Psalms 42

1 As the hart pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants after thee, O God.

For the music director. A psalm (maskil) of the sons of Korah. As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

I am thirsty for God, the living God. When can I go and see God's face?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, Where is thy God?

My tears have been my only food, day and night, while people ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.

I am crushed as I remember how I walked with the crowds, leading them in a procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and songs of thanks among the worshipers at the festival.

5 Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Why am I so discouraged? Why do I feel so sad? I will hope in God; I will praise him because he is the one who saves me—

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me. Therefore I remember thee from the land of the Jordan, and the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.

my God! Even though I am very discouraged, I still remember you: from the land of Jordan and Hermon, and from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep at the noise of thy waterfalls. All thy waves and thy billows have gone over me.

You thunder through the raging waters, through the noise of the waterfalls. Your crashing waves surge over me—I feel like I'm drowning.

8 Yet Jehovah will command his loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, even a prayer to the God of my life.

But every day the Lord shows me his trustworthy love; every night he gives me songs to sing—a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, Why have thou forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

I cry out, “My God, my rock, why have you forgotten me? Why must I go around weeping because of the attacks of my enemies?”

10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me; while they continually say to me, Where is thy God?

The mocking of my attackers crushes my bones. They're always asking me, “Where is your God?”

11 Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, the help of my countenance, and my God.

Why am I so discouraged? Why do I feel so sad? I will hope in God; I will praise him because he is the one who saves me—my God!