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 leader of the music. To the tune of “The hind of the morning.” A psalm of David.” My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me? Why so far from mine aid, and from the words of my cry?
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.
O my God! I cry during the day, but thou hearest not; In the night also, 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].
And yet thou art holy, Dwelling amid the praises of Israel!
4 Our ancestors trusted in you. [Because] they trusted in you, you rescued them.
Our fathers trusted in thee; They trusted, and thou didst save 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 called upon thee, and were delivered; They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.
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; The reproach of men, and the scorn of 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 scoff at me; They open wide the lips; they shake the head.
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 trusted in the LORD, let him help him; Let him deliver him, since he delighted 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).
Surely thou art he that didst bring me into the world; Thou didst make me lie secure upon 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.
Upon thee have I cast myself from my birth; Thou hast been my God from my earliest breath!
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.
Oh, be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none 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 close me in on every side.
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 mouths wide against me, Like a ravening and roaring lion.
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 out of joint; My heart is become like wax; It melteth in my bosom.
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 an earthen vessel, And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; Thou hast brought me to 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 have surrounded me; Bands of evil-doers have encompassed me, —Like lions my hands and my 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 gaze, and feast their eyes upon 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 for my vesture they cast lots.
19 O Yahweh, do not stay far away from me! You who are my [source of] strength, come quickly and help me!
But be not thou far from me, O LORD! O my strength! make haste to mine aid!
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 life from the sword; My blood from the power of the dog;
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 lion's mouth; Shield me from the horns of the buffaloes!
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 thy name to my brethren; In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
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!
Praise him, ye worshippers of Jehovah! Extol him, all ye race of Jacob. And fear him, all ye race of Israel!
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 hath not despised nor abhorred the misery of the afflicted. Nor hath he hid his face from him; But when he cried unto him, he heard.
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 shall be of thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear him!
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 afflicted shall eat, and be satisfied; They that seek the LORD shall praise him; Your hearts shall be glad for ever and ever!
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 shall remember, and turn to Jehovah; All the families of the nations shall worship before thee!
28 Because Yahweh is the king! He rules all the nations.
For the kingdom is Jehovah's; He is the governor of 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 shall eat and worship; Before him shall they also bow, who are going down to the dust, Who cannot keep themselves alive.
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].
The future generation shall serve him; The race which is to come shall hear of Jehovah.
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 shall come, and declare his righteousness; His mighty deeds to the people that shall be born.
