Psalm 22

The Prayer of a Suffering Man

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? You seem far from saving me, far away from my groans.

2 My God, I call to you during the day, but you do not answer.
I call at night; I am not silent.

3 You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.

4 Our ancestors trusted you; they trusted, and you saved them.

5 They called to you for help and were rescued.
They trusted you and were not disappointed.

6 But I am like a worm instead of a man. People make fun of me and hate me.

7 Those who look at me laugh. They stick out their tongues and shake their heads.

8 They say, “Turn to the Lord for help. Maybe he will save you.
If he likes you, maybe he will rescue you.”

9 You had my mother give birth to me. You made me trust you while I was just a baby.

10 I have leaned on you since the day I was born; you have been my God since my mother gave me birth.

11 So don’t be far away from me. Now trouble is near, and there is no one to help.

12 People have surrounded me like angry bulls. Like the strong bulls of Bashan, they are on every side.

13 Like hungry, roaring lions they open their mouths at me.

14 My strength is gone, like water poured out onto the ground, and my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax; it has melted inside me.

15 My strength has dried up like a clay pot, and my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth. You laid me in the dust of death.

16 Evil people have surrounded me; like dogs they have trapped me. They have bitten my arms and legs.

17 I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me.

18 They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for my clothing.

19 But, Lord, don’t be far away. You are my strength; hurry to help me.

20 Save me from the sword; save my life from the dogs.

21 Rescue me from the lion’s mouth; save me from the horns of the bulls.

22 Then I will tell my brothers and sisters about you; I will praise you in the public meeting.

23 Praise the Lord, all you who respect him. All you descendants of Jacob, honor him; fear him, all you Israelites.

24 He does not ignore those in trouble.
He doesn’t hide from them but listens when they call out to him.

25 Lord, I praise you in the great meeting of your people; these worshipers will see me do what I promised.

26 Poor people will eat until they are full; those who look to the Lord will praise him. May your hearts live forever!

27 People everywhere will remember and will turn to the Lord.
All the families of the nations will worship him

28 because the Lord is King, and he rules the nations.

29 All the powerful people on earth will eat and worship. Everyone will bow down to him, all who will one day die.

30 The people in the future will serve him; they will always be told about the Lord.
31 They will tell that he does what is right. People who are not yet born will hear what God has done.

Psalm 23

The Lord the Shepherd

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.

2 He lets me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm water.

3 He gives me new strength.
He leads me on paths that are right for the good of his name.

4 Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid,
because you are with me. Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.

5 You prepare a meal for me in front of my enemies.
You pour oil of blessing on my head; 

6 Surely your goodness and love will be with me all my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 24

A Welcome for God into the Temple

1 The earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it— the world and all its people.

2 He built it on the waters and set it on the rivers.

3 Who may go up on the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy Temple?

4 Only those with clean hands and pure hearts, who have not worshiped idols, who have not made promises in the name of a false god.

5 They will receive a blessing from the Lord; the God who saves them will declare them right.

6 They try to follow God; they look to the God of Jacob for help. Selah

7 Open up, you gates. Open wide, you aged doors and the glorious King will come in.

8 Who is this glorious King? The Lord, strong and mighty. The Lord, the powerful warrior.

9 Open up, you gates. Open wide, you aged doors and the glorious King will come in.
10 Who is this glorious King? The Lord All-Powerful— he is the glorious King. Selah