For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Doe of the Morning’. A psalm of David.
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?2My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.[1]3Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.[2]4In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.5To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.7All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.8‘He trusts in the Lord,’ they say, ‘let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.’9Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.10From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.11Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no-one to help.12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.13Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.15My mouth[3] is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.16Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce[4] my hands and my feet.17All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.18They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.19But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.20Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.21Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.22I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honour him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!24For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.25From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you[5] I will fulfil my vows.26The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him – may your hearts live for ever!27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,28for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.29All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him – those who cannot keep themselves alive.30Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.31They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!
Psalm 22
English Standard Version
Why Have You Forsaken Me?
1To the choirmaster: according to 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, from the words of my groaning? (Job 3:24; Ps 22:11; Ps 32:3; Ps 38:8; Isa 59:11; Mt 27:46; Mr 15:34; Heb 5:7)2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. (Ps 88:1)3Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises[1] of Israel. (Le 19:2; Ps 9:11; Ps 9:14; Ps 65:1; Ps 80:1; Ps 99:1; Ps 102:21; Ps 147:12)4In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.5To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Jud 3:9; Ps 25:2; Ps 31:1; Ps 71:1; Isa 49:23; Ro 9:33)6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. (Job 25:6; Ps 69:19; Ps 109:25; Isa 41:14; Isa 49:7; Isa 53:3)7All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; (2Ki 19:21; Ps 44:14; Ps 109:25; Isa 37:22; La 2:15; Mt 27:39; Mr 15:29; Lu 23:35)8“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” (Ps 18:19; Ps 37:5; Ps 91:14; Pr 16:3; Mt 3:17; Mr 1:11; Lu 3:22)9Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. (Ps 71:6)10On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. (Isa 46:3; Isa 49:1; Ga 1:15)11Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. (2Ki 14:26; Ps 10:1; Ps 22:1; Ps 107:12; Isa 63:5)12Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; (Ps 68:30; Am 4:1)13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. (Job 16:10; Ps 35:21; La 2:16; La 3:46)14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; (Jos 2:11; Job 23:16; Ps 68:2; La 2:11; Da 5:6; Na 2:10)15my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. (Job 29:10; Pr 17:22; Joh 19:28)16For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet[2]— (Ps 88:17; Zec 12:10; Mt 27:35; Mr 15:24; Lu 23:33; Lu 24:40; Joh 19:23; Joh 19:37; Joh 20:25; Php 3:2; Re 22:15)17I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; (Lu 23:35)18they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (Mt 27:35; Lu 23:34; Joh 19:24)19But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! (Ps 22:11; Ps 38:22)20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! (Php 3:2; Re 22:15)21Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued[3] me from the horns of the wild oxen! (Nu 23:22; 2Ti 4:17)22I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: (Ps 102:21; Mt 28:10; Joh 17:6; Joh 20:17; Ro 8:29; Heb 2:12)23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! (Ps 50:15; Ps 50:23; Ps 135:20)24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. (Job 13:24; Ps 10:1; Ps 13:1; Isa 53:4; Isa 53:7; Heb 5:7)25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. (Le 7:16; Ps 35:18; Ps 40:9; Ps 50:14; Ps 66:13; Ps 111:1; Jon 2:9)26The afflicted[4] shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! (Ps 69:32; Isa 25:6; Isa 65:13; Joh 6:51)27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. (Ps 2:8; Ps 67:7; Ps 96:7)28For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (Ps 47:8; Ob 1:21; Zec 14:9)29All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. (Ps 45:12; Ps 72:9; Eze 18:27; Php 2:10)30Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; (Ps 48:13; Ps 71:18)31they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. (Ps 78:6; Ps 86:9; Ps 102:18; Isa 60:3)