Psalms 42
42
BOOK TWO
(Psalms 42–72)
Psalm 42
For the choir director; a maskil #42:0 Unknown musical term. by Korah’s descendants.
1As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When may I come to see God’s face?
3My tears are my food day and night.
People ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4I will remember these things as I pour out my soul:
how I used to walk with the crowd
and lead it in a procession to God’s house.
⌞I sang⌟ songs of joy and thanksgiving
while crowds of people celebrated a festival.
5Why are you discouraged, my soul?
Why are you so restless?
Put your hope in God,
because I will still praise him.
He is my savior and my God.
6My soul is discouraged.
That is why I will remember you
in the land of Jordan, on the peaks of Hermon, on Mount Mizar.
7One deep sea calls to another at the roar of your waterspouts.
All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.
8The Lord commands his mercy during the day,
and at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9I will ask God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk around in mourning
while the enemy oppresses me?”
10With a shattering blow to my bones,
my enemies taunt me.
They ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11Why are you discouraged, my soul?
Why are you so restless?
Put your hope in God,
because I will still praise him.
He is my savior and my God.
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Psalms 42
42
A Cry for Revival # 42 Psalms 42 and 43 were originally composed as one psalm and later made into two.
For the Pure and Shining One
A contemplative poem for instruction by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan # 42 Korah was the great-grandson of Levi. The sons of Korah (translated here as the “prophetic singers of Korah’s clan”) were Levitical singers. David chose them to preside over the music of the tabernacle-tent on Mount Zion.
1I long to drink of you, O God,
to drink deeply from the streams of pleasure
flowing from your presence.
My longings overwhelm me for more of you! # 42:1 The literal Hebrew is “as the deer pants for the riverbank [water’s edge].” This translation takes the metaphor of a hunted deer and puts it into terms that transfer the meaning into today’s context. David was describing the passion and longing he had that was yet unfulfilled.
2My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God.
I want to come and see the face of God.
3Day and night my tears keep falling
and my heart keeps crying for your help,
while my enemies mock me over and over, saying,
“Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t he help you?”
4So I speak over my heartbroken soul,
“Take courage. Remember when you used to be
right out front leading the procession of praise
when the great crowd of worshipers
gathered to go into the presence of the Lord?
You shouted with joy as the sound of passionate celebration
filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers
honored the feast of the Lord!”
5So then, my soul, why would you be depressed?
Why would you sink into despair?
Just keep hoping and waiting on God, your Savior.
For no matter what, I will still sing with praise,
for you are my saving grace!
6Here I am depressed and downcast.
Yet I will still remember you as I ponder the place
where your glory streams down from the mighty mountaintops, lofty and majestic—the mountains of your awesome presence. # 42:6 The Hebrew text contains “Mount Hermon” and “Mount Mizar,” considered to be sacred mountains in the Hebrew culture. Hermon means “lofty and majestic.” Mizar means “littleness.”
7My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love.
Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow
over my soul, carrying me away,
cascading over me like a thundering cataract.
8All through the day Yahweh has commanded his endless love to pour over me.
Through the night I sing his songs
and my praises # 42:8 Or “my prayer.” to the living God.
9I will say to God, “You are my mountain of strength;
how could you forget me?
Why must I suffer this vile oppression of my enemies—
these heartless tormentors who are out to kill me?”
10Their wounding words pierce my heart
over and over while they say,
“Where is this God of yours?”
11So I say to my soul,
“Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed.
For I know my God will break through for me.”
Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.
Yes, he is my saving grace!
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