Psalms 22

1 For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David. 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, my God, why have you abandoned/deserted me? Why do you stay so far from me, and why do you not hear/help me [RHQ]? Why do you not hear me when I am groaning?

2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.

My God, every day I call to you during the daytime and during the night, but you do not answer me, so I am not able to sleep.

3 But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.

But you are holy. You sit on your throne as king, and [we the people of] Israel praise you [PRS].

4 Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.

Our ancestors trusted in you. [Because] they trusted in you, you rescued them.

5 They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

When they cried out to you, you saved them. They trusted in you, and (they were not disappointed/you [saved them] as you said that you would).

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

But [you have not rescued me] [People despise me and consider that I am not a man]; [they think that] I am [as worthless as] a worm! Everyone [HYP] scorns me and despises me.

7 All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

Everyone who sees me [HYP] makes fun of me. They sneer at me and [insult me by] shaking their heads [at me as though I were an evil man]. They say,

8 “He trusts in Yahweh. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”

“He trusts in Yahweh, so Yahweh should save him! [He says that] Yahweh is very pleased with him; if that is so, Yahweh should rescue him!”

9 But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.

[Why do] you [not] protect me [now as you did] when I was born? I was safe even when I was (nursing/drinking milk from my mother’s breasts).

10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.

[It was as though] you adopted me right when I was born. You have (been my God/taken care of me) ever since I was born.

11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help.

So, (do not stay far from/stay close to) [LIT] me now because [enemies who will cause me much] trouble are near me, and there is no one [else] who can help me.

12 Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

[My enemies] surround me [like] a herd/group of wild bulls. [Fierce people, like those] strong bulls that graze [on the hills] in Bashan [area], encircle me.

13 They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.

[They are like] roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to kill [MET] [and eat]; they rush toward me [to kill] me; they [are like lions that] have their mouths open, [ready to tear their victims to pieces] [MET].

14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me.

I am completely exhausted [MET], and all my bones are out of their joints/places. I [no longer expect that God will save me]; [that expectation is gone completely], like wax that has melted away.

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.

My strength is [all dried up] [MET] like a broken piece of a clay jar that has dried [in the sun]. [I am so thirsty that] my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. O God, [I think that you are about to let] me die and become dirt!

16 For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

My enemies [MET] surround me like a pack/group of wild dogs. A group of evil men has encircled me, [ready to attack me]. They have [already] smashed my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.

[I am so weak and thin that] my bones can be seen and counted. My enemies stare at me and (gloat/are happy) about [what has happened to] me.

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

They looked at the clothes that I [was wearing] and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get.

19 But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help. Hurry to help me!

O Yahweh, do not stay far away from me! You who are my [source of] strength, come quickly and help me!

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

Rescue me from [those who want to kill me with] their swords. Save me from those who are [like wild/fierce] dogs [MET].

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.

Snatch me away from [my enemies who are] like lions whose jaws [are already open, ready to chew me up] Grab me away from [those men who are like] wild oxen [that attack other animals with] their horns [MET]!

22 I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.

[But you have saved me, so] I will declare to my fellow [Israelis] how great you [MTY] are. I will praise you among the group of your people gathered [to worship 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!

You people who have an awesome respect for Yahweh, praise him! All you who are descended from Jacob, honor Yahweh! All you Israeli people, revere him!

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.

He does not despise or ignore those who are suffering; he does not hide (his face/himself) from them. He has listened to them when they cried out to him for help.

25 My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

Yahweh, in the great gathering [of your people], I will praise you for what you have done. In the presence of those who revere you, I will offer [the sacrifices] that I promised.

26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.

The poor people [whom I have invited to the meal] will eat as much as they want. All who come worship Yahweh will praise him. I pray that [God will enable] you all to live a long and happy life!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

I pray that [people in all nations, even] in the remote areas, will think about Yahweh and turn to him, and that people from all the clans in the world will bow down before him.

28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s. He is the ruler over the nations.

Because Yahweh is the king! He rules all 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.

I desire that all the rich people on the earth will bow before him. Some day they will die, but I want them to prostrate themselves on the ground in his presence [before they die].

30 Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

People (in the future generations/who have not been born yet) will also serve Yahweh. Our descendants will be told about what Yahweh [has done].

31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.

People who are not yet born, [who will live in future years], will be told how Yahweh rescued his people. People will tell them, “Yahweh did it!”