Psalm 22 (21)
The prayer of Christ on the cross.
2 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from me, from the sound of my groaning?
3 My God, I call by day, but you never answer; by night and I find no rest.
4 Yet you are enthroned the Holy One, the praise of Israel.
5 In you our fathers trusted, and you delivered them.
6 They cried to you and they were saved; they trusted in you and were not overcome.
7 But I am a worm and not human, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
8 All who see me make a jest of me; they sneer and shake their heads.
9 “He put his trust in the Lord, let the Lord rescue him! If the Lord is his friend, let him help him!”
10 Yet it is you who drew me from the womb and kept me safe at my mother’s breasts.
11 I have been yours from birth; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
12 Be not far from me for trouble is near, and there is no one to help me.
13 A herd of bulls surround me – strong bulls of Bashan closing in on me,
14 their mouths open, like lions roaring for their prey.
15 I am like water draining away; all my bones are out of joint, my heart melts away like wax.
16 My throat is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue clings to my palate. You have laid me down in the dust of death.
17 Round about me are vicious dogs, villainous rogues encircling me. They have tied up my hands and feet.
18 They can count all my bones, for they are looking and watching me,
19 dividing my garments among them and casting lots for my raiment.
20 O Lord, be not far from me! O my strength, come quickly to my help.
21 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the powerful grip of the dog.
22 Rescue me from the jaws of the lion, my soul from the horns of the wild bull.
23 I will proclaim your name to my brothers, I will praise you in the assembly,
24 “All you who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him! All you sons of Israel, revere him!
25 For he has not scorned or loathed the afflicted in his misery. He has not hidden his face from me but has listened when I cried to him.”
26 I will praise you in the great assembly, fulfill my vows before all who revere you.
27 The lowly will eat and be satisfied. Those who seek the Lord will praise him. May your hearts live forever!
28 The whole earth will acknowledge and turn to the Lord; the families of nations will worship him.
29 For dominion belongs to the Lord and he reigns over the nations.
30 Before him all those who rest in the earth will bow down, all who go down to the dust.
30 My soul will live for him.
31 My descendants will serve him and proclaim the Lord to coming gene ra tions;
32 they will announce his salvation to a people yet unborn, “These are the things that he has done.”