Psalms

Why are you far from saving me,

Far from my cries of anguish?+

 2 My God, I keep calling by day, and you do not answer;+

And by night there is no silence on my part.

 3 But you are holy,+

Surrounded by* the praises of Israel.

 4 In you our fathers put their trust;+

They trusted, and you kept rescuing them.+

 5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;

They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed.*+

 6 But I am a worm and not a man,

Scorned by* men and despised by the people.+

 7 All those seeing me mock me;+

They sneer and shake their heads in derision:+

 9 You were the One who brought me out of the womb,+

The One who made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.

10 I have been entrusted to your care* from birth;

From my mother’s womb, you have been my God.

11 Do not stay far off from me, for trouble is near+

And I have no other helper.+

12 Many young bulls surround me;+

Powerful bulls of Baʹshan encircle me.+

13 They open their mouth wide against me,+

Like a roaring lion that tears its prey to pieces.+

14 I am poured out like water;

All my bones are out of joint.

My heart has become like wax;+

It melts deep within me.+

15 My strength has dried up like a piece of pottery;+

My tongue sticks to my gums;+

You are bringing me down to the dust of death.+

16 For dogs surround me;+

They close in on me like a pack of evildoers,+

Like a lion they are at my hands and feet.+

18 They divide my garments among themselves,

And they cast lots for my clothing.+

20 Save me* from the sword,

My precious life* from the paws* of dogs;+

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion+ and the horns of wild bulls;

Answer and save me.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers;+

In the midst of the congregation I will praise you.+

24 For he has not despised nor loathed the suffering of the oppressed one;+

He has not hidden his face from him.+

25 I will praise you in the large congregation;+

I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

26 The meek will eat and be satisfied;+

Those seeking Jehovah will praise him.+

28 For the kingship belongs to Jehovah;+

He rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous ones* of the earth will eat and will bow down;

All those going down to the dust will kneel before him;

None of them can preserve their lives.*

30 Their descendants* will serve him;

The generation to come will be told about Jehovah.