Salmos 42

Hope in God in the Midst of Despair

For the music director. A maskil of the sons of Korah.*The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

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?*Some Hebrew manuscripts and versions read "and see the face of 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*Or "temple" of God,

with a voice of rejoicing and thanksgiving,

a crowd celebrating a festival.

5 Why are you in despair,*Literally "bowed down" 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;*Literally "bowed down"

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*Or "to" 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,*Literally "all the day"

"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you in despair,*Literally "bowed down" O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God, because I shall again praise him,

my salvation*Literally "the salvation of my face" and my God.