Psalm of the Cross

(Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49; John 19:28-30)

1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

2O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.

3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4Our fathers trusted in thee: They trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5They cried unto thee, and were delivered: They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.

6But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head,'saying ,

8Commit thyself unto Jehovah; Let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him.

9But thou art he that took me out of the womb; Thou didst make me trust when I was upon my mother's breasts.

10I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God since my mother bare me.

11Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help.

12Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

14I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.

15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.

17I may count all my bones; They look and stare upon me.

18They part my garments among them, And upon my vesture do they cast lots.

19But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.

20Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog.

21Save me from the lion's mouth; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.

22I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee.

23Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him; All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; And stand in awe of him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24For 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.

25Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26The meek shall eat and be satisfied; They shall praise Jehovah that seek after him: Let your heart live for ever.

27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28For the kingdom is Jehovah's; And he is the ruler over the nations.

29All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he that cannot keep his soul alive.

30A seed shall serve him; It shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation.

31They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it.