Psalm 42 - As the Hart Panteth After the Water Brooks
A psalm of deep longing for God's presence amid tears and distant memory.
Psalm 42 opens in Psalms 42:1 comparing the soul's thirst for God to a hart panting after water brooks, while tears have become the psalmist's food day and night. He remembers leading festive worship at God's house, a memory now sharpened by distance and taunts of "Where is thy God?"
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And `why' art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him `For' the help of his countenance.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: Therefore do I remember thee from the land of the Jordan, And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
`Yet' Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the day-time; And in the night his song shall be with me, `Even' a prayer unto the God of my life.
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, `Who is' the help of my countenance, and my God.