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The Book of Psalms

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 22 -

The Psalm of the Cross

(Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:16-30)
1
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why do you stay so far from me, and why do you not listent to me? Why do you not hear me when I am suffering and groaning?
2
My God, every day I call to you during the daytime, but you do not answer me. I call to you during the night; I am not silent at all.
3
But you are holy. You sit on your throne as king, and we the people of Israel praise you.
4
Our ancestors trusted in you. Because they trusted in you, you rescued them.
5
When they called out to you for help, you saved them. They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed.
6
But you have not rescued me! People despise me and consider that I am not a man; they think that I am a worm! Everyone scorns me and despises me.
7
Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They sneer at me and insult me by shaking their heads at me as though I were an evil man. They say,
8
“He trusts in Yahweh, so Yahweh should save him! He says that Yahweh is very pleased with him; if that is so, Yahweh should rescue him!”
9
You, God, have been with me since I was in my mother’s womb, and you taught me to trust you when I was at my mother’s breasts.
10
It was as though you had adopted me right when I was born. You have been my God ever since I was born.
11
So do not stay far from me now because enemies who will cause me much trouble are near me, and there is no one else who can help me.
12
My enemies surround me like a herd of wild bulls. Fierce people, like those strong bulls that graze on the hills in the region of Bashan, surround me.
13
They are like roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to eat; they rush toward me to kill me; they are like lions that have their mouths open, ready to chew their victims to pieces.
14
I am completely exhausted, and all my bones are out of their joints. I no longer expect that God will save me; I am completely discouraged.
15
My strength is all dried up like a broken piece of a clay jar that has dried in the sun. I am so thirsty that my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. God, I think that you are about to let my body die and become dust!
16
My enemies are like wild dogs that surround me. A group of evil men has encircled me, ready to attack me. They have pierced through my hands and my feet.
17
I am so weak and thin that I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat about what has happened to me.
18
They looked at the clothes that I was wearing and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get.
19
Yahweh, be concerned for me! You who are my source of strength, come quickly and help me!
20
Rescue me from those who want to kill me with their swords. Save my life from the power of those who are like wild dogs.
21
Snatch me away from my enemies who are like lions with jaws open and ready to chew me up! Grab me away from those men who are like wild oxen that attack other animals with their horns!
22
If you save me from them, I will declare to my fellow Israelites how great you are. I will praise you among the group of your people gathered together to worship you.
23
You people who have an awesome respect for Yahweh, praise him! All you who are descended from Jacob, honor Yahweh! All you Israelite people, revere him!
24
He does not despise or ignore those who are suffering; he does not hide his face from them. He has listened to them when they cried out to him for help.
25
Yahweh, in the great gathering of your people, I will praise you for what you have done. In the presence of those who have an awesome respect for you, I will offer the sacrifices that I promised.
26
The poor people whom I have invited to the meal will eat as much as they want. All who come to worship Yahweh will praise him. I pray that God will enable you all to live a long and happy life!
27
I pray that people in all nations, even in the remote areas, will think about Yahweh and turn to him, and that people from all the clans in the world will bow down before him.
28
For Yahweh is the king! He rules all the nations.
29
All the rich people on the earth will celebrate and bow before him. Some day they will die, for they cannot avoid it, but they will prostrate themselves on the ground in his presence.
30
People in the future generations will also serve Yahweh. They will tell their children about what Yahweh has done.
31
People who are not yet born, who will live in future years, will learn how Yahweh rescued his people. People will tell them, “Yahweh did it!”

The Psalm of the Cross

(Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:16-30)
1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2
My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3
But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5
They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8
He trusts in the LORD. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
9
But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
10
I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11
Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help.
12
Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14
I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16
For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.(a)
17
I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18
They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19
But don’t be far off, LORD. You are my help. Hurry to help me!
20
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21
Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22
I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
23
You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25
My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26
The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the LORD who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28
For the kingdom is the LORD’s. He is the ruler over the nations.
29
All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive.
30
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31
They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.

Footnotes

(a)22:16 So Dead Sea Scrolls. Masoretic Text reads, “Like a lion, they pin my hands and feet.”