1 My God, my God! Why did you leave me? You are too far away to save me! You are too far away to hear my cries for help! 2 My God, I called to you during the day. But you did not answer me. And I continued calling you in the night. 3 God, you are the Holy One. You sit as King. The praises of Israel are your throne. 4 Our ancestors trusted you. Yes, they trusted you, God, and you saved them. 5 God, our ancestors called to you for help, and they escaped ˻their enemies˼. They trusted you, and they were not disappointed! 6 So, am I a worm and not a man? The people are ashamed of me. The people despise me. 7 Everyone who looks at me makes fun of me. They shake their heads and stick out their tongues at me. 8 They tell me: ”Call to the Lord for help. Maybe he will save you. If he likes you so much, then surely he will rescue you!” 9 God, ˻the truth is˼ that you really are the One I depend on. You have taken care of me since the day I was born. You assured and comforted me while I was still at my mother’s breasts. 10 You have been my God since the day I was born. I was put in your care as soon as I came out of my mother’s body. 11 So, God, don’t leave me! Trouble is near. And there is no person to help me. 12 People are all around me. They are like powerful bulls that surrounded me. 13 Their mouths are wide open like a lion roaring and tearing at an animal. 14 My strength is gone, like water poured out on the ground. My bones have separated. My courage is gone! 15 My mouth is as dry as a piece of broken pottery. My tongue is sticking to the top of my mouth. You have put me in the “dust of death.” 16 The “dogs” are all around me. That pack of evil people has trapped me. Like a lion, ˻they have pierced˼ my hands and my feet.” 17 I can see my bones. And the people are staring at me! They keep looking at me! 18 Those people are dividing my clothes among themselves. They are throwing lots for my robe. 19 Lord, don’t leave me! You are my strength. Hurry and help me! 20 Lord, save my life from the sword. Save my precious life from those dogs. 21 Rescue me from the lion’s mouth. Protect me from the bulls’ horns. 22 ˻Lord,˼ I will tell my brothers about you. I will praise you in the great assembly. 23 Praise the Lord, all you people who worship him! Show honor to the Lord, you descendants of Israel! Fear and respect the Lord, all you people of Israel. 24 Why? Because the Lord helps poor people who have troubles. The Lord is not ashamed of them. He doesn’t hate them. If people call to the Lord for help, he will not hide from them. 25 ˻Lord,˼ my praise in the great assembly comes from you. In front of all these worshipers, I will offer the sacrifices that I promised to give. 26 Poor people, come eat and be satisfied. You people who came looking for the Lord, praise him! May your hearts be happy forever! 27 May the people in all the faraway countries remember the Lord and come back to him! May the people in all the foreign countries worship the Lord. 28 Why? Because the Lord is the King. He rules all nations. 29 Strong, healthy people have eaten and bowed down before God. In fact, all people, those who will die and those who are already dead, will bow down before God! 30 And in the future, our descendants will serve the Lord. People will tell about him forever. 31 Each generation will tell the children about the good things that God has done.
