Psalms 42

1 Unto the end. The understanding of the sons of Korah. As the deer longs for fountains of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.

For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites. Like the hart which longs for brooks of water, I long for you, God.

2 My soul has thirsted for the strong living God. When will I draw close and appear before the face of God?

I thirst for God, for my living God. When shall I enter in, and see the face of God?

3 My tears have been my bread, day and night. Meanwhile, it is said to me daily: “Where is your God?”

My tears have been my food by day and by night; for they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’

4 These things I have remembered; and my soul within me, I have poured out. For I will cross into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, all the way to the house of God, with a voice of exultation and confession, the sound of feasting.

My heart floods with sorrow, as I call to mind: how I used to pass on with the throng, at their head, to the house of God, with glad shouts and giving of thanks, in the throng who kept festival.

5 Why are you sad, my soul? And why do you disquiet me? Hope in God, for I will still confess to him: the salvation of my countenance,

Why am I downcast? Why this moaning within me? Hope in God; for yet will I praise him, my help, my God.

6 and my God. My soul has been troubled within myself. Because of this, I will remember you from the land of the Jordan and from Hermon, from the little mountain.

I am sunk in my misery; I will therefore call you to mind from the land of Jordan and Hermon, the mountain Mizar.

7 Abyss calls upon abyss, with the voice of your floodgate. All your heights and your waves have passed over me.

Flood is calling to flood at the noise of your cataracts; all your waves and your breakers have passed over me.

8 In the daylight, the Lord has ordered his mercy; and in the night, a canticle to him. With me is a prayer to the God of my life.

In the day I cry to the Lord to summon his kindness; and the song that I sing in the night is a prayer to the living God.

9 I will say to God, “You are my supporter. Why have you forgotten me? And why do I walk in mourning, while my adversary afflicts me?”

I say to God my rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk so sadly, so hard pressed by the foe?’

10 While my bones are being broken, my enemies, who trouble me, have reproached me. Meanwhile, they say to me every single day, “Where is your God?”

It pierces me to the heart to hear the enemy’s taunts, as all the day long they say to me, ‘Where is your God?’

11 My soul, why are you saddened? And why do you disquiet me? Hope in God, for I will still confess to him: the salvation of my countenance and my God.

Why am I downcast? Why this moaning within me? Hope in God; for yet will I praise him, my help, my God.