Psalm 42–43

Wishing to Be Near God

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

42As a deer thirsts for streams of water,

so I thirst for you, God.

²I thirst for the living God.

When can I go to meet with him?

³Day and night, my tears have been my food.

People are always saying,

“Where is your God?”

⁴When I remember these things,

I speak with a broken heart.

I used to walk with the crowd

and lead them to God’s Temple

with songs of praise.

⁵Why am I so sad?

Why am I so upset?

I should put my hope in God

and keep praising him,

my Savior and ⁶my God.

I am very sad.

So I remember you where the Jordan River begins,

near the peaks of Hermon and Mount Mizar.

⁷Troubles have come again and again, sounding like waterfalls.

Your waves are crashing all around me.

⁸The Lord shows his true love every day.

At night I have a song,

and I pray to my living God.

⁹I say to God, my Rock,

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why am I sad

and troubled by my enemies?”

¹⁰My enemies’ insults make me feel

as if my bones were broken.

They are always saying,

“Where is your God?”

¹¹Why am I so sad?

Why am I so upset?

I should put my hope in God

and keep praising him,

my Savior and my God.

A Prayer for Protection

43God, defend me.

Argue my case against those who don’t follow you.

Save me from liars and those who do evil.

²God, you are my strength.

Why have you rejected me?

Why am I sad

and troubled by my enemies?

³Send me your light and truth

to guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to where you live.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God who is my joy and happiness.

I will praise you with a harp,

God, my God.

⁵Why am I so sad?

Why am I so upset?

I should put my hope in God

and keep praising him,

my Savior and my God.