< Psalms 42 >
1 For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.
For the end, [a Psalm] for instruction, for the sons of Core. As the hart earnestly desires the fountains of water, so my soul earnestly longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
My soul has thirsted for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
My tears have been bread to me day and night, while they daily said to me, Where is your God?
4 These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
I remembered these things, and poured out my soul in me, for I will go to the place of your wondrous tabernacle, [even] to the house of God, with a voice of exultation and thanksgiving and of the sound of those who keep festival.
5 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
Therefore are you very sad, O my soul? and therefore do you trouble me? hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; [he is] the salvation of my countenance.
6 My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
O my God, my soul has been troubled within me: therefore will I remember you from the land of Jordan, and of the Ermonites, from the little hill.
7 Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.
Deep calls to deep at the voice of your cataracts: all your billows and your waves have gone over me.
8 GOD will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life.
By day the Lord will command his mercy, and manifest [it] by night: with me [is] prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
I will say to God, You are my helper; why have you forgotten me? therefore do I go sad of countenance, while the enemy oppresses [me]?
10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
While my bones were breaking, they that afflicted me reproached me; while they said to me daily, Where is your God?
11 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Therefore are you very sad, O my soul? and therefore do you trouble me? hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; [he is] the health of my countenance, and my God.