Psalms 22

1 To him that excelleth upon Aiieleth Hasshahar. A Psalme of Dauid. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so farre from mine health, and from the wordes of my roaring?

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 O my God, I crie by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but haue no audience.

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 But thou art holy, and doest inhabite the prayses of Israel.

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

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didest deliuer them.

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

5 They called vpon thee, and were deliuered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

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 worme, and not a man: a shame of men, and the contempt of 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 they that see me, haue me in derision: they make a mowe and nod the head, saying,

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 trusted in the Lord, let him deliuer him: let him saue him, seeing he loueth 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 But thou didest draw me out of ye wombe: thou gauest me hope, euen at my mothers breasts.

[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 I was cast vpon thee, euen from ye wombe: thou art my God from my mothers belly.

[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 farre from me, because trouble is neere: for there is none to helpe me.

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 yong bulles haue compassed me: mightie bulles of Bashan haue closed me about.

[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 gape vpon me with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring lyon.

[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 like water powred out, and all my bones are out of ioynt: mine heart is like waxe: it is molten in the middes of my bowels.

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 dryed vp like a potsheard, and my tongue cleaueth to my iawes, and thou hast brought me into 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 dogges haue compassed me, and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me: they perced mine hands and my feete.

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 may tell all my bones: yet they beholde, and looke vpon 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 part my garments among them, and cast lottes vpon my vesture.

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

19 But be thou not farre off, O Lord, my strength: hasten to helpe me.

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

20 Deliuer my soule from the sword: my desolate soule from the power of the dogge.

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

21 Saue me from the lyons mouth, and answere me in sauing me from the hornes of the vnicornes.

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 wil declare thy Name vnto my brethren: in the middes of the Congregation will I praise thee, saying,

[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 Prayse the Lord, ye that feare him: magnifie ye him, all the seede of Iaakob, and feare ye him, all the seede of Israel.

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 hath not despised nor abhorred ye affliction of the poore: neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he called vnto him, he heard.

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 prayse shalbe of thee in the great Congregation: my vowes will I perfourme before them that feare him.

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 poore shall eate and be satisfied: they that seeke after the Lord, shall prayse him: your heart shall liue for euer.

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 endes of the worlde shall remember themselues, and turne to the Lord: and all the kinreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

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 the kingdome is the Lords, and he ruleth among the nations.

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

29 All they that be fat in the earth, shall eate and worship: all they that go downe into the dust, shall bowe before him, euen he that cannot quicken his owne soule.

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 Their seede shall serue him: it shalbe counted vnto the Lord for a 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 shall come, and shall declare his righteousnesse vnto a people that shall be borne, because he hath done it.

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!”