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.

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 meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in 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 will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily 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 health of my countenance, and my God.