Psalm 42

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42

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

¹A deer longs for streams of water.

God, I long for you in the same way.

²I am thirsty for God. I am thirsty for the living God.

When can I go and meet with him?

³My tears have been my food

day and night.

All day long people say to me,

“Where is your God?”

⁴When I remember what has happened,

I tell God all of my troubles.

I remember how I used to walk along with the crowd of worshipers.

I led them to the house of God.

We shouted with joy and gave thanks

as we went to the holy feast.

⁵My spirit, why are you so sad?

Why are you so upset deep down inside me?

Put your hope in God.

Once again I will have reason to praise him.

He is my Savior and ⁶my God.

My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.

So I will remember you here where the Jordan River begins.

I will remember you here on the Hermon mountains

and on Mount Mizar.

⁷You have sent wave upon wave of trouble over me.

It roars down on me like a waterfall.

All of your waves and breakers have rolled over me.

⁸During the day the Lord sends his love to me.

During the night I sing about him.

I say a prayer to the God who gives me life.

⁹I say to God my Rock,

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go around in sorrow?

Why am I beaten down by my enemies?”

¹⁰My body suffers deadly pain

as my enemies make fun of me.

All day long they say to me,

“Where is your God?”

¹¹My spirit, why are you so sad?

Why are you so upset deep down inside me?

Put your hope in God.

Once again I will have reason to praise him.

He is my Savior and my God.