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A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise[a]

22 (A)My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I have cried desperately for help,
    but still it does not come.
During the day I call to you, my God,
    but you do not answer;
I call at night,
    but get no rest.
But you are enthroned as the Holy One,
    the one whom Israel praises.
Our ancestors put their trust in you;
    they trusted you, and you saved them.
They called to you and escaped from danger;
    they trusted you and were not disappointed.

But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,
    despised and scorned by everyone!
(B)All who see me make fun of me;
    they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.
(C)“You relied on the Lord,” they say.
    “Why doesn't he save you?
If the Lord likes you,
    why doesn't he help you?”

It was you who brought me safely through birth,
    and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.
10 I have relied on you since the day I was born,
    and you have always been my God.
11 Do not stay away from me!
    Trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

12 Many enemies surround me like bulls;
    they are all around me,
    like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.
13 They open their mouths like lions,
    roaring and tearing at me.

14 My strength is gone,
    gone like water spilled on the ground.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
15 My throat[b] is as dry as dust,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have left me for dead in the dust.

16 An evil gang is around me;
    like a pack of dogs they close in on me;
    they tear at[c] my hands and feet.
17 All my bones can be seen.
    My enemies look at me and stare.
18 (D)They gamble for my clothes
    and divide them among themselves.

19 O Lord, don't stay away from me!
    Come quickly to my rescue!
20 Save me from the sword;
    save my life from these dogs.
21 Rescue me from these lions;
    I am helpless[d] before these wild bulls.

22 (E)I will tell my people what you have done;
    I will praise you in their assembly:
23 “Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
    Honor him, you descendants of Jacob!
    Worship him, you people of Israel!
24 He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering;
    he does not turn away from them,
    but answers when they call for help.”

25 In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;
    in the presence of those who worship you
    I will offer the sacrifices I promised.
26 The poor will eat as much as they want;
    those who come to the Lord will praise him.
May they prosper forever!

27 All nations will remember the Lord.
    From every part of the world they will turn to him;
    all races will worship him.
28 The Lord is king,
    and he rules the nations.

29 All proud people will bow down to him;[e]
    all mortals will bow down before him.
30 Future generations will serve him;
    they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 People not yet born will be told:
    “The Lord saved his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.
  2. Psalm 22:15 Probable text throat; Hebrew strength.
  3. Psalm 22:16 Some ancient translations they tear at; others they tie; Hebrew like a lion.
  4. Psalm 22:21 Some ancient translations I am helpless; Hebrew you answered me.
  5. Psalm 22:29 Probable text will bow down to him; Hebrew will eat and bow down.

Psalm 22[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
    Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
    by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
    you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)

But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(O)
    they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
    since he delights(T) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
    you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(X)
    for trouble is near(Y)
    and there is no one to help.(Z)

12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
    open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
    it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
    you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.

16 Dogs(AM) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce[e](AN) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare(AO) and gloat over me.(AP)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots(AQ) for my garment.(AR)

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(AS)
    You are my strength;(AT) come quickly(AU) to help me.(AV)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(AW)
    my precious life(AX) from the power of the dogs.(AY)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(AZ)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BA)

22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly(BB) I will praise you.(BC)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BD)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(BE)
    Revere him,(BF) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(BG) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;(BH)
he has not hidden his face(BI) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.(BJ)

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(BK)
    before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.(BL)
26 The poor will eat(BM) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—(BN)
    may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth(BO)
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,(BP)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(BQ)
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich(BR) of the earth will feast and worship;(BS)
    all who go down to the dust(BT) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.(BU)
30 Posterity(BV) will serve him;
    future generations(BW) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(BX)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:(BY)
    He has done it!(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  2. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  3. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  4. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
  5. Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
  6. Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him