BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

As the Deer Pants for the Water

1For the one directing. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.†

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for You, O God.

2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before the face of God?†

3My tears have been to me as bread,

day and night,

in the saying to me all the day,

“Where is your God?”

4These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within myself:

How I crossed over with the throng;

I moved with them up to the house of God,

with the voice of shouting and praise,

with a multitude keeping the feast.

5Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and in commotion within me?

Wait for God, for still I will praise Him,

for the salvation of His face.

6O My God, my soul is downcast within me;

upon thus I remember You,

from the land of the Jordan and Hermon,

from the mount of Mizar.

7Deep is calling to deep,

at the voice of Your waterfalls,

and all Your breakers and waves

have passed over me.

8By day, YHWH commands His loving devotion,

and in the night His song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

9I will say to God my rock,

“Why have You forgotten me?

Why must I walk in mourning

in the oppression of the enemy?”

10With a shattering in my bones,

my enemies taunt me,

in their saying to me all the day,

“Where is your God?”

11Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in commotion within me?

Wait for God, for still I will praise Him,

the salvation of my face, and my God.