22
To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and 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.‡
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,§
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.**††
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.‡‡
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.§§
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.***
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.†††
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.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.‡‡‡§§§
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
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.
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.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
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.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among 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.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
* 22:1 Aijeleth…: or, the hind of the morning † 22:1 helping…: Heb. my salvation ‡ 22:2 am…: Heb. there is no silence to me § 22:7 shoot…: Heb. open ** 22:8 He trusted…: Heb. He rolled himself on †† 22:8 seeing…: or, if he delight in ‡‡ 22:9 didst…: or, kept me in safety §§ 22:11 none…: Heb. not a helper *** 22:13 gaped…: Heb. opened their mouths against me ††† 22:14 out of…: or, sundered ‡‡‡ 22:20 my darling: Heb. my only one §§§ 22:20 power: Heb. hand