Psalm 22:1–18

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise^h

22^* My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I have cried desperately for help,

but still it does not come.

²During the day I call to you, my God,

but you do not answer;

I call at night,

but get no rest.

³But you are enthroned as the Holy One,

the one whom Israel praises.

⁴Our ancestors put their trust in you;

they trusted you, and you saved them.

⁵They called to you and escaped from danger;

they trusted you and were not disappointed.

⁶But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,

despised and scorned by everyone!

^7*All who see me jeer at me;

they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.

^8*“You relied on the Lord,” they say.

“Why doesn’t he save you?

If the Lord likes you,

why doesn’t he help you?”

⁹It was you who brought me safely through birth,

and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.

¹⁰I have relied on you since the day I was born,

and you have always been my God.

¹¹Do not stay away from me!

Trouble is near,

and there is no one to help.

¹²Many enemies surround me like bulls;

they are all round me,

like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.

¹³They open their mouths like lions,

roaring and tearing at me.

¹⁴My strength is gone,

gone like water spilt on the ground.

All my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like melted wax.

¹⁵My throatⁱ is as dry as dust,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have left me for dead in the dust.

¹⁶An evil gang is round me;

like a pack of dogs they close in on me;

they tear at^j my hands and feet.

¹⁷All my bones can be seen.

My enemies look at me and stare.

^18*They gamble for my clothes

and divide them among themselves.