Psalm 22

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

1. My God, O why hast Thou forsaken me?
   Why dost Thou not, while unto Thee I flee,
   Grant any help, but seemest not to see
   My tribulation?
   I groan by day, but Thou art far from heeding
   The mournful cries that I have been repeating;
   By night also Thou dost not hear my pleading.
   I find no rest.
   
2. Yet Thou art holy, God of Israel!
   Enthroned on high, Thou dost midst praises dwell.
   Whatever to our fathers once befell,
   In Thee they trusted.
   This trust in Thee hast Thou with grace rewarded:
   Thou hast to them deliverance accorded
   And safety by Thy strong right hand afforded
   Whene’er they cried!
   
3. But I, I am a worm, and not a man.
   I am despised and scorned by everyone.
   They stare and mock at me; whoever can
   Shows his derision.
   “From God the LORD his cause he would not sever;
   Let then the LORD,” they say, “be his Deliverer
   And rescue him, if truly He did ever
   Delight in him!”
   
4. Yet from the womb Thou, LORD, hast been my rest,
   And kept me safe upon my mother’s breast;
   Upon Thee, from my birth on, I was cast,
   My God and Keeper!
   Thou ever since the day my mother bore me
   Hast been my God. O wilt Thou then restore me
   And in all trouble be my help before me:
   None else can help!
   
5. Bulls that encompass me to kill, abound.
   Strong bulls of Bashan me, in rage, surround.
   They open wide their mouth at me and sound
   Like roaring lions.
   See how like water all my strength is going;
   My bones are out of joint, my heart (fear showing)
   Like melted wax within my body flowing
   Is sore distressed.
   
6. My strength is also withered and thereby
   My tongue from lack of moisture is parched dry.
   The dust of death has now come very nigh;
   Yea, dogs surround me.
   I suffer from the evildoers’ smiting;
   They pierced my hands and feet; they gloat and, chiding,
   Among themselves my garments are dividing
   By casting lots.
   
7. But Thou, my LORD, O be not far away
   And to my help do hasten, be my stay,
   That from the deadly sword my soul now may
   Soon be delivered!
   Save, LORD, my soul from dogs and from their power,
   From lions’ mouths, O Thou my Strength and Tower,
   And from wild oxen’s horns do Thou allow her
   Deliverance.
   
8. I to my brethren of Thy Name will tell,
   And praise Thee in the midst of Israel.
   From him who fears the LORD let praises swell
   In the assembly.
   Let all the sons of Jacob sing Thy glory,
   And let all Israel stand in awe before Thee,
   For Thou hast not despised me nor abhorred me
   In my distress.
   
9. O LORD, Thou hast not hid from me Thy face,
   But when I cried hast shown to me Thy grace.
   So hast Thou given ample room for praise
   Among Thy people.
   My vows I pay before all those who fear Him,
   For the afflicted eats since God did hear him.
   All those that seek Him surely shall revere Him
   And live for aye.
   
10. The ends of all the earth recall His grace
    And, turning to the LORD, will seek His face.
    All families from every tribe and race
    Shall bow before Him.
    The kingdoms are the LORD’s own habitations
    And He alone rules over all the nations;
    The proud of heart shall offer invocations
    And to Him bow.
    
11. Both high and low before His majesty,
    All those that turn to dust, will bow the knee;
    And he whose own strength cannot keep him free
    From death and ruin.
    A seed shall serve Him, and each generation
    In time to come shall hear of His salvation;
    The unborn, too, will hear the proclamation
    Of what He wrought.