Saturday, September 8, 2007

Psalm for today's Evening Prayer

One of the Psalms, to be exact. There was also Psalm 43. This is Psalm 42. SVO, what's your favorite musical setting of this?

Psalm 42 [Quemadmodum]

Like the deer that yearns
for flowing streams,
so my soul is longing
for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God,
the living God.
When shall I come and see
the face of God?

My tears have become my food,
by night and day,
while I hear it said all day,
"Where is your God?"

These things will I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I led the throng,
to the house of God,
with shouts of gladness and
songs of thanksgiving,
the multitude keeping festival.

Why are you cast down my soul,
why disquieted within me?
Hope in God; I will again praise you,
my help and my God.

My soul is cast down within me,
therefore I think of you,
frm the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep,
in the thunder of your water;
all your waves and billows
have swept over me.

By day you will send me
your steadfast love;
and at night your song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to you my rock:
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of oppression?"

As with a deadly wound,
my adversaries taunt me,
saying to me all the day long:
"Where is your God?"

Why are you cast down, my soul,

why disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall praise again,
my savior and my God.

[Translation: The People's Companion to the Breviary, Indianapolis Carmel. BCP and KJV translations here. Has anybody tried the St. Helena Breviary? How does that inclusive language version compare with the Indianapolis Carmel's version?]

1 comment:

johnieb said...

With the exception of the St Helena version, which I as yet have no access to, I much prefer the beautiful version which you quote.