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The leader must use the music called ‘The Deer of the Dawn.’

This is a song that David wrote.

Please help me, God!

22 My God!
My God, why have you left me alone?
Why is my help far away?
I am crying out in great pain!
2 My God!
I call aloud to you for help every day,
all day and all night!
But you do not answer my prayers,
so I cannot sleep.
3 I know that you are the Holy God.
You sit on your throne as king,
and Israel's people praise you.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you.
When they trusted you, you saved them.
5 They called aloud to you and you saved them.
They trusted in you,
and you did not disappoint them. [ a ]

6 People insult me.
They think that I am worth nothing.
It seems that I am only a worm,
and I am not really a man.
7 Everyone that sees me laughs at me.
They laugh and they shake their heads.
8 They say, ‘He should trust in the Lord !
The Lord should save him.
If the Lord is really happy with him,
the Lord should rescue him.’

9 Lord , you brought me safely to birth.
You took care of me at my mother's breasts.
10 From the day that I was born,
I have always been in your care.
You have been my God since my mother gave birth to me.
11 So do not stay far from me now.
Trouble is near to me,
and there is nobody to help me.
12 There is danger all round me,
like the strong bulls of Bashan. [ b ]
I cannot move
because my enemies are very near, all around me.
13 They open their mouths like lions!
They are ready to eat me!
They are like lions that tear their food into pieces.
14 My strength has gone,
like water that is poured away.
My bones do not join together properly.
I feel weak inside
and hope has disappeared.
15 My mouth has become dry like a piece of a broken pot.
My tongue sticks to my mouth.
You have left me down in the dirt,
as good as dead!

16 Wicked people are everywhere around me.
They are ready to attack me,
like a group of wild dogs.
They tear apart my hands and my feet.
17 My body is so weak
I can count all my bones.
My enemies look at me and they laugh.
They are happy because I have pain.
18 They have taken my clothes,
and they choose what they want for themselves.
They throw dice to decide who receives each piece.

19 But Lord , please do not stay far away from me!
You can make me strong again.
Please hurry to help me!
20 Keep me safe!
My enemies want to kill me with their swords.
Save my life from those wild dogs!
21 Do not let those lions eat me!
Keep me safe from the horns of those wild bulls!
I know that you have answered my prayer!

22 I will tell my people how great you are.
I will praise you when we meet together.
23 Everyone who serves the Lord must praise him!
All Jacob's descendants must respect him!
Yes, all Israel's people must worship him!
24 God did not forget to help the man who was in pain.
He did not turn away from the one who suffered.
When he called to God for help,
God answered his prayer. [ c ]

25 Yes, I will praise you, God,
in the great meeting of your people.
I will give to you what I have promised to give.
Everyone who serves you, Lord , will see that.
26 Poor people will have plenty of food to eat.
Those who come to the Lord will praise him.
May God help you to live well for ever!
27 People everywhere in the world will respect the Lord .
They will turn to him for help.
Families from all nations will worship you.
28 The Lord rules as king over all the nations.
29 All the rich people on earth will bend down,
and they will worship God.
Everyone will die one day.
They must all bend down in front of God.
Nobody can keep himself alive.
30 Our children will also serve God.
And they will tell their children about our Lord.
31 They will speak about all the great things that God has done
to save his people.
People who have not yet been born
will learn about the things that God has done. [ d ]

Footnotes

  1. 22:5 David thinks that God has forgotten him. But David remembered that God had helped his ancestors. So David does not understand why God has not helped him.
  2. 22:12 Bashan was a place that had very strong bulls.
  3. 22:24 In this Psalm, David talks about himself as ‘the man who was in pain’. David prayed and God answered him. Later, Jesus was also in pain, on the cross. When Jesus prayed, God answered him too.
  4. 22:31 Verses 27-31 tell us about what will happen one day because God is King of the whole earth.

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!
2 My God, I kept calling by day,
and I was not silent at night.
But you did not answer me.

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

9 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.

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.”

22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

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

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

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

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

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

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

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

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.

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

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

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a 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 in the midst of my bowels.

15 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord : and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord 's: and he is the governor among the nations.

29 All they that be 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.

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

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

A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.

For the music director; upon [ a ] Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

22 ( A ) My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
( B ) Far from my [ b ] help are the words of my [ c ] ( C ) groaning.
2 My God, I ( D ) cry out by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [ d ] I have no rest.
3 Yet ( E ) You are holy,
You who [ e ] are enthroned upon ( F ) the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers ( G ) trusted;
They trusted and You ( H ) rescued them.
5 To You they cried out and they fled to safety;
( I ) In You they trusted and were not [ f ] disappointed.

6 But I am a ( J ) worm and not a person,
A ( K ) disgrace of mankind and ( L ) despised by the people.
7 All who see me ( M ) deride me;
They [ g ] sneer, they ( N ) shake their heads, saying ,
8 “ [ h ] Turn [ i ] him over to the Lord ; ( O ) let Him save him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

9 Yet You are He who ( P ) brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You ( Q ) from [ j ] birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.

11 ( R ) Do not be far from me, for [ k ] trouble is near;
For there is ( S ) no one to help.
12 Many ( T ) bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of ( U ) Bashan have encircled me.
13 They ( V ) open their mouths wide at me,
As a ravening and roaring ( W ) lion.
14 I am ( X ) poured out like water,
And all my ( Y ) bones are out of joint;
My ( Z ) heart is like wax;
It is melted within [ l ] me.
15 My ( AA ) strength is dried up like a piece of pottery,
And ( AB ) my tongue clings to my jaws;
And You ( AC ) lay me [ m ] in the dust of death.
16 For ( AD ) dogs have surrounded me;
[ n ] A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
[ o ] They ( AE ) pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
( AF ) They look, they stare at me;
18 They ( AG ) divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

19 But You, Lord , ( AH ) do not be far away;
You who are my help, ( AI ) hurry to my assistance.
20 Save my [ p ] soul from ( AJ ) the sword,
My ( AK ) only life from the [ q ] power of the dog.
21 Save me from the ( AL ) lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the ( AM ) wild oxen You ( AN ) answer me.

22 I will ( AO ) proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 ( AP ) You who fear the Lord , praise Him;
All you [ r ] descendants of Jacob, ( AQ ) glorify Him,
And ( AR ) stand in awe of Him, all you [ s ] descendants of Israel.
24 For He has ( AS ) not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted;
Nor has He ( AT ) hidden His face from him;
But ( AU ) when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

25 From You comes ( AV ) my praise in the great assembly;
I shall ( AW ) pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The [ t ] afflicted will eat and ( AX ) be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will ( AY ) praise the Lord .
May your ( AZ ) heart live forever!
27 All the ( BA ) ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord ,
And all the ( BB ) families of the nations will worship before [ u ] You.
28 For the ( BC ) kingdom is the Lord ’ s
And He ( BD ) rules over the nations.
29 All the [ v ] ( BE ) prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who ( BF ) go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who [ w ] ( BG ) cannot keep his soul alive.
30 A [ x ] ( BH ) posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to ( BI ) the coming generation.
31 They will come and ( BJ ) will declare His righteousness
To a people ( BK ) who will be born, that He has performed it .

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 22 Title Lit the doe of the morning
  2. Psalm 22:1 Or deliverance
  3. Psalm 22:1 Lit screaming
  4. Psalm 22:2 Lit there is no silence for me
  5. Psalm 22:3 Or inhabit the praises
  6. Psalm 22:5 Or ashamed
  7. Psalm 22:7 Lit open with the lip
  8. Psalm 22:8 Lit Roll...away to
  9. Psalm 22:8 Or it
  10. Psalm 22:10 Lit a womb
  11. Psalm 22:11 Or distress
  12. Psalm 22:14 Lit my inward parts
  13. Psalm 22:15 Lit to
  14. Psalm 22:16 Or An assembly
  15. Psalm 22:16 Another reading is Like a lion, my...
  16. Psalm 22:20 Or life
  17. Psalm 22:20 Lit paw
  18. Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
  19. Psalm 22:23 Lit seed
  20. Psalm 22:26 Or poor
  21. Psalm 22:27 Some ancient versions Him
  22. Psalm 22:29 Lit fat ones
  23. Psalm 22:29 Or did not
  24. Psalm 22:30 Lit seed

Psalm 22 [ a ]

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

1 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 )
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, ( D )
by night, ( E ) but I find no rest. [ b ]

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

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

9 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 )

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
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