22 For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” 1 a psalm of David.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 2
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. 3
2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up. 4
3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. 5
4 In you our ancestors 6 trusted;
they trusted in you 7 and you rescued them.
5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. 8
6 But I 9 am a worm, 10 not a man; 11
people insult me and despise me. 12
7 All who see me taunt 13 me;
they mock me 14 and shake their heads. 15
8 They say, 16
“Commit yourself 17 to the Lord!
Let the Lord 18 rescue him!
Let the Lord 19 deliver him, for he delights in him.” 20
9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out 21 from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
10 I have been dependent on you since birth; 22
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. 23
11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. 24
12 Many bulls 25 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 26 hem me in.
13 They 27 open their mouths to devour me 28
like a roaring lion that rips its prey. 29
14 My strength drains away like water; 30
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart 31 is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
15 The roof of my mouth 32 is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums. 33
You 34 set me in the dust of death. 35
16 Yes, 36 wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet. 37
17 I can count 38 all my bones;
my enemies 39 are gloating over me in triumph. 40
18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 41 for my garments.
19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! 42 Hurry and help me! 43
20 Deliver me 44 from the sword!
Save 45 my life 46 from the claws 47 of the wild dogs!
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, 48
and from the horns of the wild oxen! 49
You have answered me! 50
22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! 51
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
23 You loyal followers of the Lord, 52 praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! 53
24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering 54 of the oppressed; 55
he did not ignore him; 56
when he cried out to him, he responded. 57
25 You are the reason I offer praise 58 in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. 59
26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! 60
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you 61 live forever!
27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! 62
Let all the nations 63 worship you! 64
28 For the Lord is king 65
and rules over the nations.
29 All of the thriving people 66 of the earth will join the celebration and worship; 67
all those who are descending into the grave 68 will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives. 69
30 A whole generation 70 will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. 71
31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; 72
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. 73
23 A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
2 He takes me to lush pastures,
he leads me to refreshing water.
3 He restores my strength.
He leads me down the right paths
for the sake of his reputation.
4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me. 1
5 You prepare a feast before me 2
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh 3 my head with oil;
my cup is completely full. 4
6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness 5 will pursue 6 me all my days, 7
and I will live in 8 the Lord’s house 9 for the rest of my life. 10
