PSALMS 42

1 Deer pant, desiring to drink water from a stream when there is a drought (OR, when they are being pursued by hunters.) In the same way [SIM], God, I need you very much. 2 I desire to have fellowship with [MET] you, the all-powerful God. I wonder, “When will I be able to go back to the temple in Israel and worship in your presence again?" 3 Every day and every night I cry; it is as though the only thing I have to drink is my tears; and while I do that, my enemies are continually asking me, “Why does your god not help you?" 4 I am very distressed [IDM] as I remember when I went with the crowd of people to the temple in Jerusalem, leading them as we walked along; we were all shouting joyfully and singing to thank God for what he had done; we were a large group who were celebrating. 5 So I say to myself, “◄Why am I sad and discouraged?/I should not be sad and discouraged!► [RHQ] I confidently expect God to help me, and again I will praise him, my God, the one who saves me." 6 But now, Yahweh, I am very discouraged [IDM], so I think about you, even from where the Jordan River gushes out from the bottom of Hermon Mountain and from Mizar Mountain. 7 But here, the great sorrow that I feel is like water that you send down [MET]; it is like a waterfall that tumbles down and floods over me. 8 Yahweh shows me each day that he faithfully loves me, and each night I sing to him and pray to him, the God who causes me to live. 9 I say to God, who is like an overhanging rock under which I can hide [MET], “It seems that you have forgotten me. I <mourn/cry> constantly because my enemies act cruelly toward me” [RHQ]. 10 They make fun of me constantly; they continually ask, “Why does your god not help you?” [RHQ] And when they insult me like that, it is like wounds that I feel even in my bones. 11 But I think, “◄Why am I sad and discouraged?/I should not be sad and discouraged!► [RHQ] I will confidently expect God to help me, and I will praise him again, my God, the one who saves me."