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BOOK 2

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
    so my soul pants after you, God.[a]
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
    while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,
    how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house,
    with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
Why are you in despair, my soul?
    Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God!
    For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
My God, my soul is in despair within me.
    Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls.
    All your waves and your billows have swept over me.

Yahweh[b] will command his loving kindness in the daytime.
    In the night his song shall be with me:
    a prayer to the God of my life.
I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me?
    Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me,
    while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you in despair, my soul?
    Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God! For I shall still praise him,
    the saving help of my countenance, and my God.

Footnotes

  1. 42:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
  2. 42:8 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.

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 streams of water,
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 am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
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 am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.(M)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 42:6 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Him, the salvation of His presence. My God, I