Psalm 22 Good News Translation

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise^[a]

22 ^(A)My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I have cried desperately for help,
    but still it does not come.
²During the day I call to you, my God,
    but you do not answer;
I call at night,
    but get no rest.
³But you are enthroned as the Holy One,
    the one whom Israel praises.
⁴Our ancestors put their trust in you;
    they trusted you, and you saved them.
⁵They called to you and escaped from danger;
    they trusted you and were not disappointed.

⁶But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,
    despised and scorned by everyone!
⁷^(B)All who see me make fun of me;
    they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.
⁸^(C)“You relied on the Lord,” they say.
    “Why doesn't he save you?
If the Lord likes you,
    why doesn't he help you?”

⁹It was you who brought me safely through birth,
    and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.
¹⁰I have relied on you since the day I was born,
    and you have always been my God.
¹¹Do not stay away from me!
    Trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

¹²Many enemies surround me like bulls;
    they are all around me,
    like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.
¹³They open their mouths like lions,
    roaring and tearing at me.

¹⁴My strength is gone,
    gone like water spilled on the ground.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
¹⁵My throat^[b] is as dry as dust,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have left me for dead in the dust.

¹⁶An evil gang is around me;
    like a pack of dogs they close in on me;
    they tear at^[c] my hands and feet.
¹⁷All my bones can be seen.
    My enemies look at me and stare.
¹⁸^(D)They gamble for my clothes
    and divide them among themselves.

¹⁹O Lord, don't stay away from me!
    Come quickly to my rescue!
²⁰Save me from the sword;
    save my life from these dogs.
²¹Rescue me from these lions;
    I am helpless^[d] before these wild bulls.

²²^(E)I will tell my people what you have done;
    I will praise you in their assembly:
²³“Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
    Honor him, you descendants of Jacob!
    Worship him, you people of Israel!
²⁴He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering;
    he does not turn away from them,
    but answers when they call for help.”

²⁵In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;
    in the presence of those who worship you
    I will offer the sacrifices I promised.
²⁶The poor will eat as much as they want;
    those who come to the Lord will praise him.
May they prosper forever!

²⁷All nations will remember the Lord.
    From every part of the world they will turn to him;
    all races will worship him.
²⁸The Lord is king,
    and he rules the nations.

²⁹All proud people will bow down to him;^[e]
    all mortals will bow down before him.
³⁰Future generations will serve him;
    they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation.
³¹People not yet born will be told:
    “The Lord saved his people.”

Footnotes

Psalm 22:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.
Psalm 22:15 Probable text throat; Hebrew strength.
Psalm 22:16 Some ancient translations they tear at; others they tie; Hebrew like a lion.
Psalm 22:21 Some ancient translations I am helpless; Hebrew you answered me.
Psalm 22:29 Probable text will bow down to him; Hebrew will eat and bow down.