Psalm 22:1-21

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1
u My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so v far from saving me, from the words of my w groaning?
 2 O my God, I cry by x day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are y holy,
z enthroned on a the praises 1 of Israel.
 4 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
 5 To you they b cried and were rescued;
in you they c trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am d a worm and not a man,
e scorned by mankind and f despised by the people.
 7 All who see me g mock me;
they make mouths at me; they h wag their heads;
 8 i "He trusts in the Lord; let him j deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he k delights in him!"

9 Yet you are he who l took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
 10 On you was I cast from my birth,
and from m my mother's womb you have been my God.
 11 Be not n far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is o none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
p strong bulls of q Bashan surround me;
 13 they r open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am s poured out like water,
and all my bones are t out of joint;
my u heart is like v wax;
it is melted within my breast;
 15 my strength is w dried up like a potsherd,
and my x tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For y dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers z encircles me;
they have a pierced my hands and feet 2 -
17 I can count all my bones -
they b stare and gloat over me;
 18 c they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, n do not be far off!
O you my help, d come quickly to my aid!
 20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of e the dog!
 21 Save me from f the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued 3 me from the horns of g the wild oxen!

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 27:46
    And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Mark 15:34
    And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 22:11
    Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 32:3
    For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
    Psalms 38:8
    I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
    Job 3:24
    For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.
    Isaiah 59:11
    We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
    Hebrews 5:7
    In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 88:1
    O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.
  5. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:2
    Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 80:1
    Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
    Psalms 99:1
    The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 9:11
    Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
    Psalms 9:14
    That I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.
    Psalms 65:1
    Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
    Psalms 102:21
    That they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise.
    Psalms 147:12
    Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
  8. Cross References
    Judges 3:9
    But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 25:2
    O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.
    Psalms 31:1
    In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!
    Psalms 71:1
    In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
    Isaiah 49:23
    Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord ; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.
    Romans 9:33
    As it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.
  10. Cross References
    Job 25:6
    How much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!
    Isaiah 41:14
    Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord ; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 69:19
    You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
    Psalms 109:25
    I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.
  12. Cross References
    Isaiah 49:7
    Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
    Isaiah 53:3
    He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
  13. Cross References
    Matthew 27:39 - 43
    And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads
    Mark 15:29 - 32
    And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.
    Luke 23:35 - 36
    And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 109:25
    I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.
    Psalms 44:14
    You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
    2 Kings 19:21
    This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him: "She despises you, she scorns you - the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you - the daughter of Jerusalem.
    Isaiah 37:22
    This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him: "'She despises you, she scorns you - the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you - the daughter of Jerusalem.
    Lamentations 2:15
    All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?
  15. Cross References
    Psalms 37:5
    Commit your way to the Lord ; trust in him, and he will act.
    Proverbs 16:3
    Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 91:14
    Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
  17. Cross References
    Psalms 18:19
    He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
    Matthew 3:17
    And behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
    Mark 1:11
    And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.
    Luke 3:22
    And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.
  18. Cross References
    Psalms 71:6
    Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.
  19. Cross References
    Isaiah 46:3
    Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb.
    Isaiah 49:1
    Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
    Galatians 1:15
    But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace.
  20. Cross References
    Psalms 22:1
    My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
    Psalms 10:1
    Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 107:12
    So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.
    2 Kings 14:26
    For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel.
    Isaiah 63:5
    I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me.
  22. Cross References
    Psalms 68:30
    Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
  23. Cross References
    Amos 4:1
    "Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, 'Bring, that we may drink!'
  24. Cross References
    Psalms 35:21
    They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!
    Job 16:10
    Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me.
    Lamentations 2:16
    All your enemies rail against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We have swallowed her! Ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have it; we see it!
    Lamentations 3:46
    All our enemies open their mouths against us.
  25. Cross References
    Lamentations 2:11
    My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out to the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city.
  26. Cross References
    Daniel 5:6
    Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
  27. Cross References
    Job 23:16
    God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.
    Nahum 2:10
    Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts melt and knees tremble; anguish is in all loins; all faces grow pale!
    Joshua 2:11
    And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
  28. Cross References
    Psalms 68:2
    As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
  29. Cross References
    Proverbs 17:22
    A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
  30. Cross References
    John 19:28
    After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said ( to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst.
    Job 29:10
    The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
  31. Cross References
    Philippians 3:2
    Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
    Revelation 22:15
    Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
  32. Cross References
    Psalms 88:17
    They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together.
  33. Cross References
    Matthew 27:35
    And when they had crucified him, they divided h...
    Mark 15:24
    And they crucified him and divided his garments...
    Luke 23:33
    And when they came to the place that is called ...
    Luke 24:40
    And when he had said this, he showed them his h...
    John 19:23
    When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they too...
    John 19:37
    And again another Scripture says, "They will lo...
    John 20:25
    So the other disciples told him, "We have seen ...
    Zechariah 12:10
    And I will pour out on the house of David and t...
  34. Cross References
    Luke 23:35
    And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!
  35. Cross References
    John 19:24
    So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things.
    Matthew 27:35
    And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.
    Luke 23:34
    And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
  36. Cross References
    Psalms 22:11
    Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
  37. Cross References
    Psalms 38:22
    Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
  38. Cross References
    Philippians 3:2
    Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
    Revelation 22:15
    Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
  39. Cross References
    2 Timothy 4:17
    But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
  40. Cross References
    Numbers 23:22
    God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.