Psalm 22

{My enemies say,} “He trusts in God, so God should save him! {He says that} God is very pleased with him; if that is so, God should rescue him!” \* 9 You, God, have been with me since I was in my mother’s womb, and you taught me to trust you when I was at my mother’s breasts. 10 It was as though you had adopted me right when I was born. You have been my God ever since I was born. \* 11 Come near to me {and help me,} because my enemies are near me and there is no one who is helping me. 12 My enemies surround me {like} a group of wild bulls. {Fierce people, like those} strong bulls that {graze on the hills} in {the region of} Bashan, surround me. 13 {They are like} roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to kill. They rush toward me to kill me; they {are like lions that} have their mouths open, ready to tear their victims to pieces. \* 14 I am completely exhausted, and am in much pain! I feel greatly discouraged!

My strength is all dried up like a broken piece of a clay jar that has dried {in the sun}. You have allowed {me to become so thirsty that} my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. {Oh God, I think that you are about to let} my body die and become dust! \* 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of wild dogs. A group of evil men has encircled me{, ready to attack me}. They have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 {I am so weak and thin that} I can see and count my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat {about what has happened to} me. \* 18 {They looked at} the clothes that I {was wearing} and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get. 19 God, do not be like my enemies; rather be concerned for me. You who are the one who strengthens me, come quickly and help me. \* 20 Rescue me from {those who want to} kill me with their swords. Save me from those who are {like wild} dogs. 21 Snatch me away from my enemies who are like lions whose jaws {are already open}, ready to chew me up! Grab me away from those men who are like wild oxen {that attack other animals with} their horns! \* 22 {Because you have saved me,} I will proclaim to my fellow Israelites how great you are. I will praise you among the group of your people gathered together {to worship you}. 23 You people who have an awesome respect for God, praise him! All you who are descended from Jacob, honor God! All you Israelite people, revere him! \* 24 God does not despise or ignore those who are suffering. He pays attention to them, and he responds when they call out to him {for help}. 25 God, in the great gathering {of your people,} I will praise you for what you have done. In the presence of those who revere God, I will offer {the sacrifice} that I promised {to make to you because you delivered me}. \* 26 The poor people {whom I have invited to the meal} will eat as much as they want. All who come to worship God will praise him. I pray that {God will enable} you all to live a long and happy life! 27 People in all nations, even in the remote areas, will think about God and turn to him. People from all the clans in the world will bow down before you, \* 28 because God is the king! He rules the people of all nations. 29 All the rich people on the earth will celebrate and bow before him. All those who are close to dying will kneel in worship {before him}, yes, those who are not able to keep themselves alive. \* 30 People who have not been born yet will {also} serve God. We will tell our descendants what God {has done}. 31 People will come and will proclaim to people not yet born, {who will live in future years,} that because God is righteous {he has delivered those who prayed to him for help}. {People will tell them} that, “God did {it}!” \*