For the music director. A maskil of the sons of Korah.
1 As a deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul longs 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 say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These I remember and I pour out my soul within me:
that I would go with the multitude;
I led them in procession to the house of God,
with a voice of rejoicing and thanksgiving,
a crowd celebrating a festival.
5 Why are you in despair, O my soul,
and disturbed within me?
Hope in God, because I will again praise him,
for the salvation of his presence.
6 O my God, within me my soul is in despair;
therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan
and the heights of Hermon, from the mountain of Mizar.
7 Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls.
All your breakers and your waves
have passed over me.
8 By day Yahweh commands his loyal love,
and in the night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As with a shattering in my bones
my oppressors taunt me,
while they say to me all day,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God, because I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.