Psalm 22
English Standard Version
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?
2 O my God, I cry by (D)day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are (E)holy,
(F)enthroned on (G)the praises[a] of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they (H)cried and were rescued;
in you they (I)trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am (J)a worm and not a man,
(K)scorned by mankind and (L)despised by the people.
7 All who see me (M)mock me;
they make mouths at me; they (N)wag their heads;
8 (O)“He trusts in the Lord; let him (P)deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he (Q)delights in him!”
9 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.
16 For (AE)dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers (AF)encircles me;
they have (AG)pierced my hands and feet[b]—
17 I can count all my bones—
they (AH)stare and gloat over me;
18 (AI)they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, (AJ)do not be far off!
O you my help, (AK)come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of (AL)the dog!
21 Save me from (AM)the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued[c] me from the horns of (AN)the wild oxen!
22 (AO)I will tell of your name to my (AP)brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who (AQ)fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, (AR)glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of (AS)the afflicted,
and he has not (AT)hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he (AU)cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great (AV)congregation;
my (AW)vows I will (AX)perform before those who fear him.
26 (AY)The afflicted[d] shall (AZ)eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
May your hearts (BA)live forever!
27 All (BB)the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all (BC)the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
28 For (BD)kingship belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29 All (BE)the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
before him shall (BF)bow all who go down to the dust,
even the one who could not (BG)keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming (BH)generation;
31 they shall (BI)come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet (BJ)unborn,
that he has done it.
Footnotes
- Psalm 22:3 Or dwelling in the praises
- Psalm 22:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet
- Psalm 22:21 Hebrew answered
- Psalm 22:26 Or The meek
Psalm 22
New King James Version
The Suffering, Praise, and Posterity of the Messiah
To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
22 My (A)God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the (B)praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
(C)They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am (D)a worm, and no man;
(E)A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 (F)All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They [b]shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He(G) [c]trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
(H)Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 (I)But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
(J)You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 (K)Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of (L)Bashan have encircled Me.
13 (M)They [d]gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
(N)And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted [e]within Me.
15 (O)My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And (P)My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
(Q)They[f] pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
(R)They look and stare at Me.
18 (S)They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
(T)My[g] precious life from the power of the dog.
21 (U)Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
(V)You have answered Me.
22 (W)I will declare Your name to (X)My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (Y)You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you [h]descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But (Z)when He cried to Him, He heard.
25 (AA)My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
(AB)I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the [i]nations
Shall worship before [j]You.
28 (AC)For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.
29 (AD)All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
(AE)All those who go down to [k]the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.
30 A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.
Footnotes
- Psalm 22:1 Heb. Aijeleth Hashahar
- Psalm 22:7 Show contempt with their mouth
- Psalm 22:8 LXX, Syr., Vg. hoped; Tg. praised
- Psalm 22:13 Lit. have opened their mouths at Me
- Psalm 22:14 Lit. in the midst of My bowels
- Psalm 22:16 So with some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg.; MT Like a lion instead of They pierced
- Psalm 22:20 Lit. My only one
- Psalm 22:23 Lit. seed
- Psalm 22:27 Gentiles
- Psalm 22:27 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Arab., Syr., Vg. Him
- Psalm 22:29 Death
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
