‘As the hind pants after the water brooks,
So pants my soul after you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God:
When shall I come and see the face of God?'
He commences by describing the great longing that he has to enjoy the presence of God, and compares it with the gentle, timorous hind (the verb is feminine) which, in a season of drought, pants and longs for water with its tongue hanging out (compare Joel 1:20 - ‘for the animals in the wild pant to you, for the water brooks are dried up'. See also Psalms 63:1). So in the same way does the Psalmist long after God, the living God. He has a great thirst for God. And he wonders how long it will be before he can again enjoy entering His presence in the company of His people.
The idea of the living God as the One Who satisfies the thirst of His people appears constantly in Scripture. See Isaiah 55:1-3; Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 17:13; Jeremiah 36:8-19; John 4:10-14. It is especially poignant for those who live in hot countries and know what real thirst is.
‘See the face of God.' To enter into God's House worshipping with His people was for him to see the face of God, to be aware of His presence, and to know that He was there. And he longed for the experience again.