Psalms 22

1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?

“To the chief musician upon Ayeleth-hashachar, a psalm of David.” My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from saving me, and from the words of my loud complaint?

2 I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.

O my God! I call in the day-time, but thou answerest not; and in the night I find no rest.

3 Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

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

4 In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.

In thee did our fathers trust: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.

Unto thee they cried, and were delivered: in thee they trusted, and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.

But I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach of men, and despised of people.

7 All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:

All those who see me laugh me to scorn: they draw open their lips, they shake their head, [saying, ]

8 “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”

“Let him throw himself on the Lord, that he may deliver him: he will save him, for he delighteth in him.”

9 Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.

Yea, thou art he that took me from the womb: thou hast been my trust when I hung on my mother's breasts.

10 From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.

Upon thee was I cast from my birth: from my mother's womb art thou my God.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

Oh be not far from me [now]; for distress is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Many steers have encompassed me: the strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.

They have opened wide against me their mouth, [as] a ravenous and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.

Like water am I poured out, and all my bones are disjointed: my heart is become like wax, it is melted in the midst of my entrails.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.

Like a potsherd is my strength dried up; and my tongue cleaveth to my palate; and into the dust of death hast thou laid me down.

16 For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.

For dogs have encompassed me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: like lions [they threaten] my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.

I may number all my bones: [while] they stare and look upon me.

18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

They divide my clothes among themselves, and for my garment do they cast lots.

19 But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

But thou, O Lord, be not far from me: O [thou who art] my strength, hasten to my aid.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.

Deliver from the sword my life, from the power of the dog my solitary soul.

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!

Save me from the lion's mouth; as thou hast answered me from the horns of the reem.

22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.

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

23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!

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

24 For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.

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

25 My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.

Of thee shall be my praise in a great assembly: my vows will I pay in the presence of those who fear him.

26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!

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

27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.

All the ends of the world shall remember and return unto the Lord: and all the families of the nations shall bow themselves down before thee.

28 For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.

For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he governeth the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him— even those unable to preserve their lives.

All they that eat the fat of the earth shall bow themselves down; before him shall bend the knee all that are going down into the dust; for none can keep alive his own soul.

30 Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.

Distant ages shall serve him; there shall be related of the Lord unto future generations.

31 They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn— all that He has done.

They will come, and will tell his righteousness unto a people yet unborn, that he hath done this.