Psalms 22

1 To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring?

For the leader; set to ‘Deer of the Dawn’. A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you left me, my rescue so far from the words of my roaring?

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

I cry in the day, you do not answer, I cry in the night but find no rest.

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

You are the Holy One, throned on the praises of Israel.

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

In you our ancestors trusted, they trusted and you delivered them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

They cried to you, and found safety, in you did they trust and were not put to shame.

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

But I am a worm, not a person; insulted by others, despised by the people.

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

All who see me mock me, with mouths wide open and wagging heads:

8 He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

“He relies on the Lord; let him save him. Let him rescue the one he holds dear!”

9 But thou [art] he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope [when I was] upon my mother’s breasts.

But you drew me from the womb, laid me safely on my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother’s belly.

On your care was I cast from my very birth, you are my God from my mother’s womb.

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

Be not far from me, for trouble is nigh, and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong [bulls] of Bashan have beset me round.

I am circled by many bulls, beset by the mighty of Bashan,

13 They gaped upon me [with] their mouths, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.

who face me with gaping jaws, like ravening roaring lions.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

Poured out am I like water, and all my bones are loosened. My heart is become like wax, 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.

My palate is dry as a sherd, my tongue sticks to my jaws; in the dust of death you lay me.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

For dogs are round about me, a band of knaves encircles me, gnawing my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look [and] stare upon me.

I can count my bones, every one. As for them, they feast their eyes on me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

They divide my garments among them, and over my raiment cast lots.

19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

But you, O Lord, be not far, O my strength, hasten to help me.

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

Deliver my life from the sword my life from the power of the dogs.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Save me from the jaws of the lion, from the horns of the wild oxen help me.

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

I will tell of your fame to my kindred, and in the assembly will praise you.

23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

Praise the Lord, you who fear him. All Jacob’s seed, give him glory. All Israel’s seed, stand in awe of him.

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.

For he has not despised nor abhorred the sorrow of the sorrowful. He hid not his face from me, but he listened to my cry for help.

25 My praise [shall be] of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

Of you is my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

The afflicted will eat to their heart’s desire, and those who seek after the Lord will praise him. Lift up your hearts forever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

All will call it to mind, to the ends of the earth, and turn to the Lord; and all tribes of the nations will bow down before you.

28 For the kingdom [is] the LORD’s: and he [is] the governor among the nations.

For the kingdom belongs to the Lord: he is the Lord of the nations.

29 All [they that be] fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

To him will bow down all who sleep in the earth, and before him bend all who go down to the dust, and those who could not preserve their lives.

30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

My descendants will tell of the Lord to the next generation;

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done [this].

they will declare his righteousness to people yet to be born: He has done it.