39.4 Desire For God

(Psalm 42:1-7a, 8-11)

A s a deer longs for a stream of cool water,
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for you, the living God.
When can I go and worship in your presence?
Day and night I cry,
and tears are my only food;
all the time my enemies ask me,
“Where is your God?”

My heart breaks when I remember the past,
when I went with the crowds to the house of God
and led them as they walked along;
a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God.
Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled?
I will put my hope in God,
and once again I will praise him,
my savior and my God.

Here in exile my heart is breaking,
and so I turn my thoughts to him.
He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul.
May the Lord show his constant love during the day,
so that I may have song at night,
a prayer to the God of my life.

To God, my defender, I say,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go on suffering
from the cruelty of my enemies?”
I am crushed by their insults,
as they keep on asking me, “Where is your God?”

Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled?
I will put my hope in God,
and once again I will praise him,
my savior and my God.