Scripture Verse

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1–2

Introduction

Words: From The Psal­ter (Pitt­sburgh, Penn­syl­van­ia: Unit­ed Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1912), num­ber 118.

Music: Snow­den Ro­bert B. Ro­bert­son (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ro­bert­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

As thirsts the hart for cool­ing flood,
So longs my soul, O liv­ing God,
To taste Thy grace;
When un­to Thee shall I draw near,
O when with­in Thy courts ap­pear,
And see Thy face?

How oft I led the hap­py throngs
That sought the house of God with songs
Of joy and praise;
I ev­er joined with true de­light
The mul­ti­tude that kept aright
The ho­ly days.

O why, my soul, such hope­less­ness?
Why such dis­qui­et and dis­tress?
On God re­ly;
For I shall yet be­hold His face,
Who is my God, and I His grace
Will mag­ni­fy.