THE BOOK OF PSALMS

 

Psalm 22

To the chief Musician set to Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.

1 ¶ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not hear; and in the night, but I get no rest.

3 But you are holy, O you who are enthroned in praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in you: they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 They cried to you, and were delivered: they trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by the people.

7 All who see me laugh at me in mockery: sneering they stick out their lips, and shake their heads, saying,

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

9 But you are he who took me out of the womb: you made me trust when I was on my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon you from my birth: you have been my God from my mother’s womb.

11 ¶ Do not be far from me; for trouble is near; and there is none to help.

12 Many foes have surrounded me: strong bulls of Bashan have gathered around me.

13 They come for me with mouths opened wide, like a ravenous and 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 has dried up like a fragment of pottery; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you have brought me down to the dust of death.

16 For dogs have gathered around me: a company of evildoers has enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones: they watch and gloat over me.

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

19 But do not be far from me, O LORD: O my strength, hasten to help me.

20 Deliver my life from the sword; my precious life from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for you have heard and delivered me from the horns of the rhinoceros.

22 ¶ I will proclaim your name to my brethren: I will praise you in the midst of the congregation.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all you the seed of Israel.

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.

25 I will praise you in the great congregation: I will pay my vows in the presence of those who fear him.

26 The meek will eat and be satisfied: those who seek the LORD will praise him: your heart will live forever.

27 All the ends of the world will remember and turn to the LORD: and all the families of the nations will worship before you.

28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the ruler among the nations.

29 All those who are mighty upon earth will eat and worship: all those who go down to the dust will bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

30 There will be descendants who serve him; when those of a coming generation are told of the Lord.

31 They will come, and will declare his righteousness, and what he has done, to a people yet to be born.