As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.
Psalm 42:1
Words: Nahum Tate & Nicholas Brady, 1696.
Music: Spohr Ludwig Spohr, from his oratorio Calvary, 1835 (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tune:
If you know where to get a good picture of Brady (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee
And Thy refreshing grace.
For Thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
O, when shall I behold Thy face,
Thou majesty divine?
God of my strength, how long shall I
Like one forgotten, mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken and exposed
To my oppressor’s scorn?
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.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom we adore,
Be glory as it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.