Psalm 42

BOOK II

Psalms 42—72

As the Deer Pants for the Water

For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.^a

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul longs after You, O God.

² My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?^b

³ My tears have been my food

both day and night,

while men ask me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

⁴ These things come to mind as I pour out my soul:

how I walked with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God

with shouts of joy and praise.

⁵ Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him

for the salvation of His presence.

⁶ O my God, my soul despairs within me.

Therefore I remember You

from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—

even from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep

in the roar of Your waterfalls;

all Your breakers and waves

have rolled over me.

⁸ The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day,

and at night His song is with me

as a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God my Rock,

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?”

¹⁰ Like the crushing of my bones,

my enemies taunt me,

while they say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

¹¹ Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.