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)

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 42:6 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]

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.
My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When will I come and see God’s face?[d]
My tears have been my food both day and night,
    as people constantly questioned me,
    “Where’s your God now?”

But 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!
Why, 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.

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

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

11 Why, 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.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 42:1 Pss 42–43 form one single poem; cf the note at Pss 9–10.
  2. Psalm 42:1 Perhaps instruction
  3. Psalm 42:1 Or soul; also in 42:2, 4, 5, 6, 11; 43:5
  4. Psalm 42:2 Syr, Tg; MT and appear before God?
  5. Psalm 42:4 Heb uncertain