Psalm 41-42

New International Version

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹Blessed^(A) are those who have regard for the weak;^(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.^(C)
²The Lord protects^(D) and preserves them—^(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—^(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.^(G)
³The Lord sustains them on their sickbed^(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.^(I)

⁴I said, “Have mercy^(J) on me, Lord;
    heal^(K) me, for I have sinned^(L) against you.”
⁵My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?^(M)”
⁶When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,^(N) while his heart gathers slander;^(O)
    then he goes out and spreads^(P) it around.

⁷All my enemies whisper together^(Q) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
⁸“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up^(R) from the place where he lies.”
⁹Even my close friend,^(S)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned^[b] against me.^(T)

¹⁰But may you have mercy^(U) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,^(V) that I may repay^(W) them.
¹¹I know that you are pleased with me,^(X)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.^(Y)
¹²Because of my integrity^(Z) you uphold me^(AA)
    and set me in your presence forever.^(AB)

¹³Praise^(AC) be to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(AD)
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.^(AE)

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42^[c]^[d]

For the director of music. A maskil^[e] of the Sons of Korah.

¹As the deer^(AF) pants for streams of water,^(AG)
    so my soul pants^(AH) for you, my God.
²My soul thirsts^(AI) for God, for the living God.^(AJ)
    When can I go^(AK) and meet with God?
³My tears^(AL) have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”^(AM)
⁴These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:^(AN)
how I used to go to the house of God^(AO)
    under the protection of the Mighty One^[f]
with shouts of joy^(AP) and praise^(AQ)
    among the festive throng.^(AR)

⁵Why, my soul, are you downcast?^(AS)
    Why so disturbed^(AT) within me?
Put your hope in God,^(AU)
    for I will yet praise^(AV) him,
    my Savior^(AW) and my God.^(AX)

⁶My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember^(AY) you
from the land of the Jordan,^(AZ)
    the heights of Hermon^(BA)—from Mount Mizar.
⁷Deep calls to deep^(BB)
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.^(BC)

⁸By day the Lord directs his love,^(BD)
at night^(BE) his song^(BF) is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.^(BG)

⁹I say to God my Rock,^(BH)
    “Why have you forgotten^(BI) me?
Why must I go about mourning,^(BJ)
    oppressed^(BK) by the enemy?”^(BL)
¹⁰My bones suffer mortal agony^(BM)
    as my foes taunt^(BN) me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”^(BO)

¹¹Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.^(BP)

Footnotes

Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel
Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.