Psalms
Chapter
Psalms is a collection of poems written over a long period of time by various authors. They express the heart of humanity in all generations through a variety of religious experiences. Originally the poems were chanted or sung to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument. One of the characteristics of this Hebrew poetry is parallelism; that is, the second line reiterates the idea of the first line.
Psalm 22
22:1 To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
22:2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
22:4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
22:5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
22:10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
22:11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
22:12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
22:13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
22:14 I 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.
22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
22:23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
22:24 For 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.
22:25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
22:29 All 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.
22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
22:31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.