Psalm 42:1-11

  • Praising God as the Grand Savior

    • Thirsting for God as a deer thirsts for water (1, 2)

    • “Why am I in despair?” (5, 11)

    • “Wait for God” (5, 11)

To the director. Masʹkil* of the sons of Korʹah.+ 42  As a deer that longs for streams of water,So I long* for you, O God.  2  I do thirst* for God, for the living God.+ When may I come and appear before God?+  3  My tears are my food day and night;All day long people taunt me: “Where is your God?”+  4  These things I remember, and I pour out my soul,*For I once walked along with the multitude;I used to walk solemnly* before them to the house of God,With sounds of rejoicing and thanksgiving,Those of a crowd celebrating a festival.+  5  Why am I* in despair?+ Why is this turmoil within me? Wait for God,+For I will yet praise him as my Grand Savior.+  6  My God, I am* in despair.+ That is why I remember you,+From the land of Jordan and the peaks of Herʹmon,From Mount Mi·zarʹ.*  7  Deep waters call to deep watersAt the sound of your waterfalls. All your surging waves have overwhelmed me.+  8  By day Jehovah will grant me his loyal love,And by night his song will be with me—a prayer to the God of my life.+  9  I will say to God, my crag: “Why have you forgotten me?+ Why should I walk about sad because of the oppression by my enemy?”+ 10  With murderous hostility* my enemies taunt me;All day long they taunt me: “Where is your God?”+ 11  Why am I* in despair? Why is this turmoil within me? Wait for God,+For I will yet praise him as my Grand Savior and my God.+

Footnotes

^ Or “my soul longs.”
^ Or “My soul thirsts.”
^ Or “slowly.”
^ Or “is my soul.”
^ Or “my soul is.”
^ Or “the little mountain.”
^ Or possibly, “As if crushing my bones.”
^ Or “is my soul.”