Psalms 22

1 “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?

For the leader; set to “Deer of the Dawn”. A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you left me, my rescue so far from the words of my roaring?

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

I cry in the day, you do not answer, I cry in the night but find no rest.

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

You are the Holy One, throned on the praises of Israel.

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

In you our ancestors trusted, they trusted and you delivered them.

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

They cried to you, and found safety, in you did they trust and were not put to shame.

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

But I am a worm, not a person; insulted by others, despised by the people.

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

All who see me mock me, with mouths wide open and wagging heads:

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

‘He relies on the Lord; let him save him. Let him rescue the one he holds dear!’

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

But you drew me from the womb, laid me safely on my mother’s breasts.

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

On your care was I cast from my very birth, you are my God from my mother’s womb.

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

Be not far from me, for trouble is nigh, and there is none to help.

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

I am circled by many bulls, beset by the mighty of Bashan,

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

who face me with gaping jaws, like ravening roaring lions.

14 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.

Poured out am I like water, and all my bones are loosened. My heart is become like wax, melted within me.

15 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.

My palate is dry as a sherd, my tongue sticks to my jaws; in the dust of death you lay me.

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

For dogs are round about me, a band of knaves encircles me, gnawing my hands and my feet.

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

I can count my bones, every one. As for them, they feast their eyes on me.

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

They divide my garments among them, and over my raiment cast lots.

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

But you, O Lord, be not far, O my strength, hasten to help me.

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

Deliver my life from the sword my life from the power of the dogs.

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

Save me from the jaws of the lion, from the horns of the wild oxen help me.

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

I will tell of your fame to my kindred, and in the assembly will praise you.

23 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.

Praise the Lord, you who fear him. All Jacob’s seed, give him glory. All Israel’s seed, stand in awe of him.

24 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.

For he has not despised nor abhorred the sorrow of the sorrowful. He hid not his face from me, but he listened to my cry for help.

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

Of you is my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

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

The afflicted will eat to their heart’s desire, and those who seek after the Lord will praise him. Lift up your hearts forever.

27 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.

All will call it to mind, to the ends of the earth, and turn to the Lord; and all tribes of the nations will bow down before you.

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

For the kingdom belongs to the Lord: he is the Lord of the nations.

29 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.

To him will bow down all who sleep in the earth, and before him bend all who go down to the dust, and those who could not preserve their lives.

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

My descendants will tell of the Lord to the next generation;

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

they will declare his righteousness to people yet to be born: He has done it.