Psalm 42

1For the choir director: A psalm* of the descendants of Korah.As the deer longs for streams of water,so I long for you, O God.

2I thirst for God, the living God.When can I go and stand before him?

3Day and night I have only tears for food,while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,“Where is this God of yours?”

4My heart is breakingas I remember how it used to be:I walked among the crowds of worshipers,leading a great procession to the house of God,singing for joy and giving thanksamid the sound of a great celebration!

5Why am I discouraged? 42:5 Pss 38:6; 44:3; Why is my heart so sad? oss I will put my hope in God! Lam 3:24 I will praise him again— my Savior and 6my God! 42:6 Now Lam deeply discouraged, Fark 14:94 but J will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.

7[hear the tumult of the raging seas 42:7as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. yea42:TITLE Hebrew maski. This may be a literary or musical term.ahim find eternal life. Feeling separated from God, this psalmistwouldn’t rest until he restored his relationship with God becausehe knew that his very lite depended on it. Do you thirst for God?42:4, 5 The writer of this psalm was discouraged because hewas exiled to a place far from Jerusalem and could not worshipin the Tempie. During these God-given holidays, the nation was toremember all that God had done for them. Many of these festivalsare explained in the chart in Leviticus 22, p. 189.42:5,

8Depression is one of the most common emotional ail-ments. One antidote for depression is to meditate on the recordof God’s goodness to his people. This will take your mind off thepresent situation as you focus your thoughts on God’s ability tohelp you rather than on your inability to help yourself. When youfeel depressed, take advantage of this psaim’s antidepressant: Readthe Bible’s accounts of God's goodness, and meditate an them.

8 But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,and through each night I sing his songs,praying to God who gives me life.

9“O God my rock,” I cry,“Why have you forgotten me?Why must I wander around in grief,oppressed by my enemies?”

10Their taunts break my bones.They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”

11Why am I discouraged?Why is my heart so sad?I will put my hope in God!I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!Theme: Hope in a time of discouragement. In the face of discouragement, our onlyhope is in God.Author: The sons of Korah (Temple assistants). Psalms 42 and 43 are one psalmin many Hebrew manuscripts.43 1 Declare me innocent, O God!Defend me against these ungodly people.