Psalm 22

The Prayer of a Suffering Man

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? You seem far from saving me, far away from my groans.

2 My God, I call to you during the day, but you do not answer.
I call at night; I am not silent.

3 You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.

4 Our ancestors trusted you; they trusted, and you saved them.

5 They called to you for help and were rescued.
They trusted you and were not disappointed.

6 But I am like a worm instead of a man. People make fun of me and hate me.

7 Those who look at me laugh. They stick out their tongues and shake their heads.

8 They say, “Turn to the Lord for help. Maybe he will save you.
If he likes you, maybe he will rescue you.”

9 You had my mother give birth to me. You made me trust you while I was just a baby.

10 I have leaned on you since the day I was born; you have been my God since my mother gave me birth.

11 So don’t be far away from me. Now trouble is near, and there is no one to help.

12 People have surrounded me like angry bulls. Like the strong bulls of Bashan, they are on every side.

13 Like hungry, roaring lions they open their mouths at me.

14 My strength is gone, like water poured out onto the ground, and my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax; it has melted inside me.

15 My strength has dried up like a clay pot, and my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth. You laid me in the dust of death.

16 Evil people have surrounded me; like dogs they have trapped me. They have bitten my arms and legs.

17 I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me.

18 They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for my clothing.

19 But, Lord, don’t be far away. You are my strength; hurry to help me.

20 Save me from the sword; save my life from the dogs.

21 Rescue me from the lion’s mouth; save me from the horns of the bulls.

22 Then I will tell my brothers and sisters about you; I will praise you in the public meeting.

23 Praise the Lord, all you who respect him. All you descendants of Jacob, honor him; fear him, all you Israelites.

24 He does not ignore those in trouble.
He doesn’t hide from them but listens when they call out to him.

25 Lord, I praise you in the great meeting of your people; these worshipers will see me do what I promised.

26 Poor people will eat until they are full; those who look to the Lord will praise him. May your hearts live forever!

27 People everywhere will remember and will turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations will worship him

28 because the Lord is King, and he rules the nations.

29 All the powerful people on earth will eat and worship. Everyone will bow down to him, all who will one day die.

30 The people in the future will serve him; they will always be told about the Lord.
31 They will tell that he does what is right. People who are not yet born will hear what God has done.

Psalm 22

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: They trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 Commit thyself unto Jehovah; Let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; Thou didst make me trust when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God since my mother bare me.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may count all my bones; They look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, And upon my vesture do they cast lots.

19 But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee.

23 Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him; All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; And stand in awe of him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither hath he hid his face from him; But when he cried unto him, he heard.

25 Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied; They shall praise Jehovah that seek after him: Let your heart live for ever.

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is Jehovah’s; And he is the ruler over the nations.

29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he that cannot keep his soul alive.

30 A seed shall serve him; It shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation.

31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it.