A psalm written by David for the choir director, to be sung to the tune ‘Doe of the Dawn’

22 My God, my God, why have you abandoned/deserted me?

Why do you stay so far from me,

and why do you not hear/help me [RHQ]?

Why do you not hear me when I am groaning?

2 My God, every day I call to you during the daytime and during the night,

but you do not answer me, so I am not able to sleep.

3 But you are holy.

You sit on your throne as king, and we the people of Israel praise you [PRS].

4 Our ancestors trusted in you.

Because they trusted in you, you rescued them.

5 When they cried out to you, you saved them.

They trusted in you, and ◄they were not disappointed/you saved them as you said that you would►.

6 But you have not rescued me

People despise me and consider that I am not a man;

they think that I am as worthless as a worm!

Everyone [HYP] scorns me and despises me.

7 Everyone who sees me [HYP] 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 Why do you not protect me now as you did when I was born?

I was safe even when I was ◄nursing/drinking milk from my mother’s breasts►.

10 It was as though you adopted me right when I was born.

You have ◄been my God/taken care of me► ever since I was born.

11 So, ◄do not stay far from/stay close to► [LIT] 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/group of wild bulls.

Fierce people, like those strong bulls that graze on the hills in Bashan area, encircle me.

13 They are like roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to kill [MET] and eat;

they rush toward me to kill me;

they are like lions that have their mouths open, ready to tear their victims to pieces [MET].

14 I am completely exhausted [MET],

and all my bones are out of their joints/places.

I no longer expect that God will save me;

that expectation is gone completely, like wax that has melted away.

15 My strength is all dried up [MET]

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.

O God, I think that you are about to let me die and become dirt!

16 My enemies [MET] surround me like a pack/group of wild dogs.

A group of evil men has encircled me, ready to attack me.

They have already smashed my hands and my feet.

17 I am so weak and thin that my bones can be seen and counted.

My enemies stare at me and ◄gloat/are happy► 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 O Yahweh, do not stay far away from 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 me from those who are like wild/fierce dogs [MET].

21 Snatch me away from my enemies who are like lions whose jaws are already open, ready to chew me up

Grab me away from those men who are like wild oxen that attack other animals with their horns [MET]!

22 But you have saved me, so I will declare to my fellow Israelis how great you [MTY] are.

I will praise you among the group of your people gathered togetherto 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 Israeli people, revere him!

24 He does not despise or ignore those who are suffering;

he does not hide ◄his face/himself► 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 revere 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 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 Because Yahweh is the king!

He rules all the nations.

29 I desire that all the rich people on the earth will bow before him.

Some day they will die,

but I want them to prostrate themselves on the ground in his presence before they die.

30 People ◄in the future generations/who have not been born yet► will also serve Yahweh.

Our descendants will be told about what Yahweh has done.

31 People who are not yet born, who will live in future years, will be told how Yahweh rescued his people.

People will tell them, “Yahweh did it!”