Psalms 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.”