(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “A Deer at Dawn.”)
Suffering and Praise
1 My God, my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
2 I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.
3 Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
5 When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.
6 But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
7 Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
8 and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe.”
9 You, Lord, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10 From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.
11 Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12 Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan
are everywhere.
13 My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.
14 I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15 My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.
16 Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at my hands
and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18 They took my clothes
and gambled for them.
19 Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
so hurry and help.
20 Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
21 Don't let lions eat me.
You rescued me from the horns
of wild bulls,
22 and when your people meet,
I will praise you, Lord.
23 All who worship the Lord,
now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
so fear and honor the Lord!
24 The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
and did not turn away.
25 When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
keep my promises to you.
26 The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
will be thankful
and live in hope.
27 Everyone on this earth
will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
will turn and worship you,
28 because you are in control,
the ruler of all nations.
29 All who are rich
and have more than enough
will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
will come and bow down.
30 In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
about you, our Lord.
31 People not yet born
will be told,
“The Lord has saved us!”
1 To him that excelleth upon Aiieleth Hasshahar. A Psalme of Dauid. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so farre from mine health, and from the wordes of my roaring? 2 O my God, I crie by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but haue no audience. 3 But thou art holy, and doest inhabite the prayses of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didest deliuer them. 5 They called vpon thee, and were deliuered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worme, and not a man: a shame of men, and the contempt of the people. 7 All they that see me, haue me in derision: they make a mowe and nod the head, saying, 8 He trusted in the Lord, let him deliuer him: let him saue him, seeing he loueth him. 9 But thou didest draw me out of ye wombe: thou gauest me hope, euen at my mothers breasts. 10 I was cast vpon thee, euen from ye wombe: thou art my God from my mothers belly. 11 Be not farre from me, because trouble is neere: for there is none to helpe me. 12 Many yong bulles haue compassed me: mightie bulles of Bashan haue closed me about. 13 They gape vpon me with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring lyon. 14 I am like water powred out, and all my bones are out of ioynt: mine heart is like waxe: it is molten in the middes of my bowels. 15 My strength is dryed vp like a potsheard, and my tongue cleaueth to my iawes, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogges haue compassed me, and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me: they perced mine hands and my feete. 17 I may tell all my bones: yet they beholde, and looke vpon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lottes vpon my vesture. 19 But be thou not farre off, O Lord, my strength: hasten to helpe me. 20 Deliuer my soule from the sword: my desolate soule from the power of the dogge. 21 Saue me from the lyons mouth, and answere me in sauing me from the hornes of the vnicornes. 22 I wil declare thy Name vnto my brethren: in the middes of the Congregation will I praise thee, saying, 23 Prayse the Lord, ye that feare him: magnifie ye him, all the seede of Iaakob, and feare ye him, all the seede of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred ye affliction of the poore: neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he called vnto him, he heard. 25 My prayse shalbe of thee in the great Congregation: my vowes will I perfourme before them that feare him. 26 The poore shall eate and be satisfied: they that seeke after the Lord, shall prayse him: your heart shall liue for euer. 27 All the endes of the worlde shall remember themselues, and turne to the Lord: and all the kinreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdome is the Lords, and he ruleth among the nations. 29 All they that be fat in the earth, shall eate and worship: all they that go downe into the dust, shall bowe before him, euen he that cannot quicken his owne soule. 30 Their seede shall serue him: it shalbe counted vnto the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousnesse vnto a people that shall be borne, because he hath done it.