Psalm 22

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures made in the centuries before Christ; it numbers this psalm 21. The English is Sir Lancelot Brenton’s (1844), which is in the public domain.

1. Title
   To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.
   SeptuagintFor the end, concerning the morning aid, a Psalm of David.
2. 1
   My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? My God, hear the words of my roaring. Thou art far from helping me.
   SeptuagintO God, my God, attend to me: why hast thou forsaken me? the account of my transgressions is far from my salvation.
3. 2
   O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest answerest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
   SeptuagintO my God, I will cry to thee by day, but thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be accounted for folly to me.
4. 3
   But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the heavens. Thou art worthy of the praises of Israel.
   SeptuagintBut thou, the praise of Israel, dwellest in a sanctuary.

   “The Holy One was ‘enthroned on the praises of Israel’ (Ps.22.3), and the congregation praised and glorified the LORD and stood in awe of him (Ps.22.23).”

   Margaret Barker, Gazing on the Mystery (2006) ↗

5. 4
   Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
   SeptuagintOur fathers hoped in thee; they hoped, and thou didst deliver them.
6. 5
   They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
   SeptuagintThey cried to thee, and were saved: they hoped in thee, and were not ashamed.
7. 6
   But I am a worm, and loved of no man; a reproach of men man, and despised of the people.
   SeptuagintBut I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men, and scorn of the people.
8. 7
   All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
   SeptuagintAll that saw me mocked me: they spoke with their lips, they shook the head, saying,
9. 8
   He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
   SeptuagintHe hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him, let him save him, because he takes pleasure in him.
10. 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.
    SeptuagintFor thou art he that drew me out of the womb; my hope from my mother’s breasts.
11. 10
    I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art wast my God from my mother’s belly breasts.
    SeptuagintI was cast on thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
12. 11
    Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
    SeptuagintStand not aloof from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper.
13. 12
    Many bulls armies have compassed me: strong bulls armies of Bashan have beset me round around.
    SeptuagintMany bullocks have compassed me: fat bulls have beset me round.
14. 13
    They gaped upon me with their mouths, as like a ravening and a roaring lion.
    SeptuagintThey have opened their mouth against me, as a ravening and roaring lion.
15. 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.
    SeptuagintI am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax.
16. 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.
    SeptuagintMy strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue is glued to my throat; and thou hast brought me down to the dust of death.
17. 16
    For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
    SeptuagintFor many dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked doers has beset me round: they pierced my hands and my feet.
18. 17
    I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
    SeptuagintThey counted all my bones; and they observed and looked upon me.
19. 18
    They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
    SeptuagintThey parted my garments among themselves, and cast lots upon my raiment.
20. 19
    But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
    SeptuagintBut thou, O Lord, remove not my help afar off: be ready for mine aid.
21. 20
    Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
    SeptuagintDeliver my soul from the sword; my only-begotten one from the power of the dog.
22. 21
    Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me speak from the secret places of the wilderness through the horns of the unicorns.
    SeptuagintSave me from the lion’s mouth; and regard my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns.
23. 22
    I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
    SeptuagintI will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.
24. 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.
    SeptuagintYe that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye seed of Jacob, glorify him: let all the seed of Israel fear him.

    “The Hebrew word comes from halal, which means ‘praise’ - but it also means ‘shine’. Was hallelujah the command to make the Lord’s presence shine with music? There are places in the Psalms where this makes very good sense. Psalm 22.23-4, for example, which says that the Lord is enthroned on the praises of Israel, has the exhortation: ‘Praise him, glorify him, stand in awe of him’. This could also be ‘make him shine, make him glorious, stand in awe of him…’, especially as it is followed by ‘He has not hidden his face/presence from the afflicted’.”

    Margaret Barker, Temple Music (Temple Studies Group, 2009) ↗

25. 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.
    SeptuagintFor he has not despised nor been angry at the supplication of the poor; nor turned away his face from me; but when I cried to him, he heard me.
26. 25
    My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
    SeptuagintMy praise is of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
27. 26
    The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
    SeptuagintThe poor shall eat and be satisfied; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their heart shall live for ever.
28. 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.
    SeptuagintAll the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.
29. 28
    For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.
    SeptuagintFor the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he is the governor of the nations.
30. 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.
    SeptuagintAll the fat ones of the earth have eaten and worshipped: all that go down to the earth shall fall down before him: my soul also lives to him.
31. 30
    A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
    SeptuagintAnd my seed shall serve him: the generation that is coming shall be reported to the Lord.
32. 31
    They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that what he hath done this.
    SeptuagintAnd they shall report his righteousness to the people that shall be born, whom the Lord has made.