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For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David.

22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;
    in the night season, and am not silent.
But you are holy,
    you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in you.
    They trusted, and you delivered them.
They cried to you, and were delivered.
    They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
But I am a worm, and no man;
    a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
All those who see me mock me.
    They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
    “He trusts in Yahweh.
    Let him deliver him.
    Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
But you brought me out of the womb.
    You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.
    You are my God since my mother bore me.
11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.
    For there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded me.
    Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13 They open their mouths wide against me,
    lions tearing prey and roaring.
14 I am poured out like water.
    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.
    My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded me.
    A company of evildoers have enclosed me.
    They have pierced my hands and feet.[a]
17 I can count all of my bones.
They look and stare at me.
18 They divide my garments among them.
    They cast lots for my clothing.

19 But don’t be far off, Yahweh.
    You are my help. Hurry to help me!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth!
    Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers.
    Among the assembly, I will praise you.
23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!
    Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
    Neither has he hidden his face from him;
    but when he cried to him, he heard.

25 My praise of you comes in the great assembly.
    I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied.
    They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him.
    Let your hearts live forever.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh.
    All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s.
    He is the ruler over the nations.
29 All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.
    All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,
    even he who can’t keep his soul alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him.
    Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born,
    for he has done it.

Footnotes

  1. 22:16 So Dead Sea Scrolls. Masoretic Text reads, “Like a lion, they pin my hands and feet.”

Psalm 22

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

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

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.(C)
In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.(D)

But I am a worm and not human,
    scorned by others and despised by the people.(E)
All who see me mock me;
    they sneer at me; they shake their heads;(F)
“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”(G)

Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.(H)
10 On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.(I)
11 Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

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

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;(L)
15 my mouth[a] is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.(M)

16 For dogs are all around me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they bound my hands and feet.[b](N)
17 I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.(O)

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
    O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my life[c] from the power of the dog!(P)
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued[d] me.(Q)
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;[e]
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:(R)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
    stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!(S)
24 For he did not despise or abhor
    the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me[f]
    but heard when I[g] cried to him.(T)

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.(U)
26 The poor[h] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
    May your hearts live forever!(V)

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.[i](W)
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.(X)

29 To him,[j] indeed, shall all who sleep in[k] the earth bow down;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    and I shall live for him.[l](Y)
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord(Z)
31 and[m] proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
    saying that he has done it.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. 22.15 Cn: Heb strength
  2. 22.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 22.20 Heb my only one
  4. 22.21 Heb answered
  5. 22.22 Or kindred
  6. 22.24 Heb him
  7. 22.24 Heb he
  8. 22.26 Or afflicted
  9. 22.27 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb you
  10. 22.29 Cn: Heb They have eaten and
  11. 22.29 Cn: Heb all the fat ones
  12. 22.29 Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb and he who cannot keep himself alive
  13. 22.31 Compare Gk: Heb it will be told about the Lord to the generation, they will come and