Chiasm Psalm 22
by GAT, written 11/16/2025 updated 1/3/2026
For the choir director; upon Aijeleth Hashshahar.
A Psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
2 Far from my salvation are the words of my groaning.
3! My God, I cry by day but You do not answer,
4! and by night but I have no silence.
5~ Yet You are holy, inhabiting the praises of Israel.
4^ In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.
3 To You they cried out and were released;
2 in You they trusted and were not disappointed.
1 But I am a scarlet-worm and not a man;
2 a reproach of men and despised by the people.
3 All who see me mock at me.
4 They separate with the lip.
5 They shake the head.
4^ "Commit yourself to YHWH; let Him deliver him."
3 "Let Him rescue him because 'He delights in him.' "
2 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the belly;
3 You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts.
3 Upon You I was cast from the womb;
2 from my mother's belly
1 You have been my God.
1a Be not far from me for trouble is near;
2a for there is none to help.
3 Many bulls have surrounded me;
4 strong [ones] of Bashan have encircled me.
5 They open wide their mouth at me
6 as a lion ravening
7 and roaring.
8 Like water I am poured out,
9 and all my bones are out of joint.
8 My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
7 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
6 and my tongue cleaves to my jaws,
5 and in the dust of death You lay me.
4 For dogs have surrounded me;
3 a band of evildoers has encompassed me.
2 They pierced my hands and my feet.
1 I can count all my bones.
2 They look; they stare at me.
3+ They divide my garments among them,
2 and for my clothing they cast lots.
1a But You, YHWH, be not far off;
2a You my help, hasten to my assistance.
3 Deliver my soul from the sword,
4 My only [life] from the hand of the dog.
5 Save me from the lion's mouth;
6 from the horns of the wild oxen
7 You answer me.
7 I will tell of Your name
6 to my brethren;
5~ in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
4 You who fear YHWH, praise Him;
3 all you descendants of Jacob glorify Him,
2 and stand in awe of Him all you descendants of Israel.
1 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted [One];
2 nor has He hidden His face from him;
3! but when he cried to Him for help,
4! He heard.
5~ From You comes my praise in the great assembly;
6 My promises I will complete
7 before those who fear Him.
8a The afflicted [ones] will eat and be satisfied.
7 Those will praise YHWH who seek Him.
6 Let your heart live forever!
7 They will remember and turn to YHWH all the ends of the earth,
8b and will worship in Your presence
9 all the families of the nations.
10 > For to YHWH is the kingdom,
9 and He rules over the nations.
8ab They will eat and worship all the prosperous of the earth.
7 In His presence will bow all those who go down to the dust,
6 even whose own soul he cannot keep alive.
5 Posterity will serve Him.
4 It will be told of Adonai to the coming generation.
3+ They will come and will declare His righteousness
2 to a people who will be born,
1 that He has performed it.