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

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before 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 food day and night, while they continually ask me, “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 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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

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

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

8 Yahweh 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.

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 ask 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 so sadly, so hard pressed by the foe?’

10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, “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 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.

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