1 ARST In the same way that a deer desires to drink water in a dry place, so I desire you, O God. BSB BSB: For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.
2 ARST I desire to be with you so desperately, O you, the real God. It is as though I am thirsting for water. I say to myself,“I shall certainly return to the temple in Israel and worship in your presence again, O God!” BSB BSB: My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?
3 ARST Every day and every night I weep, and the only thing I have to drink is my tears. This is because my enemies are always asking me,“Your God will certainly not help you!” BSB BSB: My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 ARST I am sorrowful, as I remember when I used to go with the large groups of people to the temple where God dwelt in Jerusalem. On our way to the festival, we would all shout joyfully and sing to thank God for what he had done. BSB BSB: These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.
5 ARST So now I say to myself,“You certainly should not be sad and troubled! Confidently expect for God to rescue you! Then you will once again praise him, because of how he has saved you” BSB BSB: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence.
6 ARST O my God, I am discouraged, so I think about you. Your presence is refreshing, like the abundant waters of Jordan River that rush down from the peaks of Mount Hermon and from Mount Mizar. BSB BSB: O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—even from Mount Mizar.
7 ARST I am in turmoil like the rush of loud waterfalls. I am troubled as if many waves were crashing over me. BSB BSB: Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.
8 ARST Yahweh faithfully loves me every day, and so he causes me to sing to him every night a prayer to God, who keeps me alive. BSB BSB: The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.
9 ARST I say to God, who is like a huge rock on top of which I am safe{ from attackers},“Surely you have forgotten me! I am living sorrowfully because my enemies are afflicting me” BSB BSB: I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”
10 ARST My foes are always insulting me. They keep saying to me,“Your God will not help you!” When they insult me like that, it is like wounds that break my bones. BSB BSB: Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 ARST But now I say to myself,“You certainly should not be sad and troubled! Confidently expect for God to rescue you! Then you will once again praise him, because of how he has saved you.” BSB BSB: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.