As the Hart Longs for the Water
Psalms 41
The psalmist's soul thirsts for the living God as a deer longs for flowing streams, and he weeps remembering when he used to go with the crowd to worship in the Lord's house. Though taunted with the question, Where is thy God, and overwhelmed like one caught under crashing waves, he repeatedly urges his own soul to hope in God.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
Thomson—
BrentonFor the end, a Psalm for instruction, for the sons of Core.
GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, εἰς σύνεσιν τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορέ.
KJV—
JPS—
2
ThomsonAS the hart panteth for fountains of water, so panteth my soul for Thee, O God.
BrentonAs the hart earnestly desires the fountains of water, so my soul earnestly longs for thee, O God.
GreekὋν τρόπον ἐπιποθεῖ ἡ ἔλαφος ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων, οὕτως ἐπιποθεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου πρὸς σὲ ὁ Θεός.
KJVAs the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
JPSAs the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.
3
ThomsonMy soul hath thirsted for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?
BrentonMy soul has thirsted for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
GreekἘδίψησεν ἡ ψυχή μου πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ζῶντα· πότε ἥξω καὶ ὀφθήσομαι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ;
KJVMy soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
JPSMy soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: 'When shall I come and appear before God?'
4
ThomsonMy tears were my food day and night, when they said to me continually, Where is thy God?
BrentonMy tears have been bread to me day and night, while they daily said to me, Where is thy God?
GreekἘγενήθη τὰ δάκρυά μου ἐμοὶ ἄρτος ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, ἐν τῷ λέγεσθαί μοι καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός σου;
KJVMy tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
JPSMy tears have been my food day and night, while they say unto me all the day: 'Where is Thy God?'
5
ThomsonOn recollecting these things, I have poured out my soul by myself.
BrentonI remembered these things, and poured out my soul in me, for I will go to the place of thy wondrous tabernacle, even to the house of God, with a voice of exultation and thanksgiving and of the sound of those who keep festival.
GreekΤαῦτα ἐμνήσθην, καὶ ἐξέχεα ἐπʼ ἐμὲ τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι διελεύσομαι ἐν τόπῳ σκηνῆς θαυμαστῆς ἕως τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐν φωνῇ ἀγαλλιάσεως καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως ἤχου ἑορταζόντων.
KJVWhen I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
JPSThese things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I passed on with the throng, and led them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
6
ThomsonSince I am to pass on, at the place of an awful tabernacle, to the house of God, with a voice of joy and praise—with the acclamations of them who celebrate a festival: why art thou, O my soul, cast down; and why disquietest thou me? Trust in God, for I shall praise Him: He is the health of my countenance.
BrentonWherefore art thou very sad, O my soul? and wherefore dost thou trouble me? hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; he is the salvation of my countenance.
GreekἹνατί περίλυπος εἶ ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἱνατί συνταράσσεις με; ἔλπισον ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι ἐξομολογήσομαι αὐτῷ, σωτήριον τοῦ προσώπου μου,
KJVWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
JPSWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? And why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him for the salvation of His countenance.
7
ThomsonO my God, my soul within me was troubled; therefore I will remember Thee, from the land of Jordan and Ermoneim, bordering on the little mountain.
BrentonO my God, my soul has been troubled within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Ermonites, from the little hill.
GreekὉ Θεός μου· πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου ἐταράχθη, διὰ τοῦτο μνησθήσομαί σου ἐκ γῆς Ἰορδάνου, καὶ Ἐρμωνιεὶμ ἀπὸ ὄρους μικροῦ.
KJVO my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
JPSO my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore do I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.
8
ThomsonDeep calleth on deep to form Thy roaring cataracts; all Thy meteors and Thy billows passed over me.
BrentonDeep calls to deep at the voice of thy cataracts: all thy billows and thy waves have gone over me.
GreekἌβυσσος ἄβυσσον ἐπικαλεῖται εἰς φωνὴν τῶν καταῤῥακτῶν σου· πάντες οἱ μετεωρισμοί σου, καὶ τὰ κύματά σου ἐπʼ ἐμὲ διῆλθον.
KJVDeep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
JPSDeep calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts; all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me.
9
ThomsonBy day the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night He will make it manifest. Let there be with me a prayer to the God of my life.
BrentonBy day the Lord will command his mercy, and manifest it by night: with me is prayer to the God of my life.
GreekἩμέρας ἐντελεῖται Κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, καὶ νυκτὸς δηλώσει· παρʼ ἐμοὶ προσευχὴ τῷ Θεῷ τῆς ζωῆς μου,
KJVYet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
JPSBy day the LORD will command His lovingkindness, and in the night His song shall be with me, even a prayer unto the God of my life.
10
ThomsonLet me say to God, Thou art my helper. Why hast Thou forgotten me—why go I pensive because of mine enemy’s oppression?
BrentonI will say to God, Thou art my helper; why hast thou forgotten me? wherefore do I go sad of countenance, while the enemy oppresses me?
Greekἐρῶ τῷ Θεῷ, ἀντιλήπτωρ μου εἶ, διατί μου ἐπελάθου; ἱνατί σκυθρωπάζων πορεύομαι ἐν τῷ ἐκθλίβειν τὸν ἐχθρόν μου;
KJVI will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
JPSI will say unto God my Rock: 'Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy?'
11
ThomsonWhen my bones were bruised, mine enemies reproached me, by their saying to me every day, Where is thy God.
BrentonWhile my bones were breaking, they that afflicted me reproached me; while they said to me daily, Where is thy God?
GreekἘν τῷ καταθλᾶσθαι τὰ ὀστᾶ μου, ὠνείδισάν με οἱ θλίβοντές με· ἐν τῷ λέγειν αὐτούς μοι καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός σου;
KJVAs with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
JPSAs with a crushing in my bones, mine adversaries taunt me; while they say unto me all the day: 'Where is Thy God?'
12
ThomsonWhy art thou, O my soul, cast down—and why disquietest thou me? Trust in God, for I shall praise Him; He is the health of my countenance and my God.
BrentonWherefore art thou very sad, O my soul? and wherefore dost thou trouble me? hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; he is the health of my countenance, and my God.
GreekἹνατί περίλυπος εἶ ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἱνατί συνταράσσεις με; ἔλπισον ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι ἐξομολογήσομαι αὐτῷ, ἡ σωτηρία τοῦ προσώπου μου, καὶ ὁ Θεός μου.
KJVWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
JPSWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? And why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my God.