Psalm 42

For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul longs after You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

3 My tears have been my food

both day and night,

while men ask me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul:

how I walked with the multitude,

leading the festive procession to the house of God

with shouts of joy and praise.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him

for the salvation of His presence.

6 O my God, my soul despairs within me.

Therefore I remember You

from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—

even from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep

in the roar of Your waterfalls;

all Your breakers and waves

have rolled over me.

8 The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day,

and at night His song is with me

as a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I walk in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression?”

10 Like the crushing of my bones,

my enemies taunt me,

while they say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why the unease within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42, note a In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm. Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.Psalm 42:2, note b Or and see the face of God?