Psalm 22:1–18

¹My God, my God, why have you deserted me?

Why do you seem to be so far away when I need you to save me?

Why do you seem to be so far away that you can’t hear my groans?

²My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don’t answer.

I cry out at night. I can’t keep quiet.

³But you rule from your throne as the Holy One.

You are the God Israel praises.

⁴Our people of long ago put their trust in you.

They trusted in you, and you saved them.

⁵They cried out to you and were saved.

They trusted in you, and you didn’t let them down.

⁶People treat me like a worm and not a man.

They hate me and look down on me.

⁷All those who see me laugh at me.

They shout at me and make fun of me.

They shake their heads at me.

⁸They say, “He trusts in the Lord.

Let the Lord help him.

If the Lord is pleased with him,

let him save him.”

⁹But you brought me out of my mother’s body.

You made me trust in you

even when I was at my mother’s breast.

¹⁰From the time I was born, you took good care of me.

Ever since I came out of my mother’s body, you have been my God.

¹¹Don’t be far away from me.

Trouble is near,

and there is no one to help me.

¹²Many enemies are all around me.

They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan.

¹³They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill.

They open their mouths wide to attack me.

¹⁴My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground.

I feel as if my bones aren’t connected.

My heart has turned to wax.

It has melted away inside me.

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You bring me down to the edge of the grave.

¹⁶A group of sinful people has closed in on me.

They are all around me like a pack of dogs.

They have pierced my hands and my feet.

¹⁷I can see all of my bones right through my skin.

People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer.

¹⁸They divide up my clothes among them.

They cast lots for what I am wearing.