Psalm 42
The sons of Korah cry out for God like a deer panting for water. The psalmist asks why his soul is downcast and counsels himself to hope in God. Deep calls to deep in the roar of God's waterfalls.
PsalmsPsalm 42 of 15011 versesBerean Standard Bible
In this passage: JordanMount Hermon
If God speaks to you through Psalm 42, record what He said in Doxa and come back to it.
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.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
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.
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.
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.
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.
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.
I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”
Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
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.
Read next
Best Prayer Apps 2026: Hallow, Pray.com, PrayerMate & Doxa TestedWhere to keep your prayers, the answers to them, and your testimonies, compared app by app.Cross-references for Psalm 42
“O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.”
“I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah”
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.”
“You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
“Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.”
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, licensed CC BY.
Psalm 42 on Doxa
Have a question about Psalm 42?
On Doxa, you can have a personal interaction about any scripture. Ask questions, explore context, and discover connections.
Real stories about these themes
Read testimonies from real people connected to what you're reading.
Explore Related Topics
If God speaks to you through Psalm 42
Doxa is where you record what God has said to you, in the words it came in, weigh it against Scripture with people you trust, and come back to it in the years that follow.
