Psalm 42

1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

3 My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”

4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence.

6 O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon— even from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.

8 The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”

10 Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Book II opens with the sons of Korah and the panting hart: 'As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.' Tears have been food day and night while they say, 'Where is thy God?' He remembers leading the throng to the house of God, and coins the refrain of the pair (42–43): 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul?… Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him.' Deep calleth unto deep; all thy waves are gone over me, yet Jehovah commands his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song is with me.

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Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Poetry · David, Asaph, Sons of Korah, others — Psalms overview

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Psalms 632 verses
- Psalms 63:1O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
- Psalms 63:6When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night.
- Read Psalms 63 →
Jonah 22 verses
- Jonah 2:3For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.
- Jonah 2:7As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
- Read Jonah 2 →
Psalms 422 verses
- Psalms 42:3My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
- Psalms 42:5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence.
- Read Psalms 42 →
Psalms 611 verse
- Psalms 61:2From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
- Read Psalms 61 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Psalms 1431 verse
- Psalms 143:6I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Read Psalms 143 →
Psalms 1191 verse
- Psalms 119:131I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments.
- Read Psalms 119 →
Psalms 841 verse
- Psalms 84:10For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
- Read Psalms 84 →
John 71 verse
- John 7:37On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
- Read John 7 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.