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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

Thirsting for God in trouble and exile.

For the Chief Musician. Maschil of the sons of Korah.

42 As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth 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 [a]continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
These things I remember, and pour out my soul [b]within me,
How I went with the throng, and [c]led them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
Why art thou [d]cast down, O my soul?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him
For the help of his countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
Therefore do I remember thee from the land of the Jordan,
And the Hermons, from [e]the hill Mizar.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls:
All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
Yet Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the day-time;
And in the night his song shall be with me,
Even a prayer unto the God of my life.
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me?
Why go I mourning [f]because of the oppression of the enemy?
10 As with [g]a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me,
While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him,
Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 42:3 Hebrew all the day.
  2. Psalm 42:4 Hebrew upon.
  3. Psalm 42:4 Or, went in procession with them
  4. Psalm 42:5 Hebrew bowed down.
  5. Psalm 42:6 Or, the little mountain
  6. Psalm 42:9 Or, while the enemy oppresseth
  7. Psalm 42:10 Or, crushing