Read the Bible

¹ My God, my God, why have you
    deserted me?
    Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
    and come to my rescue?
² I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
    and I can never rest.

³ Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
    and praised by Israel.
⁴ Our ancestors trusted you,
    and you rescued them.
⁵ When they cried out for help,
    you saved them,
and you did not let them down
    when they depended on you.

⁶ But I am merely a worm,
    far less than human,
    and I am hated and rejected
    by people everywhere.
⁷ Everyone who sees me
    makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
⁸     and say,
"Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
    let him protect you
    and keep you safe."

⁹ You, Lord, brought me
    safely through birth,
and you protected me
    when I was a baby
    at my mother's breast.
¹⁰ From the day I was born,
    I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
    you have been my God.

¹¹ Don't stay far off
    when I am in trouble
    with no one to help me.
¹² Enemies are all around
    like a herd of wild bulls.
    Powerful bulls from Bashan^[a]
    are everywhere.
¹³ My enemies are like lions
    roaring and attacking
    with jaws open wide.

¹⁴ I have no more strength
    than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
¹⁵ My strength has dried up
    like a broken clay pot,
    and my tongue sticks
    to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
    to die in the dirt.

¹⁶ Brutal enemies attack me
    like a pack of dogs,
    tearing at^[b] my hands
    and my feet.
¹⁷ I can count all my bones,
    and my enemies just stare
    and sneer at me.
¹⁸ They took my clothes
    and gambled for them.

¹⁹ Don't stay far away, Lord!
    My strength comes from you,
    so hurry and help.
²⁰ Rescue me from enemy swords
    and save me from those dogs.
²¹     Don't let lions eat me.

You rescued me from the horns
    of wild bulls,
²²     and when your people meet,
    I will praise you, Lord.

²³ All who worship the Lord,
    now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
    so fear and honor the Lord!
²⁴ The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
    in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
    and did not turn away.

²⁵ When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
    with your praises, Lord,
    and everyone will see me
    keep my promises to you.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
    will be thankful
    and live in hope.

²⁷ Everyone on this earth
    will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
    will turn and worship you,
²⁸     because you are in control,
    the ruler of all nations.

²⁹ All who are rich
and have more than enough
    will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
    will come and bow down.
³⁰ In the future, everyone
will worship
    and learn
    about you, our Lord.
³¹ People not yet born
will be told,
    "The Lord has saved us!"