Psalm 42 (NKJV)

Book Two: Psalms 42–72

Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

4 When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

• O LORD, I long for You with all my heart. I pant for You and I thirst for You!
• My tears fall down my face all day and all night as I search for You.
• Show me Your presence and reveal Your face to me.
• When I remember my desire, I give You all my being and worship before You.
• I have worshipped with the multitudes in the house of God.
• We have offered joy and praise, and celebrated the great accomplishments of our God.
• You are great, O LORD.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

• Having considered Your greatness, my God, why am I distressed?
• I hope in You, and I will praise You exuberantly.
• My soul is downcast, but You are my source.
• I will remember Your works in my life.
• I will remember my salvation, and all the days I have served You, O LORD!
• The depths of my Spirit cry out to the depths of Your Holy Spirit.
• When I see Your glory in nature, I cannot but worship You.
• You give Your mercy all day, and in the night You sing to me and inspire my own song.
• I will pray to You in the night, and all of my life.

9 I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

• I rehearse my troubles to You, O God, and mourn because of my attackers.
• It is as if my soul and body are broken, and I suffer reproach all day long.
• They mock me as they mock You, and I cannot stop them!
• This is why my soul is depressed, and I see no hope.
• Yet, I will hope in You. I will praise You.
• You are my help and the lifter of my head.
• You are my God!