1My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring ? 2O my God , I cry in the daytime , but thou hearest 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 confounded .
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 , 8He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9But thou art he that took me out of the womb : thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts . 10I was cast upon thee from the womb : thou art my God from my mother’s belly . 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 gaped upon me with their mouths , 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 in the midst of my bowels . 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: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet . 17I may tell all my bones : they look and stare upon me. 18They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture . 19But be not thou far from me, O LORD : O my strength , 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 : for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns .
A Declaration of Praise
22I will declare thy name unto my brethren : in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23Ye that fear the LORD , praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob , glorify him; and fear 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 . 25My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation : I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26The meek shall eat and be satisfied : they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever .
The Universal Call to Worship
27All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD : and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28For the kingdom is the LORD’s : and he is the governor among the nations . 29All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship : all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul . 30A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation . 31They shall come , and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born , that he hath done this .