BOOK II

(Psalms 42–72)

Psalm 42

Longing for God

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so I long for you, God.(A)
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I come and appear before God?(B)
My tears have been my food day and night,
while all day long people say to me,
“Where is your God?” (C)
I remember this as I pour out my heart:(D)
how I walked with many,
leading the festive procession to the house of God,
with joyful and thankful shouts.(E)

Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.(F)
I[a] am deeply depressed;
therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan
and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.(G)
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your billows have swept over me.(H)
The Lord will send his faithful love by day;(I)
his song will be with me in the night—
a prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God, my rock,(J)
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about in sorrow
because of the enemy’s oppression?” (K)
10 My adversaries taunt me,
as if crushing my bones,
while all day long they say to me,
“Where is your God?” (L)
11 Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 42:5–6 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read him, the salvation of his presence. My God, I

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

As the deer(A) pants for streams of water,(B)
    so my soul pants(C) for you, my God.
My soul thirsts(D) for God, for the living God.(E)
    When can I go(F) and meet with God?
My tears(G) have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(H)
These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:(I)
how I used to go to the house of God(J)
    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy(K) and praise(L)
    among the festive throng.(M)

Why, my soul, are you downcast?(N)
    Why so disturbed(O) within me?
Put your hope in God,(P)
    for I will yet praise(Q) him,
    my Savior(R) and my God.(S)

My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember(T) you
from the land of the Jordan,(U)
    the heights of Hermon(V)—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep(W)
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.(X)

By day the Lord directs his love,(Y)
    at night(Z) his song(AA) is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.(AB)

I say to God my Rock,(AC)
    “Why have you forgotten(AD) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(AE)
    oppressed(AF) by the enemy?”(AG)
10 My bones suffer mortal agony(AH)
    as my foes taunt(AI) me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(AJ)

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
  2. Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
  3. Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

23 The uncultivated field of the poor yields abundant food,
but without justice, it is swept away.

24 The one who will not use the rod hates his son,(A)
but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.(B)

25 A righteous person eats until he is satisfied,
but the stomach of the wicked is empty.(C)

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23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

24 Whoever spares the rod(A) hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(B) them.(C)

25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
    but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(D)

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Be Loyal to the Faith

13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching(A) that you have heard from me,(B) in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 15 You know that all those in the province of Asia(C) have deserted me,(D) including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy(E) to the household of Onesiphorus,(F) because he often refreshed me(G) and was not ashamed of my chains.(H) 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome,(I) he diligently searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy(J) from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.(K)

Be Strong in Grace

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace(L) that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me(M) in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful(N) men[a] who will be able to teach others also.

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Or faithful people

13 What you heard from me,(A) keep(B) as the pattern(C) of sound teaching,(D) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.(E) 14 Guard(F) the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.(G)

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia(H) has deserted me,(I) including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,(J) because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed(K) of my chains.(L) 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day!(M) You know very well in how many ways he helped me(N) in Ephesus.(O)

The Appeal Renewed

You then, my son,(P) be strong(Q) in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say(R) in the presence of many witnesses(S) entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.