Psalms 22

1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?

My God, my God, why have you abandoned/deserted me? Why do you stay so far from me, and why do you not hear/help me [RHQ]? Why do you not hear me when I am groaning?

2 I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.

My God, every day I call to you during the daytime and during the night, but you do not answer me, so I am not able to sleep.

3 Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

But you are holy. You sit on your throne as king, and [we the people of] Israel praise you [PRS].

4 In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.

Our ancestors trusted in you. [Because] they trusted in you, you rescued them.

5 They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.

When they cried out to you, you saved them. They trusted in you, and (they were not disappointed/you [saved them] as you said that you would).

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.

But [you have not rescued me] [People despise me and consider that I am not a man]; [they think that] I am [as worthless as] a worm! Everyone [HYP] scorns me and despises me.

7 All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:

Everyone who sees me [HYP] makes fun of me. They sneer at me and [insult me by] shaking their heads [at me as though I were an evil man]. They say,

8 “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”

“He trusts in Yahweh, so Yahweh should save him! [He says that] Yahweh is very pleased with him; if that is so, Yahweh should rescue him!”

9 Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.

[Why do] you [not] protect me [now as you did] when I was born? I was safe even when I was (nursing/drinking milk from my mother’s breasts).

10 From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.

[It was as though] you adopted me right when I was born. You have (been my God/taken care of me) ever since I was born.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

So, (do not stay far from/stay close to) [LIT] me now because [enemies who will cause me much] trouble are near me, and there is no one [else] who can help me.

12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

[My enemies] surround me [like] a herd/group of wild bulls. [Fierce people, like those] strong bulls that graze [on the hills] in Bashan [area], encircle me.

13 They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.

[They are like] roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to kill [MET] [and eat]; they rush toward me [to kill] me; they [are like lions that] have their mouths open, [ready to tear their victims to pieces] [MET].

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.

I am completely exhausted [MET], and all my bones are out of their joints/places. I [no longer expect that God will save me]; [that expectation is gone completely], like wax that has melted away.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.

My strength is [all dried up] [MET] like a broken piece of a clay jar that has dried [in the sun]. [I am so thirsty that] my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. O God, [I think that you are about to let] me die and become dirt!

16 For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.

My enemies [MET] surround me like a pack/group of wild dogs. A group of evil men has encircled me, [ready to attack me]. They have [already] smashed my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.

[I am so weak and thin that] my bones can be seen and counted. My enemies stare at me and (gloat/are happy) about [what has happened to] me.

18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

They looked at the clothes that I [was wearing] and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get.

19 But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

O Yahweh, do not stay far away from me! You who are my [source of] strength, come quickly and help me!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.

Rescue me from [those who want to kill me with] their swords. Save me from those who are [like wild/fierce] dogs [MET].

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!

Snatch me away from [my enemies who are] like lions whose jaws [are already open, ready to chew me up] Grab me away from [those men who are like] wild oxen [that attack other animals with] their horns [MET]!

22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.

[But you have saved me, so] I will declare to my fellow [Israelis] how great you [MTY] are. I will praise you among the group of your people gathered [to worship you].

23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!

You people who have an awesome respect for Yahweh, praise him! All you who are descended from Jacob, honor Yahweh! All you Israeli people, revere him!

24 For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.

He does not despise or ignore those who are suffering; he does not hide (his face/himself) from them. He has listened to them when they cried out to him for help.

25 My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.

Yahweh, in the great gathering [of your people], I will praise you for what you have done. In the presence of those who revere you, I will offer [the sacrifices] that I promised.

26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!

The poor people [whom I have invited to the meal] will eat as much as they want. All who come worship Yahweh will praise him. I pray that [God will enable] you all to live a long and happy life!

27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.

I pray that [people in all nations, even] in the remote areas, will think about Yahweh and turn to him, and that people from all the clans in the world will bow down before him.

28 For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.

Because Yahweh is the king! He rules all the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him— even those unable to preserve their lives.

I desire that all the rich people on the earth will bow before him. Some day they will die, but I want them to prostrate themselves on the ground in his presence [before they die].

30 Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.

People (in the future generations/who have not been born yet) will also serve Yahweh. Our descendants will be told about what Yahweh [has done].

31 They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn— all that He has done.

People who are not yet born, [who will live in future years], will be told how Yahweh rescued his people. People will tell them, “Yahweh did it!”