Psalm 22 – NIRV & NIV

New International Reader’s Version

Psalm 22:1-31

Psalm 22

For the director of music. A psalm of David to the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.”

1My God, my God, why have you deserted me?

Why do you seem so far away when I need you to save me?

Why do you seem so far away that you can’t hear my groans?

2My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don’t answer.

I cry out at night. But you don’t let me sleep.

3But you rule from your throne as the Holy One.

You are the God Israel praises.

4Our people of long ago put their trust in you.

They trusted in you, and you saved them.

5They cried out to you and were saved.

They trusted in you, and you didn’t let them down.

6Everyone treats me like a worm and not a man.

They hate me and look down on me.

7All those who see me laugh at me.

They shout at me and make fun of me.

They shake their heads at me.

8They say, “He trusts in the Lord.

Let the Lord help him.

If the Lord is pleased with him,

let him save him.”

9But you brought me out of my mother’s body.

You made me trust in you

even when I was at my mother’s breast.

10From the time I was born, you took good care of me.

Ever since I came out of my mother’s body, you have been my God.

11Don’t be far away from me.

Trouble is near,

and there is no one to help me.

12Many enemies are all around me.

They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan.

13They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill.

They open their mouths wide to attack me.

14My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground.

I feel as if my bones aren’t connected.

My heart has turned to wax.

It has melted away inside me.

15My mouth is dried up like a piece of broken pottery.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You bring me down to the edge of the grave.

16A group of sinful people has closed in on me.

They are all around me like a pack of dogs.

They have pierced my hands and my feet.

17Everyone can see all my bones right through my skin.

People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer.

18They divide up my clothes among them.

They cast lots for what I am wearing.

19Lord, don’t be so far away from me.

You give me strength. Come quickly to help me.

20Save me from being killed by the sword.

Save the only life I have. Save me from the power of those dogs.

21Save me from the mouths of those lions.

Save me from the horns of those wild oxen.

22I will announce your name to my people.

I will praise you among those who are gathered to worship you.

23You who have respect for the Lord, praise him!

All you people of Jacob, honor him!

All you people of Israel, worship him!

24He has not forgotten the one who is hurting.

He has not turned away from his suffering.

He has not turned his face away from him.

He has listened to his cry for help.

25Because of what you have done,

I will praise you in the whole community of those who worship you.

In front of those who respect you,

I will keep my promises.

26Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied.

Those who seek the Lord will praise him.

May their hearts be filled with new hope!

27People from one end of the earth to the other

will remember and turn to the Lord.

The people of all the nations

will bow down in front of him.

28The Lord is King.

He rules over the nations.

29All rich people of the earth will feast and worship God.

All who go down to the grave will kneel in front of him.

Those who cannot keep themselves alive will kneel.

30Those who are not yet born will serve him.

Those who are born later will be told about the Lord.

31And they will tell people who have not yet been born,

“The Lord has done what is right!”

New International Version

Psalms 22:1-31

Psalm 22In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

so far from my cries of anguish?

2My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

by night, but I find no rest.22:2 Or night, and am not silent

3Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

you are the one Israel praises.22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel

4In you our ancestors put their trust;

they trusted and you delivered them.

5To you they cried out and were saved;

in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

7All who see me mock me;

they hurl insults, shaking their heads.

8“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,

“let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him,

since he delights in him.”

9Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.

10From birth I was cast on you;

from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11Do not be far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is no one to help.

12Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13Roaring lions that tear their prey

open their mouths wide against me.

14I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted within me.

15My mouth22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16Dogs surround me,

a pack of villains encircles me;

they pierce22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion my hands and my feet.

17All my bones are on display;

people stare and gloat over me.

18They divide my clothes among them

and cast lots for my garment.

19But you, Lord, do not be far from me.

You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

20Deliver me from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dogs.

21Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;

save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22I will declare your name to my people;

in the assembly I will praise you.

23You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24For he has not despised or scorned

the suffering of the afflicted one;

he has not hidden his face from him

but has listened to his cry for help.

25From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;

before those who fear you22:25 Hebrew him I will fulfill my vows.

26The poor will eat and be satisfied;

those who seek the Lord will praise him—

may your hearts live forever!

27All the ends of the earth

will remember and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

will bow down before him,

28for dominion belongs to the Lord

and he rules over the nations.

29All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;

all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—

those who cannot keep themselves alive.

30Posterity will serve him;

future generations will be told about the Lord.

31They will proclaim his righteousness,

declaring to a people yet unborn:

He has done it!