1 To him that excelleth upon Aiieleth Hasshahar. A Psalme of Dauid. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so farre from mine health, and from the wordes of my roaring? 2 O my God, I crie by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but haue no audience. 3 But thou art holy, and doest inhabite the prayses of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didest deliuer them. 5 They called vpon thee, and were deliuered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worme, and not a man: a shame of men, and the contempt of the people. 7 All they that see me, haue me in derision: they make a mowe and nod the head, saying, 8 He trusted in the Lord, let him deliuer him: let him saue him, seeing he loueth him. 9 But thou didest draw me out of ye wombe: thou gauest me hope, euen at my mothers breasts. 10 I was cast vpon thee, euen from ye wombe: thou art my God from my mothers belly. 11 Be not farre from me, because trouble is neere: for there is none to helpe me. 12 Many yong bulles haue compassed me: mightie bulles of Bashan haue closed me about. 13 They gape vpon me with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring lyon. 14 I am like water powred out, and all my bones are out of ioynt: mine heart is like waxe: it is molten in the middes of my bowels. 15 My strength is dryed vp like a potsheard, and my tongue cleaueth to my iawes, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogges haue compassed me, and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me: they perced mine hands and my feete. 17 I may tell all my bones: yet they beholde, and looke vpon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lottes vpon my vesture. 19 But be thou not farre off, O Lord, my strength: hasten to helpe me. 20 Deliuer my soule from the sword: my desolate soule from the power of the dogge. 21 Saue me from the lyons mouth, and answere me in sauing me from the hornes of the vnicornes. 22 I wil declare thy Name vnto my brethren: in the middes of the Congregation will I praise thee, saying, 23 Prayse the Lord, ye that feare him: magnifie ye him, all the seede of Iaakob, and feare ye him, all the seede of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred ye affliction of the poore: neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he called vnto him, he heard. 25 My prayse shalbe of thee in the great Congregation: my vowes will I perfourme before them that feare him. 26 The poore shall eate and be satisfied: they that seeke after the Lord, shall prayse him: your heart shall liue for euer. 27 All the endes of the worlde shall remember themselues, and turne to the Lord: and all the kinreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdome is the Lords, and he ruleth among the nations. 29 All they that be fat in the earth, shall eate and worship: all they that go downe into the dust, shall bowe before him, euen he that cannot quicken his owne soule. 30 Their seede shall serue him: it shalbe counted vnto the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousnesse vnto a people that shall be borne, because he hath done it.
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise
1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I have cried desperately for help,
but still it does not come.
2 During the day I call to you, my God,
but you do not answer;
I call at night,
but get no rest.
3 But you are enthroned as the Holy One,
the one whom Israel praises.
4 Our ancestors put their trust in you;
they trusted you, and you saved them.
5 They called to you and escaped from danger;
they trusted you and were not disappointed.
6 But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,
despised and scorned by everyone!
7 All who see me make fun of me;
they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.
8 “You relied on the Lord,” they say.
“Why doesn't he save you?
If the Lord likes you,
why doesn't he help you?”
9 It was you who brought me safely through birth,
and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.
10 I have relied on you since the day I was born,
and you have always been my God.
11 Do not stay away from me!
Trouble is near,
and there is no one to help.
12 Many enemies surround me like bulls;
they are all around me,
like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.
13 They open their mouths like lions,
roaring and tearing at me.
14 My strength is gone,
gone like water spilled on the ground.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15 My throat is as dry as dust,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have left me for dead in the dust.
16 An evil gang is around me;
like a pack of dogs they close in on me;
they tear at my hands and feet.
17 All my bones can be seen.
My enemies look at me and stare.
18 They gamble for my clothes
and divide them among themselves.
19 O Lord, don't stay away from me!
Come quickly to my rescue!
20 Save me from the sword;
save my life from these dogs.
21 Rescue me from these lions;
I am helpless before these wild bulls.
22 I will tell my people what you have done;
I will praise you in their assembly:
23 “Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
Honor him, you descendants of Jacob!
Worship him, you people of Israel!
24 He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering;
he does not turn away from them,
but answers when they call for help.”
25 In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;
in the presence of those who worship you
I will offer the sacrifices I promised.
26 The poor will eat as much as they want;
those who come to the Lord will praise him.
May they prosper forever!
27 All nations will remember the Lord.
From every part of the world they will turn to him;
all races will worship him.
28 The Lord is king,
and he rules the nations.
29 All proud people will bow down to him;
all mortals will bow down before him.
30 Future generations will serve him;
they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 People not yet born will be told:
“The Lord saved his people.”