The Bible — World English Bible

Psalm 42

In brief

Psalm 42 is a song of the sons of Korah, Levites in charge of the singing at the temple. A believer far from the sanctuary expresses his thirst for God with the famous image of a deer looking for water. He weeps, people mock his faith (“Where is your God?”), he remembers the festivals of the past and feels overwhelmed. But twice he speaks to himself and chooses hope: “Hope in God! For I shall still praise him.”

The chapter in 4 parts

  1. v. 1-4Thirst for God and tears
  2. v. 5The first refrain: speaking to your own soul
  3. v. 6-10Downcast and overwhelmed, yet turned toward God
  4. v. 11The refrain returns: hoping in spite of everything

1As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.

2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

3My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

4These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.

5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.

6My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.

7Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.

8Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life.

9I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

10As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

11Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God.

Key verses

Verse 1-2
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

The image of the deer expresses a vital need, not a passing wish. The psalmist is not only looking for God's gifts, he is looking for God himself, the living God.

Verse 3
My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

Tears become daily food, and the mockery adds to the weight. The psalm gives you permission to weep before God without pretending that everything is fine.

Verse 5
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.

The psalmist addresses his own heart instead of simply enduring it. He does not deny his despair, he answers it by directing his hope to God, which prepares the refrain of verse 11.

Verse 8
Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life.

In the middle of distress, he remembers that God has shown him kindness by day and that he has sung to him by night. Remembering God's faithfulness supports the prayer of the present.

Test your knowledge

All Bible quizzes →

Characters in this chapter

Pray about this

What the sermons say

Psalm 42: Thirst for God, a Sign of Healthy FaithPastor Yokota, speaking from Japan, says that thirst for God is not a lack or a sign of weak faith. It is the sign of a healthy faith, which the cross comes to satisfy.Read the summary →The Thirst for God: The Burning Desire That Changes EverythingKevin Ango sees in this psalm's deer the picture of a Christian who has understood that nothing else will quench his thirst. Those who are truly thirsty seek God differently.Read the summary →Crossing the Desert: From Why to What ForNathan concludes on this psalm: the psalmist weeps, then speaks to his soul. He invites us to move from the “why” that looks for a cause to the “what for” that hopes for good.Read the summary →

Frequently asked questions about Psalm 42

What does Psalm 42 mean?

Psalm 42 expresses the thirst of a believer who feels far from God and from the place of worship. He states his sadness openly, recalls past joys, then repeats one decision: to hope in God. It shows that faith does not rule out tears or questions, but brings them before God.

Who wrote Psalm 42?

The title attributes it to the sons of Korah, a family of Levites in charge of the singing in the temple service. Psalm 43, which has the same refrain, was probably once joined to this one. We do not know exactly which member of the family composed it or when.

How can I pray Psalm 42 when I feel downcast?

Read it slowly and aloud. Tell God about your thirst and what weighs on you, in your own words, as the psalmist does. Then repeat the refrain of verses 5 and 11, addressing it to your own heart. Remember a time when God was faithful to you, and thank him for it.

Articles quoting Psalm 42

← All chapters

World English Bible translation — public domain.