Thirsting for God
Study note
The psalmist compares his longing for God to a deer gasping for water. His tears have been his food while enemies taunt him, asking 'Where is your God?' He remembers joyful worship and speaks to his downcast soul.
1 Like a deer that is desperate for a cool stream of water — that is exactly how my soul longs for you, O God. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul is burning with thirst for God — the God who is truly alive. When will I finally get to go and stand in God's presence? My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 Tears have been all I have had to eat, day and night, while people keep asking me over and over, "So where is your God?" My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 I pour out my heart when I remember how things used to be. I walked with the crowd. I led them right up to the house of God with shouts of joy and thankful praise. When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
5 Why are you so crushed, my soul? Why all this restless churning inside me? Anchor your hope in God, because I will still praise him — the one who saves me, my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Deep Calls to Deep
Study note
The psalmist feels overwhelmed, like being under crashing waves. Yet God's love is with him by day and his song is with him at night. He repeats the refrain: 'Why are you downcast, O my soul? Hope in God.'
6 My soul feels crushed inside me. So I think about you from the land near the Jordan River, from the slopes of Hermon and little Mount Mizar. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
7 One deep wave calls out to the next in the thundering crash of your waterfalls. Every wave and every breaker you send has crashed right over me. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
8 During the day, the Lord pours out his loyal love. When night comes, his song stays with me — a prayer to the God who gives me life. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my solid rock, "Why have you forgotten about me? Why do I have to walk around in sadness while my enemy crushes me?" I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
10 It feels like my enemies are breaking my bones when they taunt me all day long, saying, "Where is your God now?" As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
11 Why are you so crushed, my soul? Why all this restless churning inside me? Anchor your hope in God, because I will still praise him — the one who saves me, my 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 health of my countenance, and my God.