Psalms 22
22
Psalm 22
For the choir director; according to ayyeleth hashachar; #22:0 Unknown musical term. a psalm by David.
1My God, my God,
why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away from helping me,
so far away from the words of my groaning?
2My God,
I cry out by day, but you do not answer—
also at night, but I find no rest.
3Yet, you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4Our ancestors trusted you.
They trusted, and you rescued them.
5They cried to you and were saved.
They trusted you and were never disappointed.
6Yet, I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned by humanity and despised by people.
7All who see me make fun of me.
Insults pour from their mouths.
They shake their heads and say,
8“Put yourself in the Lord’s hands.
Let the Lord save him!
Let God rescue him since he is pleased with him!”
9Indeed, you are the one who brought me out of the womb,
the one who made me feel safe at my mother’s breasts.
10I was placed in your care from birth.
From my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11Do not be so far away from me.
Trouble is near, and there is no one to help.
12Many bulls have surrounded me.
Strong bulls from Bashan have encircled me.
13They have opened their mouths to attack me
like ferocious, roaring lions.
14I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax.
It has melted within me.
15My strength is dried up like pieces of broken pottery.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You lay me down in the dust of death.
16Dogs have surrounded me.
A mob has encircled me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17I can count all my bones.
People stare.
They gloat over me.
18They divide my clothes among themselves.
They throw dice for my clothing.
19Do not be so far away, O Lord.
Come quickly to help me, O my strength.
20Rescue my soul from the sword,
my life from vicious dogs.
21Save me from the mouth of the lion
and from the horns of wild oxen.
You have answered me.
22I will tell my people about your name.
I will praise you within the congregation.
23All who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!
Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel.
24The Lord has not despised or been disgusted
with the plight of the oppressed one.
He has not hidden his face from that person.
The Lord heard when that oppressed person
cried out to him for help.
25My praise comes from you while I am among those assembled for worship.
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who fear the Lord.
26Oppressed people will eat until they are full.
Those who look to the Lord will praise him.
May you live forever.
27All the ends of the earth will remember and return to the Lord.
All the families from all the nations will worship you
28because the kingdom belongs to the Lord
and he rules the nations.
29All prosperous people on earth will eat and worship.
All those who go down to the dust will kneel in front of him,
even those who are barely alive.
30There will be descendants who serve him,
a generation that will be told about the Lord.
31They will tell people yet to be born about his righteousness—
that he has finished it.
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Psalms 22: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Psalms 22
22
The Prayer of an Innocent Person
1For the leader; according to “The deer of the dawn.”#The deer of the dawn: apparently the title of the melody. A psalm of David.
I
2My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why so far from my call for help,
from my cries of anguish?#Is 49:14; 54:7; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34.
3My God, I call by day, but you do not answer;
by night, but I have no relief.#Sir 2:10.
4Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the glory of Israel.#Is 6:3.
5In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted and you rescued them.
6To you they cried out and they escaped;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.#Ps 25:3; Is 49:23; Dn 3:40.
7#I am a worm, not a man: the psalmist’s sense of isolation and dehumanization, an important motif of Ps 22, is vividly portrayed here.But I am a worm, not a man,
scorned by men, despised by the people.#Is 53:3.
8All who see me mock me;
they curl their lips and jeer;
they shake their heads at me:#Ps 109:25; Mt 27:39; Mk 15:29; Lk 23:35.
9“He relied on the Lord—let him deliver him;
if he loves him, let him rescue him.”#Ps 71:11; Wis 2:18–20; Mt 27:43.
10For you drew me forth from the womb,
made me safe at my mother’s breasts.
11Upon you I was thrust from the womb;
since my mother bore me you are my God.#Ps 71:6; Is 44:2; 46:3.
12Do not stay far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is no one to help.#Ps 35:22; 38:22; 71:12.
II
13Many bulls#Bulls: the enemies of the psalmist are also portrayed in less-than-human form, as wild animals (cf. Ps 22:17, 21–22). Bashan: a grazing land northeast of the Sea of Galilee, famed for its cattle, cf. Dt 32:14; Ez 39:18; Am 4:1. surround me;
fierce bulls of Bashan#Bulls: the enemies of the psalmist are also portrayed in less-than-human form, as wild animals (cf. Ps 22:17, 21–22). Bashan: a grazing land northeast of the Sea of Galilee, famed for its cattle, cf. Dt 32:14; Ez 39:18; Am 4:1. encircle me.
14They open their mouths against me,
lions that rend and roar.#Ps 17:12; Jb 4:10; 1 Pt 5:8.
15Like water my life drains away;
all my bones are disjointed.
My heart has become like wax,
it melts away within me.
16As dry as a potsherd is my throat;
my tongue cleaves to my palate;
you lay me in the dust of death.#The dust of death: the netherworld, the domain of the dead.
17Dogs surround me;
a pack of evildoers closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and my feet
18I can count all my bones.#Ps 109:24.
They stare at me and gloat;
19they divide my garments among them;
for my clothing they cast lots.#Mt 27:35; Mk 15:24; Lk 23:34; Jn 19:24.
20But you, Lord, do not stay far off;
my strength, come quickly to help me.
21Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the grip of the dog.
22Save me from the lion’s mouth,
my poor life from the horns of wild bulls.#Ps 7:2–3; 17:12; 35:17; 57:5; 58:7; 2 Tm 4:17.
III
23Then I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the assembly I will praise you:#In the assembly I will praise you: the person who offered a thanksgiving sacrifice in the Temple recounted to the other worshipers the favor received from God and invited them to share in the sacrificial banquet. The final section (Ps 22:24–32) may be a summary or a citation of the psalmist’s poem of praise.#Ps 26:12; 35:18; 40:10; 109:30; 149:1; 2 Sm 22:50; Heb 2:12.
24“You who fear the Lord, give praise!
All descendants of Jacob, give honor;
show reverence, all descendants of Israel!
25For he has not spurned or disdained
the misery of this poor wretch,
Did not turn away#Turn away: lit., “hides his face from me,” an important metaphor for God withdrawing from someone, e.g., Mi 3:4; Is 8:17; Ps 27:9; 69:18; 88:15. from me,
but heard me when I cried out.
26I will offer praise in the great assembly;
my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.
27The poor#The poor: originally the poor, who were dependent on God; the term (‘anawim) came to include the religious sense of “humble, pious, devout.” will eat their fill;
those who seek the Lord will offer praise.
May your hearts enjoy life forever!”#Ps 23:5; 69:33.
IV
28All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord;
All the families of nations
will bow low before him.#Ps 86:9; Tb 13:11; Is 45:22; 52:10; Zec 14:16.
29For kingship belongs to the Lord,
the ruler over the nations.#Ps 103:19; Ob 21; Zec 14:9.
30#Hebrew unclear. The translation assumes that all on earth (Ps 22:27–28) and under the earth (Ps 22:29) will worship God.All who sleep in the earth
will bow low before God;
All who have gone down into the dust
will kneel in homage.
31And I will live for the Lord;
my descendants will serve you.
32The generation to come will be told of the Lord,
that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn
the deliverance you have brought.#Ps 48:14–15; 71:18; 78:6; 102:19; Is 53:10.
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