The Living Bible (176 page)

Psalm
22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why do you refuse to help me or even to listen to my groans?
²
 Day and night I keep on weeping, crying for your help, but there is no reply—
^3-4
 for
you are holy.

    
The praises of our fathers surrounded your throne; they trusted you and you delivered them.
⁵
 You heard their cries for help and saved them; they were never disappointed when they sought your aid.

    
⁶
 But I am a worm, not a man, scorned and despised by my own people and by all mankind.
⁷
 Everyone who sees me mocks and sneers and shrugs.
⁸
 “Is this the one who rolled his burden on the Lord?” they laugh. “Is this the one who claims the Lord delights in him? We’ll believe it when we see God rescue him!”

    
^9-11
 Lord, how you have helped me before!
*
You took me safely from my mother’s womb and brought me through the years of infancy. I have depended upon you since birth; you have always been my God. Don’t leave me now, for trouble is near and no one else can possibly help.

    
¹²
 I am surrounded by fearsome enemies, strong as the giant bulls from Bashan.
¹³
 They come at me with open jaws, like roaring lions attacking their prey.
¹⁴
 My strength has drained away like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart melts like wax;
¹⁵
 my strength has dried up like sun-baked clay; my tongue sticks to my mouth, for you have laid me in the dust of death.
¹⁶
 The enemy, this gang of evil men, circles me like a pack of dogs; they have pierced my hands and feet.
¹⁷
 I can count every bone in my body. See these men of evil gloat and stare;
¹⁸
 they divide my clothes among themselves by a toss of the dice.

    
¹⁹
 O Lord, don’t stay away. O God my Strength, hurry to my aid.
²⁰
 Rescue me from death; spare my precious life from all these evil men.
*
²¹
 Save me from these lions’ jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. Yes, God will answer me and rescue me.

    
²²
 I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.
²³
 “Praise the Lord, each one of you who fears him,” I will say. “Each of you
*
must fear and reverence his name. Let all Israel sing his praises,
²⁴
 for he has not despised my cries of deep despair; he has not turned and walked away. When I cried to him, he heard and came.”

    
²⁵
 Yes, I will stand and praise you
*
before all the people. I will publicly fulfill my vows in the presence of all who reverence your name.

    
²⁶
 The poor
*
shall eat and be satisfied; all who seek the Lord shall find him and shall praise his name. Their hearts shall rejoice with everlasting joy.
²⁷
 The whole earth shall see it and return to the Lord; the people of every nation shall worship him.

    
²⁸
 For the Lord is King and rules the nations.
²⁹
 Both proud and humble together, all who are mortal—born to die—shall worship him.
³⁰
 Our children too shall serve him, for they shall hear from us about the wonders of the Lord;
³¹
 generations yet unborn shall hear of all the miracles he did for us.

Psalm
23

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!

    
^2-3
 He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.

    
⁴
 Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.
*

    
⁵
 You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest;
*
blessings overflow!

    
⁶
 Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.

Psalm
24

The earth belongs to God! Everything in all the world is his!
²
 He is the one who pushed the oceans back to let dry land appear.
*

    
³
 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord?
⁴
 Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying.
⁵
 They will receive God’s own goodness
*
as their blessing from him, planted in their lives by God himself, their Savior.
⁶
 These are the ones who are allowed to stand before the Lord and worship the God of Jacob.

    
⁷
 Open up, O ancient gates, and let the King of Glory in.
⁸
 Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, invincible in battle.
⁹
 Yes, open wide the gates and let the King of Glory in.

    
¹⁰
 Who is this King of Glory? The Commander of all of heaven’s armies!

Psalm
25

To you, O Lord, I pray.
²
 Don’t fail me, Lord, for I am trusting you. Don’t let my enemies succeed. Don’t give them victory over me.
³
 None of those who have faith in God will ever be disgraced for trusting him. But all who harm the innocent shall be defeated.

    
⁴
 Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk.
⁵
 Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation. I have no hope except in you.
^6-7
 Overlook my youthful sins, O Lord! Look at me instead through eyes of mercy and forgiveness, through eyes of everlasting love and kindness.

    
⁸
 The Lord is good and glad to teach the proper path to all who go astray;
⁹
 he will teach the ways that are right and best to those who humbly turn to him.
¹⁰
 And when we obey him, every path he guides us on is fragrant with his loving-kindness and his truth.

    
¹¹
 But Lord, my sins! How many they are. Oh, pardon them for the honor of your name.

    
¹²
 Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best.

    
¹³
 He shall live within God’s circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth.

    
¹⁴
 Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises.

    
¹⁵
 My eyes are ever looking to the Lord for help, for he alone can rescue me.
¹⁶
 Come, Lord, and show me your mercy, for I am helpless, overwhelmed, in deep distress;
¹⁷
 my problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!
¹⁸
 See my sorrows; feel my pain; forgive my sins.
¹⁹
 See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me!
²⁰
 Save me from them! Deliver my life from their power! Oh, let it never be said that I trusted you in vain!

    
²¹
 Assign me Godliness and Integrity as my bodyguards, for I expect you to protect me
²²
 and to ransom Israel from all her troubles.