Chapter 22

  To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?  

  O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.  

  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.  

  Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.  

  They cried to thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.  

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

  All they that see me deride me: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,  

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

  But thou art he that brought me forth into life: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.  

  I was cast upon thee from my birth: thou art my God from the time I was born.  

  Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.  

  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.  

  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.  

  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.  

  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  

  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  

  I may number all my bones: they look and stare upon me.  

  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.  

  But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.  

  Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.  

  Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.  

  I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.  

  Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.  

  For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.  

  My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.  

  The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  

  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.  

  For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.  

  All they that are fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.  

  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.  

  They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.