Psalms 22

1 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?

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?

2 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.

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

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

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

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

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

5 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).

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

6 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.

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

7 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,

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

8 “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!”

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

9 [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).

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

10 [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.

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

11 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.

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

12 [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.

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

13 [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].

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

14 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.

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 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!

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

16 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 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]!

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

22 [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].

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

23 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!

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 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.

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 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.

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

26 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!

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

27 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.

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

28 Because Yahweh is the king! He rules all the nations.

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

29 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].

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 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].

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

31 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!”

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