Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.

3Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises22:3 Or dwelling in the praises of Israel.

4In you our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

5To you they cried and were rescued;

in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

7All who see me mock me;

they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

8“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;

let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9Yet you are he who took me from the womb;

you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.

10On you was I cast from my birth,

and from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11Be not far from me,

for trouble is near,

and there is none to help.

12Many bulls encompass me;

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

13they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

14I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

15my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet22:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet—

17I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

18they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

19But you, O LORD, do not be far off!

O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

20Deliver my soul from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dog!

21Save me from the mouth of the lion!

You have rescued22:21 Hebrew answered me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23You who fear the LORD, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,

and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24For he has not despised or abhorred

the affliction of the afflicted,

and he has not hidden his face from him,

but has heard, when he cried to him.

25From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

26The afflicted22:26 Or The meek shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD!

May your hearts live for ever!

27All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the LORD,

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before you.

28For kingship belongs to the LORD,

and he rules over the nations.

29All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

even the one who could not keep himself alive.

30Posterity shall serve him;

it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

31they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,

that he has done it.