Psalm 22
For the choir director: according to “The Deer of the Dawn.” a A Davidic psalm.
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? b
Why are You so far from my deliverance c
and from my words of groaning? d e
2 My God, I cry by day, but You do not answer,
by night, yet I have no rest. f
enthroned on the praises of Israel. g
they trusted, and You rescued them. h
5 They cried to You and were set free;
they trusted in You and were not disgraced. i
6 But I am a worm and not a man, j
scorned by men and despised by people. k
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me;
they sneer l and shake their heads: m
8 “He relies on n the Lord;
let Him rescue him;
let the Lord o deliver him,
since He takes pleasure in him.” p
making me secure while at my mother’s breast. q
10 I was given over to You at birth; r
You have been my God from my mother’s womb. s
11 Do not be far from me, because distress is near
and there is no one to help. t
strong ones of Bashan encircle me. u
13 They open their mouths against me—
lions, mauling and roaring. v
14 I am poured out like water, w
and all my bones are disjointed; x
my heart is like wax,
melting within me. y
15 My strength is dried up like baked clay; z
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. a
You put me into the dust of death. b
16 For dogs have surrounded me; c
a gang of evildoers has closed in on me;
they pierced d my hands and my feet. e
people f look and stare at me. g
18 They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing. h
19 But You, Lord, don’t be far away. i
My strength, come quickly to help me. j
20 Deliver my life from the sword, k
my only life l from the power of these dogs.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! m
You have rescued n me
from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
I will praise You in the congregation. o
23 You who * fear * Yahweh, praise Him! p
All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him!
All you descendants of Israel, revere Him! q
24 For He has not despised or detested
the torment of the afflicted. r
He did not hide His face from him s
but listened when he cried to Him for help. t
25 I will give praise u in the great congregation
because of You; v
I will fulfill my vows
before those who fear You. w x
26 The humble y will eat and be satisfied; z
those who seek the Lord will praise Him.
May your hearts live forever! a
27 All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations
will bow down before You, b
28 for kingship belongs to the Lord;
He rules over the nations. c
29 All who prosper on earth will eat and bow down;
all those who go down to the dust
will kneel before Him—
even the one who cannot preserve his life. d
30 Their descendants will serve Him;
the next generation will be told about the Lord. e
31 They will come and tell a people yet to be born
about His righteousness—
what He has done. f