PSA C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36 C37 C38 C39 C40 C41 C42 C43 C44 C45 C46 C47 C48 C49 C50 C51 C52 C53 C54 C55 C56 C57 C58 C59 C60 C61 C62 C63 C64 C65 C66 C67 C68 C69 C70 C71 C72 C73 C74 C75 C76 C77 C78 C79 C80 C81 C82 C83 C84 C85 C86 C87 C88 C89 C90 C91 C92 C93 C94 C95 C96 C97 C98 C99 C100 C101 C102 C103 C104 C105 C106 C107 C108 C109 C110 C111 C112 C113 C114 C115 C116 C117 C118 C119 C120 C121 C122 C123 C124 C125 C126 C127 C128 C129 C130 C131 C132 C133 C134 C135 C136 C137 C138 C139 C140 C141 C142 C143 C144 C145 C146 C147 C148 C149 C150

MOF PSA Chapter 22

◄ PSA 22 ► ║ ©

From the Choirmaster’s collection. To the tune, “Deer of the Dawn.” A song of David.

22 My God, my God, why desert me?

Why do my cries of anguish bring no help?

2 I cry by day, but thou wilt not reply,

and no relief comes to me in the night.

3 Yet thou art throned, my God, within the sacred shrine,

receiving praise from Israel!

4 On thee our fathers did rely,

relied, and thou didst rescue them;

5 they cried to thee and they were safe,

relied on thee and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a mere worm, and not a man,

derided and despised by men;

7 all who see me mock at me,

they toss their heads and sneer,

8 “He left it to the Eternal! let him come to the rescue;

if the Eternal cares for him, let him come to the rescue!”

9 ’Twas thou indeed didst take me from the womb

didst lay me on my mother’s breast;

10 from birth I have been cast upon thy care,

and from my mother’s womb thou hast been my God.

11 Be not far from me now; danger is near,

and there is none to help.

12 A brutal horde bests me,

fierce bulls of Bashan hem me in,

13 panting for me open-mouthed

like lions roaring as they rend;

14 my strength is weak as water,

all my limbs give way;

my heart becomes like wax,

it is melting in my breast;

15 my throat is as dry as a potsherd,

my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

16 my hands and feet are all disfigured,

15 and I am laid low in the dust of death.

16 For a pack of curs encircles me,

a gang of villains surround me;

17 I can count all my bones,

and my foes are gloating over me,

18 dividing already my very clothes,

and casting lots for my raiment.

19 O thou Eternal, be not far from me,

O Strength of mine, speed to my aid,

20 rescue me from the sword,

save my life from these curs,

21 pluck me from the lion’s jaws,

pluck my unhappy soul from these wild-oxen’s horns.

22 Then will I tell my fellows of thy fame,

and praise thee in our gathering:

23 “Praise the Eternal, ye his worshippers,

glorify him, all ye sons of Jacob,

stand in awe of him, all ye sons of Israel!

24 For he has not despised the poor man’s plight,

he has not hidden his face from me,

he answered my appeal for help.

25 Therefore I praise him in our great gathering,

I pay my vows before his worshippers.

26 Let the pious partake of the feast to their heart’s desire,

let the Eternal’s worshippers praise him,

and wish me ’Long life and happiness!’ ”

27 [[Men shall bethink them of the Eternal,

and turn to him from earth’s very verge;

all families of the nations shall bow before him,

28 for the Eternal reigns, lords of all nations;

29 prosperous people sacrifice and worship,

dying peoples bow before him,

folk who cannot keep themselves alive;

30 their descendants worship him,

and the next generation has news of the Lord;

31 his saving deeds shall be declared

to generations yet unborn.]]