Print Page Options Listen to Psalm 22

22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.

29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalm 22

From Suffering to Praise

For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.”[a] A Davidic psalm.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?(A)
Why are You so far from my deliverance(B)
and from my words of groaning?[b](C)
My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer,
by night, yet I have no rest.(D)
But You are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.(E)
Our fathers trusted in You;
they trusted, and You rescued them.(F)
They cried to You and were set free;
they trusted in You and were not disgraced.(G)

But I am a worm and not a man,(H)
scorned by men and despised by people.(I)
Everyone who sees me mocks me;
they sneer[c] and shake their heads:(J)
“He relies on[d] the Lord;
let Him rescue him;
let the Lord[e] deliver him,
since He takes pleasure in him.”(K)

You took me from the womb,
making me secure while at my mother’s breast.(L)
10 I was given over to You at birth;[f]
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.(M)

11 Do not be far from me, because distress is near
and there is no one to help.(N)

12 Many bulls surround me;
strong ones of Bashan encircle me.(O)
13 They open their mouths against me—
lions, mauling and roaring.(P)
14 I am poured out like water,(Q)
and all my bones are disjointed;(R)
my heart is like wax,
melting within me.(S)
15 My strength is dried up like baked clay;(T)
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.(U)
You put me into the dust of death.(V)
16 For dogs have surrounded me;(W)
a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;
they pierced[g] my hands and my feet.(X)
17 I can count all my bones;
people[h] look and stare at me.(Y)
18 They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing.(Z)

19 But You, Lord, don’t be far away.(AA)
My strength, come quickly to help me.(AB)
20 Deliver my life from the sword,(AC)
my only life[i] from the power of these dogs.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!(AD)
You have rescued[j] me
from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
I will praise You in the congregation.(AE)
23 You who fear Yahweh, praise Him!(AF)
All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him!
All you descendants of Israel, revere Him!(AG)
24 For He has not despised or detested
the torment of the afflicted.(AH)
He did not hide His face from him(AI)
but listened when he cried to Him for help.(AJ)

25 I will give praise[k] in the great congregation
because of You;(AK)
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear You.[l](AL)
26 The humble[m] will eat and be satisfied;(AM)
those who seek the Lord will praise Him.
May your hearts live forever!(AN)

27 All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before You,(AO)
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
He rules over the nations.(AP)
29 All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before Him—
even the one who cannot preserve his life.(AQ)
30 Their descendants will serve Him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord.(AR)
31 They will come and tell a people yet to be born
about His righteousness—
what He has done.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 Perhaps a musical term
  2. Psalm 22:1 Or My words of groaning are so far from delivering me
  3. Psalm 22:7 Lit separate with the lip
  4. Psalm 22:8 Or Rely on
  5. Psalm 22:8 Lit let Him
  6. Psalm 22:10 Lit was cast on You from the womb
  7. Psalm 22:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read me; like a lion
  8. Psalm 22:17 Lit they
  9. Psalm 22:20 Lit my only one
  10. Psalm 22:21 Lit answered
  11. Psalm 22:25 Lit my praise
  12. Psalm 22:25 Lit Him
  13. Psalm 22:26 Or poor, or afflicted

A cry of anguish, and a song of praise.

For the Chief Musician; set to [a]Aijeleth hash-Shahar. A Psalm of David.

22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
[b]Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not;
And in the night season, [c]and am not silent.
But thou art holy,
O thou that [d]inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in thee:
They trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered:
They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn:
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
[e]Commit thyself unto Jehovah; let him deliver him:
Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him.
But thou art he that took me out of the womb;
Thou didst make me trust when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb;
Thou art my God since my mother bare me.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gape upon me with their mouth,
As a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint:
My heart is like wax;
It is melted within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd;
And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws;
And thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me:
A company of evil-doers have inclosed me;
[f]They pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may count all my bones.
They look and stare upon me;
18 They part my garments among them,
And upon my vesture do they cast lots.
19 But be not thou far off, O Jehovah:
O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
My [g]darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth;
Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren:
In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him;
All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him;
And stand in awe of him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Neither hath he hid his face from him;
But when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly:
I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied;
They shall praise Jehovah that seek after him:
Let your heart live for ever.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah;
And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is Jehovah’s;
And he is the ruler over the nations.
29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship:
All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him,
Even he that cannot keep his soul alive.
30 A seed shall serve him;
It shall be [h]told of the Lord unto the next generation.
31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness
Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 That is, The hind of the morning.
  2. Psalm 22:1 Or, Far from my help are the words of my groaning. Hebrew roaring.
  3. Psalm 22:2 Or, but find no rest
  4. Psalm 22:3 Or, art enthroned upon
  5. Psalm 22:8 Or, He trusted on Jehovah, that he would deliver him
  6. Psalm 22:16 So the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac. The Hebrew text as pointed reads, Like a lion, my etc.
  7. Psalm 22:20 Or, dear life. Hebrew only one.
  8. Psalm 22:30 Or, counted unto the Lord for his generations

22 To the Overseer, on `The Hind of the Morning.' -- A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation, The words of my roaring?

My God, I call by day, and Thou answerest not, And by night, and there is no silence to me.

And Thou [art] holy, Sitting -- the Praise of Israel.

In Thee did our fathers trust -- they trusted, And Thou dost deliver them.

Unto Thee they cried, and were delivered, In Thee they trusted, and were not ashamed.

And I [am] a worm, and no man, A reproach of man, and despised of the people.

All beholding me do mock at me, They make free with the lip -- shake the head,

`Roll unto Jehovah, He doth deliver him, He doth deliver him, for he delighted in him.'

For thou [art] He bringing me forth from the womb, Causing me to trust, On the breasts of my mother.

10 On Thee I have been cast from the womb, From the belly of my mother Thou [art] my God.

11 Be not far from me, For adversity is near, for there is no helper.

12 Many bulls have surrounded me, Mighty ones of Bashan have compassed me,

13 They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring.

14 As waters I have been poured out, And separated themselves have all my bones, My heart hath been like wax, It is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 Dried up as an earthen vessel is my power, And my tongue is cleaving to my jaws.

16 And to the dust of death thou appointest me, For surrounded me have dogs, A company of evil doers have compassed me, Piercing my hands and my feet.

17 I count all my bones -- they look expectingly, They look upon me,

18 They apportion my garments to themselves, And for my clothing they cause a lot to fall.

19 And Thou, O Jehovah, be not far off, O my strength, to help me haste.

20 Deliver from the sword my soul, From the paw of a dog mine only one.

21 Save me from the mouth of a lion: -- And -- from the horns of the high places Thou hast answered me!

22 I declare Thy name to my brethren, In the midst of the assembly I praise Thee.

23 Ye who fear Jehovah, praise ye Him, All the seed of Jacob, honour ye Him, And be afraid of Him, all ye seed of Israel.

24 For He hath not despised, nor abominated, The affliction of the afflicted, Nor hath He hidden His face from him, And in his crying unto Him He heareth.

25 Of Thee my praise [is] in the great assembly. My vows I complete before His fearers.

26 The humble do eat and are satisfied, Praise Jehovah do those seeking Him, Your heart doth live for ever.

27 Remember and return unto Jehovah, Do all ends of the earth, And before Thee bow themselves, Do all families of the nations,

28 For to Jehovah [is] the kingdom, And He is ruling among nations.

29 And the fat ones of earth have eaten, And they bow themselves, Before Him bow do all going down to dust, And he [who] hath not revived his soul.

30 A seed doth serve Him, It is declared of the Lord to the generation.

31 They come and declare His righteousness, To a people that is borne, that He hath made!

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

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

22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
    Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer;
    and by night, but find no rest.

Yet thou art holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In thee our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
To thee they cried, and were saved;
    in thee they trusted, and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm, and no man;
    scorned by men, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock at me,
    they make mouths at me, they wag their heads;
“He committed his cause to the Lord; let him deliver him,
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Yet thou art he who took me from the womb;
    thou didst keep me safe upon my mother’s breasts.
10 Upon thee was I cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me thou hast been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is none to help.

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

14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax,
    it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
    thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

16 Yea, dogs are round about me;
    a company of evildoers encircle me;
    they have pierced[a] my hands and feet—
17 I can count all my bones—
    they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
    and for my raiment they cast lots.

19 But thou, O Lord, be not far off!
    O thou my help, hasten to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my life[b] from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion,
    my afflicted soul[c] from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of thy name to my brethren;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    all you sons of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted;
and he has not hid his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.

25 From thee comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The afflicted[d] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
    May your hearts live for ever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before him.[e]
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.

29 Yea, to him[f] shall all the proud of the earth bow down;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    and he who cannot keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
    men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
    that he has wrought it.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:16 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb like a lion
  2. Psalm 22:20 Heb my only one
  3. Psalm 22:21 Gk Syr: Heb thou hast answered me
  4. Psalm 22:26 Or poor
  5. Psalm 22:27 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb thee
  6. Psalm 22:29 Cn: Heb they have eaten and