Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

22 (A)My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so (B)far from saving me, from the words of my (C)groaning?
O my God, I cry by (D)day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are (E)holy,
    (F)enthroned on (G)the praises[a] of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they (H)cried and were rescued;
    in you they (I)trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am (J)a worm and not a man,
    (K)scorned by mankind and (L)despised by the people.
All who see me (M)mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they (N)wag their heads;
(O)“He trusts in the Lord; let him (P)deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he (Q)delights in him!”

Yet you are he who (R)took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from (S)my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Be not (T)far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is (U)none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
    (V)strong bulls of (W)Bashan surround me;
13 they (X)open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am (Y)poured out like water,
    and all my bones are (Z)out of joint;
my (AA)heart is like (AB)wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is (AC)dried up like a potsherd,
    and my (AD)tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:3 Or dwelling in the praises

Psalm 22[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
    Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
    by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
    you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)

But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(O)
    they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
    since he delights(T) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
    you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(X)
    for trouble is near(Y)
    and there is no one to help.(Z)

12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
    open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
    it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
    you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  2. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  3. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  4. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength