1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? Why art thou so far from helping me , and from the words of my groaning? 2O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4Our fathers trusted in thee : They trusted, and thou didst deliver them . 5They cried unto thee, and were delivered : They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.
The Mockery of Others
6But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people . 7All they that see me laugh me to scorn : They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying , 8Commit thyself unto Jehovah ; let him deliver him : Let him rescue him , seeing he delighteth in him . 9But thou art he that took me out of the womb; Thou didst make me trust when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God since my mother bare me . 11Be not far from me ; for trouble is near ; For there is none to help.
A Plea for Deliverance
12Many bulls have compassed me ; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a 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 me . 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16For dogs have compassed me : A company of evil-doers have inclosed me ; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17I may count all my bones. They look and stare upon me ; 18They part my garments among them , And upon my vesture do they cast lots. 19But be not thou far off , O Jehovah : O thou my succor, haste thee to help me . 20Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog. 21Save me from the lion’s mouth ; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me .
A Declaration of Praise
22I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee . 23Ye that fear Jehovah , praise him ; All ye the seed of Jacob , glorify him ; And stand in awe of him , all ye the seed of Israel. 24For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither hath he hid his face from him ; But when he cried unto him , he heard. 25Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him . 26The meek shall eat and be satisfied; They shall praise Jehovah that seek after him : Let your heart live for ever.
The Universal Call to Worship
27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah ; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28For the kingdom is Jehovah ’s; And he is the ruler over the nations . 29All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him , Even he that cannot keep his soul alive. 30A seed shall serve him ; It shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation. 31They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it.