Psalm 42

Longing for God

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

As a deer longs for flowing streams,

so I long for you, God.a

2I thirst for God, the living God.

When can I come and appear before God?a

3My tears have been my food day and night,

while all day long people say to me,

“Where is your God? ”a

4I remember this as I pour out my heart:a

how I walked with many,

leading the festive procession to the house of God,

with joyful and thankful shouts.b

5Why, my soul, are you so dejected?

Why are you in such turmoil?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,

my Savior and my God.a

6IA am deeply depressed;

therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan

and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.a

7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your breakers and your billows have swept over me.a

8The Lord will send his faithful love by day;a

his song will be with me in the night —

a prayer to the God of my life.

9I will say to God, my rock,a

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about in sorrow

because of the enemy’s oppression? ”b

10My adversaries taunt me,

as if crushing my bones,

while all day long they say to me,

“Where is your God? ”a

11Why, my soul, are you so dejected?

Why are you in such turmoil?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,

my Savior and my God.a