PSALM 22
1To the lead player, on ayeleth hashahar, a David psalm.
2My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my rescue are the words that I roar.
3My God, I call out by day and You do not answer,
by night—no stillness for me.
4And You, the Holy One—enthroned in Israel’s praise.
5In You did our fathers trust,
they trusted, and You set them free.
6To You they cried out, and escaped,
in You they trusted and were not put to shame.
7But I am a worm and no man,
a disgrace among men, by the people reviled.
8All who see me do mock me—
they curl their lips, they shake their head.
9Who turns to the LORD, He will set him free.
He will save him, for He delights in him.
10For You drew me out from the womb,
made me safe at my mother’s breasts.
11Upon You I was cast from birth,
from my mother’s belly You were my God.
12Do not be far from me,
for distress is near,
for there is none to help.
13Brawny bulls surrounded me,
the mighty of Bashan encompassed me.
14They gaped with their mouths against me—
15Like water I spilled out,
all my limbs fell apart.
My heart was like wax,
16My palate turned dry as a shard
and my tongue was annealed to my jaw,
and to death’s dust did You thrust me.
17For the curs came all around me,
a pack of the evil encircled me,
they bound my hands and my feet.
18They counted out all my bones.
It is they who looked, who stared at me.
19They shared out my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothes.
20But You, O LORD, be not far.
My strength, to my aid O hasten!
21Save from the sword my life,
from the cur’s power my person.
22Rescue me from the lion’s mouth.
And from the horns of the ram You answered me.
23Let me tell Your name to my brothers,
in the assembly let me praise You.
24Fearers of the LORD, O praise Him!
All the seed of Jacob revere Him!
And be afraid of Him, all Israel’s seed!
25For He has not spurned nor has despised
the affliction of the lowly,
and has not hidden His face from him;
when he cried out to Him, He heard.
26For You—my praise in the great assembly.
My vows I fulfill before those who fear Him.
27The lowly will eat and be sated.
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.
May you be of good cheer forever.
28All the far ends of earth will remember
and return to the LORD.
All the clans of the nations
will bow down before You.
29For the LORD’s is the kingship—
and He rules over the nations.
30Yes, to Him will bow down
all the netherworld’s sleepers.
Before Him will kneel
all who go down to the dust,
31My seed will serve Him.
It will be told to the Master for generations to come.
32They will proclaim His bounty to a people aborning,