The Psalm of the Cross (Matthew 27:32–56; Mark 15:21–41; Luke 23:26–43; John 19:16–30)
2 UST My God, every day I call to you during the daytime and during the night, but you do not answer me, so I am not able to sleep. BSB BSB: I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.
3 UST But you are holy. You sit on your throne as king, and receive praise in your sacred tent from your people Israel. BSB BSB: Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 UST Our ancestors trusted in you. They trusted in you and you rescued them. BSB BSB: In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.
5 UST When they cried out to you for help, you saved them. They trusted in you, and they were not disappointed. BSB BSB: They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.
6 UST But you have not rescued me! People despise me and consider that I am not a man; they think that I am a worm! Everyone scorns me and despises me. BSB BSB: But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 UST Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They sneer at me and{ insult me by} shaking their heads{ at me}. BSB BSB: All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
8 UST { My enemies say,}“He trusts in Yahweh, so Yahweh should save him!{ He says that} Yahweh is very pleased with him; if that is so, Yahweh should rescue him!” BSB BSB: “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”
9 UST You, God, have been with me since I was in my mother’ s womb, and you taught me to trust you when I was at my mother’ s breasts. BSB BSB: Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.
10 UST It was as though you had adopted me right when I was born. You have been my God ever since I was born. BSB BSB: From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.
11 UST Come near to me{ and help me,} because my enemies are near me and there is no one who is helping me. BSB BSB: Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 UST My enemies surround me{ like} a group of wild bulls.{ Fierce people, like those} strong bulls that{ graze on the hills} in{ the region of} Bashan, surround me. BSB BSB: Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 UST { They are like} roaring lions that are attacking the animals that they want to kill. They rush toward me to kill me; they{ are like lions that} have their mouths open, ready to tear their victims to pieces. BSB BSB: They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
14 UST I am completely exhausted, and am in much pain! I feel greatly discouraged! BSB BSB: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.
15 UST My strength is all dried up like a broken piece of a clay jar that has dried{ in the sun}. You have allowed{ me to become so thirsty that} my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.{ Oh God, I think that you are about to let} my body die and become dust! BSB BSB: My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.
16 UST My enemies surround me like a pack of wild dogs. A group of evil men has encircled me{, ready to attack me}. They have pierced my hands and my feet. BSB BSB: For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
17 UST { I am so weak and thin that} I can see and count my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat{ about what has happened to} me. BSB BSB: I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.
18 UST { They looked at} the clothes that I{ was wearing} and gambled to determine which piece each of them would get. BSB BSB: They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
19 UST Yahweh, do not be like my enemies; rather be concerned for me. You who are the one who strengthens me, come quickly and help me. BSB BSB: But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 UST Rescue me from{ those who want to} kill me with their swords. Save me from those who are{ like wild} dogs. BSB BSB: Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.
21 UST Snatch me away from my enemies who are like lions whose jaws{ are already open}, ready to chew me up! Grab me away from those men who are like wild oxen{ that attack other animals with} their horns! BSB BSB: Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!
22 UST { Because you have saved me,} I will proclaim to my fellow Israelites how great you are. I will praise you among the group of your people gathered together{ to worship you}. BSB BSB: I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.
23 UST You people who have an awesome respect for Yahweh, praise him! All you who are descended from Jacob, honor Yahweh! All you Israelite people, revere him! BSB BSB: You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!
25 UST Yahweh, in the great gathering{ of your people,} I will praise you for what you have done. In the presence of those who revere Yahweh, I will offer{ the sacrifice} that I promised{ to make to you because you delivered me}. BSB BSB: My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.
26 UST The poor people{ whom I have invited to the meal} will eat as much as they want. All who come to worship Yahweh will praise him. I pray that{ God will enable} you all to live a long and happy life! BSB BSB: The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!
27 UST People in all nations, even in the remote areas, will think about Yahweh and turn to him. People from all the clans in the world will bow down before you, BSB BSB: All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
28 UST because Yahweh is the king! He rules the people of all nations. BSB BSB: For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.
29 UST All the rich people on the earth will celebrate and bow before him. All those who are close to dying will kneel in worship{ before him}, yes, those who are not able to keep themselves alive. BSB BSB: All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—even those unable to preserve their lives.
30 UST People who have not been born yet will{ also} serve Yahweh. We will tell our descendants what Yahweh{ has done}. BSB BSB: Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.
31 UST People will come and will proclaim to people not yet born,{ who will live in future years,} that because Yahweh is righteous{ he has delivered those who prayed to him for help}.{ People will tell them} that,“Yahweh did{ it}!” BSB BSB: They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn—all that He has done.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.