Lyrics
Verse 1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
Chorus
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
Verse 2
You're my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a King
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything
Chorus (Repeat x2)
Outro
I am longing
I am longing
I am longing
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"As the Deer" opens by borrowing its central image directly from a well-known psalm, a deer panting for water used to describe the soul's longing for God. That inherited image gives the song's opening declaration, desiring God above every other pursuit, a long-established biblical foundation rather than an invented metaphor.
Its repeated refrain names God as sole strength, shield, and heart's desire, language emphasizing exclusivity rather than merely priority among competing loves. A middle verse shifts to a more relational tone, describing God as both friend and brother despite also being king, holding together intimacy and majesty within the same address.
Rooted in contemporary worship's adaptation of scriptural language into song, the piece functions as a personal expression of longing, its closing repetition of a single word underscoring that longing as ongoing and unresolved rather than a need already satisfied.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 42:1-2 Describes a deer panting for streams of water as an image for the soul's longing for God, directly quoted in the song's opening lines.