Devotion for today: when you’re down and troubled, turn to Psalm 42

Mosaic illustration from Psalm 42, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

PSALM 42

As a deer longs for a stream of cool water,
    so I long for you, O God. I thirst for you, the living God.
    When can I go and worship in your presence?
 Day and night I cry,
    and tears are my only food;
all the time my enemies ask me,
    “Where is your God?”

My heart breaks when I remember the past,
    when I went with the crowds to the house of God
    and led them as they walked along,
    a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God. Why am I so sad?
    Why am I so troubled?

I will put my hope in God,
    and once again I will praise him,
    my savior and my God.

Here in exile my heart is breaking,
    and so I turn my thoughts to him.
He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul;
    chaos roars at me like a flood,
    like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan
    from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar. May the Lord show his constant love during the day,
    so that I may have a song at night,
    a prayer to the God of my life.

To God, my defender, I say,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go on suffering
    from the cruelty of my enemies?” I am crushed by their insults,
    as they keep on asking me,
    “Where is your God?”

Why am I so sad?
    Why am I so troubled?

I will put my hope in God,
    and once again I will praise him,
    my savior and my God.