Psalm 22 - Modern English Version

For the Music Director. To the melody of “The Doe of the Dawn.” 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 answer; and at night, and have no rest.

³ But You are holy, enthroned on the 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 put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm, and not human; a reproach of men and despised by the people.

⁷ All who see me mock me; they sneer with the lip; they shake the head, saying,

⁸ “Trust in the Lord, let Him rescue him; let Him deliver him, since He delights in him.”

⁹ But You are He who took me out of the womb; You kept me safe on my mother’s breasts.

¹⁰ Upon You was I cast from birth; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.

¹¹ Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

¹³ They open wide their mouths at me, like a raging 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 within me.

¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; You have set me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ For dogs have encompassed me; the assembly of the wicked has encircled me; they pierced my hands and my feet;

¹⁷ I can count all my bones; they look and stare at me.

¹⁸ They divide my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹ But You, O  Lord, do not be far from me; O my Strength, come quickly to help me!

²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!

²¹ Save me from the lion’s mouth! From the horns of the wild oxen You have rescued me.

²² I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

²³ You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him; fear Him, all you descendants of Israel!

²⁴ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but heard when he cried to Him.

²⁵ My praise will be from You in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those who fear Him.

²⁶ The meek will eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. May your hearts 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 kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the prosperous ones of the earth will eat and worship; all who go down to the dust will bow before Him, even he who cannot preserve his own life.

³⁰ Their descendants will serve Him; the next generation will be told about the Lord;

³¹ they will come and declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born, saying that He has this.