Psalms 42

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pantsMy soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I goMy tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of HermonDeep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

(1)(42:1) In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.

(2)(42:1) In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.

(3)(42:1) Title: Probably a literary or musical term

(4)(42:4) See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.