Longing for God

¹ A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.¹ O God, you are my God; I will seek you diligently. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you as in a dry and weary land without water.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² Thus I have seen you in the sanctuary, beholding your strength and glory.

³ Because your loyal love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

⁴ So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my ⌞hands⌟¹ in your name.

1. Hebrew “palms”

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise.

⁶ When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches.

⁷ Because you have been my help, therefore¹ in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

1. Hebrew “and”

⁸ My soul clings to¹ you; your right hand upholds me.

1. Or “follows hard after”

⁹ But as for them who seek my life for ruin, they will go into the depths of the earth.

¹⁰ They who would ⌞deliver him to the sword⌟¹ will become a portion for jackals.

1. Literally “pour him out to the hands of the sword”

¹¹ However, the king will rejoice in God. Everyone who swears an oath by him will boast, because the mouth of the liars will be stopped.