Psalm 42

New International Reader's Version

Book II

Psalms 42–72

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

42 A deer longs for streams of water.
    God, I long for you in the same way.
²I am thirsty for God. I am thirsty for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with him?
³My tears have been my food
    day and night.
All day long people say to me,
    “Where is your God?”
⁴When I remember what has happened,
    I tell God all my troubles.
I remember how I used to walk to the house of God.
    The Mighty One guarded my steps.
We shouted with joy and praised God
    as we went along with the joyful crowd.

⁵My spirit, why are you so sad?
    Why are you so upset deep down inside me?
Put your hope in God.
    Once again I will have reason to praise him.
    He is my Savior and my God.

⁶My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.
    So I will remember you here where the Jordan River begins.
I will remember you here on the Hermon mountains
    and on Mount Mizar.
⁷You have sent wave upon wave of trouble over me.
    It roars down on me like a waterfall.
All your waves and breakers have rolled over me.

⁸During the day the Lord sends his love to me.
During the night I sing about him.
I say a prayer to the God who gives me life.

⁹I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go around in sorrow?
    Why am I treated so badly by my enemies?”
¹⁰My body suffers deadly pain
    as my enemies make fun of me.
All day long they say to me,
    “Where is your God?”

¹¹My spirit, why are you so sad?
    Why are you so upset deep down inside me?
Put your hope in God.
    Once again I will have reason to praise him.
    He is my Savior and my God.