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To the director: To the tune “The Deer of Dawn.”[a] A song of David.

22 My God, my God, why have you left me?
    You seem too far away to save me,
    too far to hear my cries for help!
My God, I kept calling by day,
    and I was not silent at night.
But you did not answer me.

God, you are the Holy One.
    You sit as King upon the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted you.
    Yes, they trusted you, and you saved them.
They called to you for help and escaped their enemies.
    They trusted you and were not disappointed!
But I feel like a worm, less than human!
    People insult me and look down on me.
Everyone who sees me makes fun of me.
    They shake their heads and stick out their tongues at me.
They say, “Call to the Lord for help.
    Maybe he will save you.
    If he likes you so much, surely he will rescue you!”

God, the truth is, you are the one who brought me into this world.
    You made me feel safe while I was still at my mother’s breasts.
10 You have been my God since the day I was born.
    I was thrown into your arms as I came from my mother’s womb.

11 So don’t leave me!
    Trouble is near, and there is no one to help me.
12 My enemies surround me like angry bulls.
    They are like the powerful bulls of Bashan, and they are all around me.
13 Their mouths are opened wide,
    like a lion roaring and tearing at its prey.

14 My strength is gone,
    like water poured out on the ground.
My bones have separated.
    My courage is gone.[b]
15 My mouth[c] is as dry as a piece of baked pottery.
    My tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth.
    You have left me dying in the dust.
16 The “dogs” are all around me—
    a pack[d] of evil people has trapped me.
    They have pierced my hands and feet.[e]
17 I can see each one of my bones.
    My enemies are looking at me;
    they just keep staring.
18 They divide my clothes among themselves,
    and they throw lots for what I am wearing.

19 Lord, don’t leave me!
    You are my strength—hurry and help me!
20 Save me from the sword.
    Save my precious life from these dogs.
21 Rescue me from the lion’s mouth.
    Protect me from the horns of the bulls.[f]

22 I will tell my people about you.
    I will praise you in the great assembly.
23 Praise the Lord, all you who worship him!
    Honor him, you descendants of Jacob!
    Fear and respect him, all you people of Israel!
24 He does not ignore those who need help.
    He does not hate them.
He does not turn away from them.
    He listens when they cry for help.

25 Lord, because of you I offer praise in the great assembly.
    In front of all these worshipers I will do all that I promised.
26 Poor people, come eat and be satisfied.[g]
    You who have come looking for the Lord, praise him!
    May your hearts be happy[h] forever.
27 May those in faraway countries remember the Lord and come back to him.
    May those in distant lands worship him,
28 because the Lord is the King.
    He rules all nations.
29 The people have eaten all they wanted
    and bowed down to worship him.
Yes, everyone will bow down to him—
    all who are on the way to the grave, unable to hold on to life.
30 Our descendants will serve him.
    Those who are not yet born will be told about him.
31 Each generation will tell their children
    about the good things the Lord has done.

A song of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd.
    I will always have everything I need.[i]
He gives me green pastures to lie in.
    He leads me by calm pools of water.
He restores my strength.
    He leads me on right paths[j] to show that he is good.
Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,[k]
    I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me.
    Your rod and staff[l] comfort me.
You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies.
    You welcomed me as an honored guest.[m]
    My cup is full and spilling over.
Your goodness and mercy will be with me all my life,
    and I will live in the Lord’s house[n] a long, long time.[o]

A song of David.

24 The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord.
    The world and all its people belong to him.
He built the earth on the water.
    He built it over the rivers.

Who can go up on the Lord’s mountain[p]?
    Who can stand in his holy Temple?
Only those who have not done evil,
    who have pure hearts,
who have not used my name[q] to hide their lies,
    and who have not made false promises.

Good people ask the Lord to bless others.
    They ask God, their Savior, to do good things.
They try to follow God.
    They go to the God of Jacob for help. Selah

Gates, proudly lift your heads!
    Open, ancient doors,
    and the glorious King will come in.
Who is the glorious King?
    He is the Lord, the powerful soldier.
    He is the Lord, the war hero.

Gates, proudly lift your heads!
    Open, ancient doors,
    and the glorious King will come in.
10 Who is the glorious King?
    The Lord All-Powerful is the glorious King. Selah

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 Psalm 22 “The Deer of Dawn” This is probably the name of the tune for this song, but it might refer to a music style or type of instrument.
  2. Psalm 22:14 My courage is gone Literally, “My heart is melted inside me like wax.”
  3. Psalm 22:15 mouth Or “strength.”
  4. Psalm 22:16 pack A group of dogs. Dogs travel together in packs to hunt and kill other animals for food.
  5. Psalm 22:16 They … feet Literally, “Like a lion, my hands and feet.”
  6. Psalm 22:21 Protect me … bulls Or “You have answered me and protected me from the horns of the bulls.” This could be both a prayer for help (like the first half of the psalm) and also a statement that God had answered this prayer (like the second half of the psalm).
  7. Psalm 22:26 come eat … satisfied This person was giving a thank offering that would be shared with other people at the Temple. This was how someone shared their happiness when God blessed them. See Lev. 3:1-5 and Deut. 14:22-29.
  8. Psalm 22:26 be happy Literally, “live.”
  9. Psalm 23:1 I will … need Literally, “I will lack nothing.”
  10. Psalm 23:3 right paths Or “paths of goodness.”
  11. Psalm 23:4 valley … grave Or “death’s dark valley” or “a very dark valley.”
  12. Psalm 23:4 rod and staff The club and walking stick a shepherd uses to protect and guide his sheep.
  13. Psalm 23:5 You welcomed … guest Literally, “You anointed my head with oil.”
  14. Psalm 23:6 house Or “Temple.” See “Temple” in the Word List.
  15. Psalm 23:6 I … long time Or “I will return again and again to the Lord’s Temple for as long as I live.”
  16. Psalm 24:3 Lord’s mountain Mount Zion, the hill in Jerusalem where the Temple was built.
  17. Psalm 24:4 my name Literally, “my soul.”

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