1To the chief musician upon Ayeleth-hashachar, a psalm of David.¶ 2My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from saving me, and from the words of my loud complaint? 3O my God! I call in the day-time, but thou answerest not; and in the night I find no rest. 4But thou art holy, O thou that dwellest amidst the praises of Israel. 5In thee did our fathers trust: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 6Unto thee they cried, and were delivered: in thee they trusted, and were not put to shame. 7But I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach of men, and despised of people. 8All those who see me laugh me to scorn: they draw open their lips, they shake their head, saying, 9"Let him throw himself on the Lord, that he may deliver him: he will save him, for he delighteth in him." 10Yea, thou art he that took me from the womb: thou hast been my trust when I hung on my mother’s breasts. 11Upon thee was I cast from my birth: from my mother’s womb art thou my God. 12Oh be not far from me now; for distress is near; for there is none to help. 13Many steers have encompassed me: the strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 14They have opened wide against me their mouth, as a ravenous and roaring lion. 15Like water am I poured out, and all my bones are disjointed: my heart is become like wax, it is melted in the midst of my entrails. 16Like a potsherd is my strength dried up; and my tongue cleaveth to my palate; and into the dust of death hast thou laid me down. 17For dogs have encompassed me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: like lions they threaten my hands and my feet. 18I may number all my bones: while they stare and look upon me. 19They divide my clothes among themselves, and for my garment do they cast lots. 20But thou, O Lord, be not far from me: O thou who art my strength, hasten to my aid. 21Deliver from the sword my life, from the power of the dog my solitary soul. 22Save me from the lion’s mouth; as thou hast answered me from the horns of the reem. 23I will relate thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 24Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and be in dread of him, all ye the seed of Israel. 25For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poor; neither hath he hidden his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 26Of thee shall be my praise in a great assembly: my vows will I pay in the presence of those who fear him. 27The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they who seek him shall praise the Lord: may your heart live for ever. 28All the ends of the world shall remember and return unto the Lord: and all the families of the nations shall bow themselves down before thee. 29For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he governeth the nations. 30All they that eat the fat of the earth shall bow themselves down; before him shall bend the knee all that are going down into the dust; for none can keep alive his own soul. 31Distant ages shall serve him; there shall be related of the Lord unto future generations. They will come, and will tell his righteousness unto a people yet unborn, that he hath done this.