Psalms 22:1-21

God, my God! Why would you abandon me now? Why do you remain distant, refusing to answer my tearful cries in the day and my desperate cries for your help in the night? I can’t stop sobbing. Where are you, my God? Yet I know that you are most holy. You are God-Enthroned, the praise of Israel. Our fathers’ faith was in you— through the generations they trusted in you and you came through. Every time they cried out to you in their despair, you were faithful to deliver them; you didn’t disappoint them. But I am like a worm, crushed and bleeding crimson, treated as less than human. I’ve been despised and scorned by everyone! Mocked by their jeers, despised with their sneers, as all the people poke fun at me, spitting their insults, saying, “Is this the one who trusted in God? Now let’s see if YAHWEH will come to your rescue! Let’s see how much he delights in him!” Lord, you delivered me safely from my mother’s womb. You are the one who cared for me ever since I was a baby. Since the day I was born, I’ve been placed in your custody. You’ve cradled me throughout my days, and you’ve always been my God. So don’t leave me now, for trouble is all around me, and there’s no one to help me. I’m surrounded by many violent foes like bulls; forces of evil encircle me like the strong bulls of Bashan. Like ravenous, roaring lions tearing their prey, they pour curses from their mouths. Now I’m completely exhausted. Every joint of my body has been pulled apart. My courage has melted away. I’m so thirsty and parched. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And now you lay me in the dust of death. They have pierced my hands and my feet. Like a pack of wild dogs they tear at me, swirling around me with their hatred. A band of evil men surrounds me. I can count all my bones. Look at how they gloat over me and stare! With a toss of the dice they divide my clothes among themselves, gambling for my garments! YAHWEH, please don’t stay far away. My strength, come quickly to my rescue. Give me back my life. Save me from this violent death. Save my precious one and only from the power of these dogs! Save me from all the power of the enemy, from this roaring lion raging against me and the power of his dark horde.