Why are you cast down, O my soul?

Psalm 42:1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation 6 and my God.

Psalm 43:3 Send out your light and your truth;

    let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

    and to your dwelling!

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

    to God my exceeding joy,

and I will praise you with the lyre,

    O God, my God.

These two psalms are to be studied together as they share the same refrain, found above in 42:5, and again in 42:11 and 43:5 - Why am I so upset, when my hope is in God?  Once again, David cries out as he is being pursued and persecuted and therefore cannot go to the tabernacle to worship. He longs to do so, and he looks forward to the time when rather than restrict him from doing so, others will lead him and join him into the presence of the Lord.  May we have such a passion for God's presence.