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A Cry of Fear and a Song of Praise

22 My God, my God, why have You left me alone? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words I cry inside myself? O my God, I cry during the day, but You do not answer. I cry during the night, but I find no rest. Yet You are holy. The praises Israel gives You are Your throne. Our fathers trusted in You, and You saved them. They cried to You and were set free. They trusted in You and were not ashamed.

But I am a worm and not a man. I am put to shame by men, and am hated by the people. All who see me make fun of me. They open their mouths and shake their heads, and say, “He trusts in the Lord. Let the Lord help him. Let the Lord take him out of trouble, because he is happy in Him.”

But You brought me out when I was born. You made me trust when I drank my mother’s milk. 10 I was in Your care from birth. Since my mother gave birth to me, You have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near. And there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls have gathered all around me. Strong bulls of Bashan stand around me. 13 They open their mouths wide against me, like a loud, hungry lion. 14 I am poured out like water. And all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like a melted candle within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a piece of a broken clay pot. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And You lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have gathered around me. A group of sinful men stand around me. They have cut through my hands and feet. 17 I can tell how many bones I have. The people look at me with wide eyes. 18 They divide my clothes among them by drawing names to see who would get them.

19 But You, O Lord, be not far from me! O my Strength, hurry to help me! 20 Take me away from the sword. Save my life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth, and from the horns of the wild bulls You answer me.

22 I will make Your name known to my brothers. In the center of the meeting of worship I will praise You. 23 You who fear the Lord, give Him praise. All you children of Jacob, honor Him. Fear Him, all you children of Israel. 24 For He has not turned away from the suffering of the one in pain or trouble. He has not hidden His face from him. But He has heard his cry for help.

25 My praise will be from You in the big meeting of worship. I will keep my promises to Him in front of those who fear Him. 26 Those who suffer will eat and have enough. Those who look for the Lord will praise Him. May your heart live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will worship before Him. 28 For the holy nation is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations. 29 All the proud ones of the earth will eat and worship. All who go down to the dust will fall to their knees before Him, even he who cannot keep his soul alive. 30 Future children will serve Him. They will tell of the Lord to their children. 31 They will come and tell about His saving power to a people yet to be born. For He has done it.

The Lord—Our Shepherd

23 The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name. Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me. You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.

The King of Shining-Greatness

24 The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it, the world, and all who live in it. For He has built it upon the seas. He has set it upon the rivers. Who may go up the mountain of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. He who has not lifted up his soul to what is not true, and has not made false promises. He will receive what is good from the Lord, and what is right and good from the God Who saves him. Such is the family of those who look for Him, who look for Your face, O God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, O gates. And be lifted up, O doors that last forever. And the King of shining-greatness will come in. Who is the King of shining-greatness? The Lord strong and powerful. The Lord powerful in war. Lift up your heads, O gates. Lift them up, O doors that last forever and the King of shining-greatness will come in. 10 Who is the King of shining-greatness? The Lord of All. He is the King of shining-greatness.

Psalm 22[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
    Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
    by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
    you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
    in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)

But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
    scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
All who see me mock me;(O)
    they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
    since he delights(T) in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
    you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,(X)
    for trouble is near(Y)
    and there is no one to help.(Z)

12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
    strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
    open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
    it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
    you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.

16 Dogs(AM) surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce[e](AN) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare(AO) and gloat over me.(AP)
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots(AQ) for my garment.(AR)

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(AS)
    You are my strength;(AT) come quickly(AU) to help me.(AV)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(AW)
    my precious life(AX) from the power of the dogs.(AY)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(AZ)
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BA)

22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly(BB) I will praise you.(BC)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BD)
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(BE)
    Revere him,(BF) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(BG) or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;(BH)
he has not hidden his face(BI) from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.(BJ)

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(BK)
    before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.(BL)
26 The poor will eat(BM) and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—(BN)
    may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth(BO)
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,(BP)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(BQ)
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich(BR) of the earth will feast and worship;(BS)
    all who go down to the dust(BT) will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.(BU)
30 Posterity(BV) will serve him;
    future generations(BW) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(BX)
    declaring to a people yet unborn:(BY)
    He has done it!(BZ)

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,(CA) I lack nothing.(CB)
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,(CC)
    he refreshes my soul.(CD)
He guides me(CE) along the right paths(CF)
    for his name’s sake.(CG)
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[g](CH)
I will fear no evil,(CI)
    for you are with me;(CJ)
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table(CK) before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;(CL)
    my cup(CM) overflows.
Surely your goodness and love(CN) will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(CO) and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;(CP)
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.(CQ)

Who may ascend the mountain(CR) of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?(CS)
The one who has clean hands(CT) and a pure heart,(CU)
    who does not trust in an idol(CV)
    or swear by a false god.[h]

They will receive blessing(CW) from the Lord
    and vindication(CX) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face,(CY) God of Jacob.[i][j]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(CZ)
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King(DA) of glory(DB) may come in.(DC)
Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,(DD)
    the Lord mighty in battle.(DE)
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty(DF)
    he is the King of glory.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
  2. Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
  3. Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
  4. Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
  5. Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
  6. Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him
  7. Psalm 23:4 Or the valley of the shadow of death
  8. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  9. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  10. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.