< Psalms 22 >
1 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?
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?
2 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.
I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.
3 But you are holy. You sit on your throne as king, and [we the people of] Israel praise you [PRS].
Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you. [Because] they trusted in you, you rescued them.
In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.
5 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).
They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.
6 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.
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 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,
All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
8 “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!”
“He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”
9 [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).
Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.
10 [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.
From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.
11 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.
Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 [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.
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 [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].
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
14 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.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.
15 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!
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.
16 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.
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
17 [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.
I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.
18 They looked at the clothes that I [was wearing] and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get.
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
19 O Yahweh, do not stay far away from me! You who are my [source of] strength, come quickly and help me!
But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Rescue me from [those who want to kill me with] their swords. Save me from those who are [like wild/fierce] dogs [MET].
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.
21 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]!
Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!
22 [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].
I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.
23 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!
You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!
24 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.
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.
25 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.
My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.
26 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!
The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!
27 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.
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
28 Because Yahweh is the king! He rules all the nations.
For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.
29 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].
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.
30 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].
Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.
31 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!”
They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn— all that He has done.