As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams

Metrical paraphrase of Psalm 42 by Tate & Brady, 1698; altered by Crawford R. Thoburn, 1991.

1. As pants the hart for cooling streams
When heated by the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing grace.

2. For Thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
Oh, when shall I behold Thy face,
Thou Majesty Divine?

3. Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Trust God, who will employ
His aid for thee, and change those sighs
To thankful hymns of joy.

4. God of my strength, how long shall I,
Like one forgotten, mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken, and exposed
To my oppressor's scorn?

5. Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
The praise of Him who is thy God,
Thy health's eternal spring.