Psalms 22 to 24 : Easy-to-Read Version
Psalm 22
To the director.* {To the tune} “The Deer of Dawn”* A song of David.*
1My God, my God! Why did you leave me? You are too far away to save me! You are too far away to hear my cries for help! 2My God, I called to you during the day. But you did not answer me. And I continued calling you in the night. 3God, you are the Holy One. You sit as King. The praises of Israel are your throne. 4Our ancestors* trusted you. Yes, they trusted you, God, and you saved them. 5God, our ancestors* called to you for help, and they escaped {their enemies}. They trusted you, and they were not disappointed! 6So, am I a worm and not a man? The people are ashamed of me. The people despise me. 7Everyone who looks at me makes fun of me. They shake their heads and stick out their tongues at me. 8They tell me: “Call to the Lord for help. Maybe he will save you. If he likes you so much, then surely he will rescue you!” 9God, {the truth is} that you really are the One I depend on. You have taken care of me since the day I was born. You assured and comforted me while I was still at my mother’s breasts. 10You have been my God since the day I was born. I was put in your care as soon as I came out of my mother’s body. 11So, God, don’t leave me! Trouble is near. And there is no person to help me. 12People are all around me. They are like powerful bulls that surrounded me. 13Their mouths are wide open like a lion roaring and tearing at an animal. 14My strength is gone, like water poured out on the ground. My bones have separated. My courage is gone!* 15My mouth* is as dry as a piece of broken pottery. My tongue is sticking to the top of my mouth. You have put me in the “dust of death.” 16The “dogs” are all around me. That pack* of evil people has trapped me. Like a lion, {they have pierced} my hands and my feet.”* 17I can see my bones. And the people are staring at me! They keep looking at me!* 18Those people are dividing my clothes among themselves. They are throwing lots* for my robe. 19Lord, don’t leave me! You are my strength. Hurry and help me! 20Lord, save my life from the sword. Save my precious life from those dogs. 21Rescue me from the lion’s mouth. Protect me from the bulls’ horns.* 22{Lord,} I will tell my brothers about you. I will praise you in the great assembly. 23Praise the Lord, all you people who worship him! Show honor to the Lord, you descendants* of Israel! Fear and respect the Lord, all you people of Israel. 24Why? Because the Lord helps poor people who have troubles. The Lord is not ashamed of them. He doesn’t hate them. If people call to the Lord for help, he will not hide from them. 25{Lord,} my praise in the great assembly comes from you. In front of all these worshipers, I will offer the sacrifices that I promised to give. 26Poor people, come eat and be satisfied.* You people who came looking for the Lord, praise him! May your hearts be happy* forever! 27May the people in all the faraway countries remember the Lord and come back to him! May the people in all the foreign countries worship the Lord. 28Why? Because the Lord is the King. He rules all nations. 29Strong, healthy people have eaten and bowed down before God. In fact, all people, those who will die and those who are already dead, will bow down before God! 30And in the future, our descendants will serve the Lord. People will tell about him forever. 31Each generation will tell the children about the good things that God has done.*
director Or, “performer.” The Deer of Dawn This is probably the name of the tune for this song. But it might refer to a type of instrument. A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” ancestors Literally, “fathers,” meaning a person’s parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from. My courage is gone Literally, “My heart is melted in me like wax.” mouth Or, “strength.” pack A group of dogs. Dogs travel together in packs to hunt and kill other animals for food. Like a lion … feet The Greek version has, “They pierced my hands and my feet.” With a minor change (lengthening one letter), the Hebrew “like a lion” also means, “they pierced” or “they dug into”. They keep looking at me This phrase often means “to look at someone with plans to hurt him.” lots Sticks, stones, or pieces of bone used like dice for making decisions. See Proverbs 16:33. Protect me … horns Or, “You have answered me and protected me from the bulls’ horns.” This might be a word-play tying the first half of this psalm to the second half. The writer might have wanted us to understand this line both as a prayer for help (like the first half of the psalm) and also as a sign that God had answered his prayer (like the second half of the psalm). descendants A person’s children and their future families. come eat … satisfied This person was giving a thank-offering. This meant that he would sacrifice an animal and share that food with other people at the temple. They would all eat that food and be happy together there with the Lord. This way a person shared his happiness when God blessed him. See Lev. 3:1–5 and Deut. 14:22–29. be happy Literally, “live.” Each generation … done Literally, “They will come and tell about his goodness—the things he did—to people just born.”
Psalm 23
A song of David.*
1The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need.* 2He lets me lie down in green pastures. He leads me by calm pools of water. 3He gives new strength to my soul for the good of his name. He leads me on paths of goodness,* to show he is truly good. 4Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,* I will not be afraid of any danger. Why? Because you are with me, Lord. Your rod and staff* comfort me. 5Lord, you prepared my table in front of my enemies. You poured oil on my head.* My cup is full and spilling over. 6Goodness and mercy will be with me the rest of my life. And I will sit in the Lord’s temple for a long, long time.*
A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” I … everything I need Literally, “I will lack nothing.” paths of goodness This means both “good paths” and “paths where there is goodness.” valley … grave Or “death’s dark valley,” or “a very dark valley.” rod and staff The walking sticks a shepherd uses to guide and protect his sheep. poured oil on my head This can mean that God welcomed this person into his house (temple) as a guest or that God gave much wealth to this person, or that God chose him to be someone special, like a king, a priest, or a prophet. sit … long time Or, “I will go again and again to the Lord’s temple for a long, long time.”
Psalm 24
A song of David.*
1The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord. The world and all its people belong to him. 2The Lord built the earth on the water. He built it over the rivers. 3Who can go up the Lord’s mountain?* Who can stand {and worship} in the Lord’s holy {temple}? 4People who have not done evil things, people who have pure hearts, people who have not used my name* to make lies sound like the truth, and people who have not lied and made false promises. {Only those people can worship there.} 5Good people ask the Lord to bless other people. Those good people ask God, their Savior, to do good things. 6Those good people try to follow God. They go to the God of Jacob for help. SELAH* 7Gates, lift your heads! Open, ancient doors, and the glorious King will come in. 8Who is the glorious King? The Lord is that King. He is the powerful soldier. The Lord is that King. He is the war hero. 9Gates, lift your heads! Open, ancient doors, and the glorious King will come in. 10Who is that glorious King? The Lord All-powerful is that King. He is the glorious King!
A song of David Or, “A song dedicated to David.” Lord’s mountain Mountain Zion, where the temple was. my name Literally, “my soul.” SELAH This word is for the musicians. It probably means the singers should pause here or the music should be louder here.