22:1 For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” ²  a psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? ³ 

I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. ⁴ 

22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,

but you do not answer,

and during the night my prayers do not let up. ⁵ 

22:3 You are holy;

you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. ⁶ 

22:4 In you our ancestors ⁷  trusted;

they trusted in you ⁸  and you rescued them.

22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;

in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. ⁹ 

22:6 But I ¹⁰  am a worm, ¹¹  not a man; ¹² 

people insult me and despise me. ¹³ 

22:7 All who see me taunt ¹⁴  me;

they mock me ¹⁵  and shake their heads. ¹⁶ 

22:8 They say, ¹⁷ 

“Commit yourself ¹⁸  to the Lord!

Let the Lord ¹⁹  rescue him!

Let the Lord ²⁰  deliver him, for he delights in him.” ²¹ 

22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out ²²  from the womb

and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.

22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; ²³ 

from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. ²⁴ 

22:11 Do not remain far away from me,

for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. ²⁵ 

22:12 Many bulls ²⁶  surround me;

powerful bulls of Bashan ²⁷  hem me in.

22:13 They ²⁸  open their mouths to devour me ²⁹ 

like a roaring lion that rips its prey. ³⁰ 

22:14 My strength drains away like water; ³¹ 

all my bones are dislocated;

my heart ³²  is like wax;

it melts away inside me.

22:15 The roof of my mouth ³³  is as dry as a piece of pottery;

my tongue sticks to my gums. ³⁴ 

You ³⁵  set me in the dust of death. ³⁶ 

22:16 Yes, ³⁷  wild dogs surround me –

a gang of evil men crowd around me;

like a lion they pin my hands and feet. ³⁸ 

22:17 I can count ³⁹  all my bones;

my enemies ⁴⁰  are gloating over me in triumph. ⁴¹ 

22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;

they are rolling dice ⁴²  for my garments.

22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!

You are my source of strength! ⁴³  Hurry and help me! ⁴⁴ 

22:20 Deliver me ⁴⁵  from the sword!

Save ⁴⁶  my life ⁴⁷  from the claws ⁴⁸  of the wild dogs!

22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, ⁴⁹ 

and from the horns of the wild oxen! ⁵⁰ 

You have answered me! ⁵¹ 

22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! ⁵² 

In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!

22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, ⁵³  praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! ⁵⁴ 

22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering ⁵⁵  of the oppressed; ⁵⁶ 

he did not ignore him; ⁵⁷ 

when he cried out to him, he responded. ⁵⁸ 

22:25 You are the reason I offer praise ⁵⁹  in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. ⁶⁰ 

22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! ⁶¹ 

Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!

May you ⁶²  live forever!

22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! ⁶³ 

Let all the nations ⁶⁴  worship you! ⁶⁵ 

22:28 For the Lord is king ⁶⁶ 

and rules over the nations.

22:29 All of the thriving people ⁶⁷  of the earth will join the celebration and worship; ⁶⁸ 

all those who are descending into the grave ⁶⁹  will bow before him,

including those who cannot preserve their lives. ⁷⁰ 

22:30 A whole generation ⁷¹  will serve him;

they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. ⁷² 

22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; ⁷³ 

they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. ⁷⁴