Psalms 42

1 For the chief musician. A maschil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants after streams of water, so I thirst for you, God.

For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.

2 I thirst for God, for the living God, when will I come and appear before God?

My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, while my enemies are always saying to me, “Where is your God?”

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

4 These things I call to mind as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng and led them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude celebrating a festival.

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 bowed down, my soul? Why are you upset within me? Hope in God, for again I will praise him who is my salvation.

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 My God, my soul is bowed down within me, therefore I call you to mind from the land of the Jordan, from the three peaks of Mount Hermon, and from the hill of Mizar.

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 at the noise of your waterfalls; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.

8 Yet Yahweh will command his covenant faithfulness in the daytime; in the night his song will be with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

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

I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”

10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries rebuke me, while they always say to me, “Where is your God?”

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 bowed down, my soul? Why are you upset within me? Hope in God, for again I will praise him who is my salvation and my God.

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.