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BOOK 2

My Soul Thirsts for God

For the choir director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c](A)pants for You, O God.
My soul (B)thirsts for God, for the (C)living God;
When shall I come and [d](D)appear before God?
My (E)tears have been my food day and night,
While they (F)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
These things I remember and I (G)pour out my soul within me.
For I (H)used to go along with the throng and [e]lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the sound of a (I)shout of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

(J)Why are you [f](K)in despair, O my soul?
And why are you (L)disturbed within me?
(M)Wait for God, for I shall still praise Him,
[g]For the [h](N)salvation of His presence.
O my God, my soul is [i]in despair within me;
Therefore I (O)remember You from (P)the land of the Jordan
And the [j]peaks of (Q)Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your (R)breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
By day, Yahweh will (S)command His lovingkindness;
And (T)by night, His song will be with me,
A prayer to (U)the God of my life.

I say to God (V)my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go (W)mourning [k]because of the (X)oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries reproach me,
While they (Y)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 (Z)Why are you [l]in despair, O my soul?
And why are you disturbed within me?
Wait for God, for I shall still praise Him,
The salvation of my presence and my God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 42 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 42:1 Lit longs
  3. Psalm 42:1 Lit longs
  4. Psalm 42:2 Some mss see the face of God
  5. Psalm 42:4 Or move slowly with them
  6. Psalm 42:5 Or sunk down
  7. Psalm 42:5 Some ancient versions The help of my countenance and my God
  8. Psalm 42:5 Or saving acts
  9. Psalm 42:6 Or sunk down
  10. Psalm 42:6 Lit Hermons
  11. Psalm 42:9 Or while the enemy oppresses
  12. Psalm 42:11 Or sunk down

Book Two

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil[a] of (A)the Sons of Korah.

42 (B)As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
(C)My soul thirsts for God,
    for (D)the living God.
When shall I come and (E)appear before God?[b]
(F)My tears have been my food
    day and night,
(G)while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
These things I remember,
    as I (H)pour out my soul:
(I)how I would go (J)with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    (K)a multitude keeping festival.

(L)Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you (M)in turmoil within me?
(N)Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation[c] and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I (O)remember you
(P)from the land of Jordan and of (Q)Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
(R)all your breakers and your (S)waves
    have gone over me.
By day the Lord (T)commands his steadfast love,
    and at (U)night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God, (V)my rock:
    “Why have you forgotten me?
(W)Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
(X)while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 (Y)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 and my God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God
  3. Psalm 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5