Psalm 22 Poem by Justin Reamer

My God, my God, why have You deserted me?
How far from saving me, the words I groan!
I call all day, my God, but You never answer,
all night long I call and cannot rest.
Yet, Holy One, You
who make Your home in the praises of Israel,
in You our fathers put their trust,
they trusted and You rescued them;
they called to You for help and they were saved,
they never trusted You in vain.

Yet here am I, now more worm than man,
scorn of mankind, jest of the people,
all who see me jeer at me,
they toss their heads and sneer,
'He relied on Yahweh, let Yahweh save him!
If Yahweh is his friend, let Him rescue him! '

Yet You drew me out of the womb,
You entrusted me to my mother's breasts;
placed on Your lap from my birth,
from my mother's womb You have been my God.
Do not stand aside: trouble is near,
I have not one to help me!

A herd of bulls surrounds me,
strong bulls of Bashan close in on me;
their jaws are agape for me,
like lions tearing and roaring.

I am like water draining away,
my bones are all disjointed,
my heart is like wax,
melting inside me;
my palate is drier than a potsherd
and my tongue is stuck to my jaw.

A pack of dogs surrounds me,
a gang of villains closes me in;
they tie me hand and foot
and leave me lying in the dust of death.

I can count every one of my bones,
and there they glare at me, gloating;
they divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothes.

Do not stand aside, Yahweh.
O my Strength, come quickly to my help;
rescue my soul from the sword,
my dear life from the paw of the dog,
save me from the lion's mouth,
my poor soul from the wild bulls' horns!

Then I shall proclaim Your Name to my brothers and sisters,
praise You in full assembly,
you who fear Yahweh, praise Him!
Entire race of Jacob, glorify Him!
Entire race of Israel, revere Him!

For He has not despised
or disdained the poor man in his poverty,
has not hidden His face from him,
but has answered him when he called.

You are the theme of my praise in the Great Assembly,
I perform my vows in the presence of those who fear Him.
The poor will receive as much as they want to eat,
Those who seek Yahweh will praise Him.
Long life to their hearts!

The whole earth, from end to end,
will remember and come back to Yahweh;
all the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
For Yahweh reigns, the Ruler of Nations!
Before Him all the prosperous of the Earth will bow down,
before Him will bow all who go down to the dust.
And my soul will live for Him,
my children will serve Him;
men will proclaim the Lord to generations still to come,
His righteousness to a people yet unborn.
All this He has done.