leader. A maskil^[f] of the Korahites.

44 We have heard it, God, with our own ears;
    our ancestors told us about it:
        about the deeds you did in their days,
        in days long past.
²You, by your own hand, removed all the nations,
        but you planted our ancestors.
    You crushed all the peoples,
        but you set our ancestors free.
³No, not by their own swords
    did they take possession of the land—
        their own arms didn’t save them.
    No, it was your strong hand, your arm,
    and the light of your face
        because you were pleased with them.
⁴It’s you, God! You who are my king,
    the one who orders salvation for Jacob.
⁵We’ve pushed our foes away by your help;
    we’ve trampled our enemies by your name.
⁶No, I won’t trust in my bow;
    my sword won’t save me
⁷    because it’s you who saved us from our foes,
    you who put those who hate us to shame.
⁸So we glory in God at all times
    and give thanks to your name forever. Selah

⁹But now you’ve rejected and humiliated us.
    You no longer accompany our armies.
¹⁰You make us retreat from the enemy;
    our adversaries plunder us.
¹¹You’ve handed us over like sheep for butchering;
    you’ve scattered us among the nations.
¹²You’ve sold your people for nothing,
    not even bothering to set a decent price.
¹³You’ve made us a joke to all our neighbors;
    we’re mocked and ridiculed by everyone around us.
¹⁴You’ve made us a bad joke to the nations,
    something to be laughed at by all peoples.
¹⁵All day long my disgrace confronts me,
    and shame covers my face
¹⁶    because of the voices of those
    who make fun of me and bad-mouth me,
        because of the enemy who is out for revenge.

¹⁷All this has come upon us,
    but we haven’t forgotten you
    or broken your covenant.
¹⁸Our hearts haven’t turned away,
    neither have our steps strayed from your way.
¹⁹But you’ve crushed us in the place where jackals^[g] live,
    covering us with deepest darkness.
²⁰If we had forgotten the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to some strange deity,
²¹wouldn’t God have discovered it?
    After all, God knows every secret of the heart.
²²No, God, it’s because of you that we are getting killed every day—
    it’s because of you that we are considered sheep ready for slaughter.

²³Wake up! Why are you sleeping, Lord?
    Get up! Don’t reject us forever!
²⁴Why are you hiding your face,
    forgetting our suffering and oppression?
²⁵Look: we’re going down to the dust;
    our stomachs are flat on the ground!
²⁶Stand up! Help us!
    Save us for the sake of your faithful love.