Our Interpretation of Psalm 22:

For the director:

Upon the Dawn Deer

A Song of the Beloved

My God, my God,

 why have You abandoned me?

 Far from my Rescue,

  Far from the words of my groaning.

My God, I call by day:

You do not answer!

by night:

There is no Stillness for me!

YET,

You are Holy,

  enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

 In You our ancestors found Security;

   they trusted,

and You Rescued them.

To You they cried

and were Rescued;

in You they trusted

and they were not put to Shame.

YET,

I am a worm,

not a human —

a disgrace among the Mortals of Dust,

  despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;

   they twist their lips

and shake their heads:

“He trusted in YAHWEH—

let God Rescue him;

   let God deliver him,

since God ‘delights’ in him!”

YET,

You drew me out from the womb,

   You made me Rest Secure

on my mother’s breasts.

On You I was entrusted from birth;

   from the womb of my mother

You have been my God.

Do not be far from me,

 for distress is near —

there is no one to help!

Many bulls encircle me;

 strong ones of Overfed-Power surround me.

They open their mouths against me,

 like a lion tearing and roaring.

I am poured out like water;

 all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has become like wax —

 it melts within my chest.

My strength is dried up like clay;

 my tongue clings to my jaws.

You lay me in the dust of Death’s Demand.

Dogs surround me,

 a pack of the Violators encircle me!

They pierce my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones!

 They stare and gloat over me.

They divide my garments among them;

 They throw dice for my clothing.

YET

You, YAHWEH —

do not be far away!

My Close Strength,

hurry to my Help!

Rescue my Being from the sword,

   my precious life

from the power of the dogs.

Save me from the mouth of the lion,

  and from the horns of the wild oxen —

You have answered me!

I will declare Your Name to my brothers and sisters;

 in the midst of the Summoned:

I will Praise You.

You who stand in awe of YAHWEH,

give God praise!

All you in the lineage of Heel-Grabber,

Honor God!

All you in the lineage of Wrestles-With-God

Stand in Awe!

For God has NOT despised or detested

 the suffering of the afflicted!

God’s Presence is not hidden from Him,

 but when he cried out, God heard Him!

From You comes my Praise

in the Great Summoning;

 I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.

The humble will eat and be satisfied;

 those who seek YAHWEH will praise!

  May your hearts live to the Eternity!

All the ends of the earth will Remember and turn to YAHWEH,

 and all families of the nations will bow before You,

For the Kingdom belongs to YAHWEH,

 and He rules over the empires.

All who prosper on earth will bow before God;

  all who go down to the dust will kneel before God —

  even the one who cannot keep his Being alive!

A Lineage will serve God;

  it will be told of YAHWEH

to the next generation.

They will proclaim the Rescue

to a people yet unborn!

God has done it!