Psalm 22
To the chief musician upon Aijeleth Shahar a psalm of David.
1 MY God, my God, wherefore hast thou
forsaken me? and why,
art thou so far from helping me,
from the words of my cry?
2 O my God, I do cry by day,
but me thou dost not hear;
and eke by night, and unto me
no quiet rest is there.
3 Nevertheless thou holy art,
who constantly dost dwell,
within the thankful praises of
thy people Israel.
4 Our fore-fathers in thee have put
assured confidence:
they trusted have, and thou to them
didst give deliverance.
5 Unto thee they did cry aloud,
and were delivered:
in thee they put their confidence,
and were not confounded.
6 But I a worm, and not a man;
of men an opprobry,
and also of the people am
despis’d contemptuously.
7 All they that do upon me look,
a scoff at me do make:
they with the lip do make a mow,
the head in scorn they shake.
8 Upon the Lord he road himself,
let him now rid him quite:
let him deliver him, because
in him he doth delight.
9 But thou art he that me out of
the belly forth didst take:
when I was on my mothers breasts,
to hope thou didst me make.
10 Unto thee from the tender-womb
committed been have I:
yea thou hast been my mighty-God
from my mothers belly.
(2)
11 Be thou not far away from me,
for tribulation
exceeding great is near at hand,
for helper there is none.
12 Me many bulls on every side
about have compassed:
the mighty-bulls of Bashan have
me round environed.
13 They have with their wide-opened-mouths
so gaped me upon;
like as it were a ravening
and a roaring Lion.
14 As water I am poured-out,
and all my bones sundred:
my heart in midst of my bowels,
is like to wax melted.
15 My strength like a potsherd is dried;
and my tongue fast cleaveth
unto my jaws, and thou hast brought
me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compast me about;
th’ assembly me beset
of the wicked; they pierced through
my hands, also my feet.
17 My bones I may them number all:
they look’t, they did me view.
18 My cloths among them they did part:
and lot for my coat threw.
19 But thou Lord be not far, my strength,
to help me hasten thou.
20 My soul from sword, my darling from
the power of dogs rescue.
21 And from the mouth of the Lion
give me salvation free:
for thou from horns of Unicorns
answer hast given me.
22 Thy name, I will declare to them
that Brethren are to me:
in midst of congregation
I will give praise to thee.
(3)
23 Yee that do fear the Lord praise him,
all Jacob’s seed praise ye,
him glorify, and dread him all
ye Israel’s seed that be.
24 For he the poor’s affliction
loathes not, nor doth despise;
nor hides his face from him, but heats
when unto him he cries.
25 Concerning thee shall be my praise
in the great assembly:
before them that him reverence
perform my vows will I.
26 The meek shall eat and be suffic’d:
Jehovah praise shall they
that do him seek: your heart shall live
unto perpetual aye.
27 All ends of th’ earth remember shall
and turn unto the Lord:
and thee all heathen-families
to worship shall accord.
28 Because unto Jehovah doth
the kingdom appertain:
and he among the nations
is ruler Sovereign.
29 Earths-fat-ones, eat and worship shall:
all who to dust descend,
(though none can make alive his soul)
before his face shall bend.
30 With service a posterity
him shall attend upon;
to God it shall accounted be
a generation.
31 Come shall they, and his righteousness
by them declar’d shall be,
unto a people yet unborn,
that done this thing hath he.