The Psalm of the Cross
(Matthew 27:32–56; Mark 15:21–41; Luke 23:26–43; John 19:16–30)
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ (For the one directing). עַל־ (According to) אַיֶּ֥לֶת (The Doe) הַשַּׁ֗חַר (of the Dawn). מִזְמ֥וֹר (A Psalm) לְדָוִֽד׃ (of David).
1אֵלִ֣י (My God), אֵ֭לִי (My God),
לָמָ֣ה (why) עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי (have You forsaken me),
רָח֥וֹק (far away) מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י (from my salvation),
דִּבְרֵ֥י (from the words) שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃ (of my roaring)?
2 אֱֽלֹהַ֗י (O My God), אֶקְרָ֣א (I cry out) י֭וֹמָם (by day),
וְלֹ֣א (and not) תַעֲנֶ֑ה (You do answer)
וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה (and by night),
וְֽלֹא־ (and not) דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה (is quiet) לִֽי׃ (for me).
3 וְאַתָּ֥ה (And You are) קָד֑וֹשׁ (holy),
י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב (sitting) תְּהִלּ֥וֹת (amid the praises) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).
4 בְּ֭ךָ (In You) בָּטְח֣וּ (trusted) אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ (Our fathers);
בָּ֝טְח֗וּ (they trusted) וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ׃ (and You delivered them).
5 אֵלֶ֣יךָ (To You) זָעֲק֣וּ (they cried) וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ (and they were given escape);
בְּךָ֖ (in You) בָטְח֣וּ (they trusted) וְלֹא־ (and not) בֽוֹשׁוּ׃ (were they put to shame).
6 וְאָנֹכִ֣י (And I am) תוֹלַ֣עַת (a worm) וְלֹא־ (and not) אִ֑ישׁ (a man),
חֶרְפַּ֥ת (the scorn) אָ֝דָ֗ם (of men), וּבְז֥וּי (and despised by) עָֽם׃ (the people).
7 כָּל־ (All) רֹ֭אַי (seeing me) יַלְעִ֣גוּ (mock) לִ֑י (at me),
יַפְטִ֥ירוּ (they gape) בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה (with the lip), יָנִ֥יעוּ (they shake) רֹֽאשׁ׃ (the head):
8 גֹּ֣ל (Roll) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH),
יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ (let Him deliver him);
יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ (and snatch him away),
כִּ֘י (if indeed) חָ֥פֵֽץ (He delights) בּֽוֹ׃ (in him).
9 כִּֽי־ (Yet) אַתָּ֣ה (You) גֹחִ֣י (brought me forth) מִבָּ֑טֶן (from the womb);
מַ֝בְטִיחִ֗י (You made me trust) עַל־ (upon) שְׁדֵ֥י (the breasts) אִמִּֽי׃ (of my mother).
10 עָ֭לֶיךָ (Upon You) הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי (I was cast forth) מֵרָ֑חֶם (from the womb);
מִבֶּ֥טֶן (from the belly) אִ֝מִּ֗י (of my mother) אֵ֣לִי (my God) אָֽתָּה׃ (You are).
11 אַל־ (Not) תִּרְחַ֣ק (should You be far) מִ֭מֶּנִּי (from me),
כִּי־ (for) צָרָ֣ה (distress is) קְרוֹבָ֑ה (near),
כִּי־ (and because) אֵ֥ין (there is no one) עוֹזֵֽר׃ (to help).
12 סְ֭בָבוּנִי (Have surrounded me) פָּרִ֣ים (strong bulls) רַבִּ֑ים (many)—
אַבִּירֵ֖י (mighty ones) בָשָׁ֣ן (of Bashan) כִּתְּרֽוּנִי׃ (have encircled Me).
13 פָּצ֣וּ (They open) עָלַ֣י (against me) פִּיהֶ֑ם (their mouths),
אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה (a lion) טֹרֵ֥ף (tearing) וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃ (and roaring).
14 כַּמַּ֥יִם (Like water) נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮ (I am poured out),
וְהִתְפָּֽרְד֗וּ (and are separated) כָּֽל־ (all) עַצְמ֫וֹתָ֥י (of my bones).
הָיָ֣ה (Has become) לִ֭בִּי (my heart) כַּדּוֹנָ֑ג (like wax);
נָ֝מֵ֗ס (it has melted) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) מֵעָֽי׃ (of my bowels).
15 יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ (Is dried up) כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ׀ (like a potsherd) כֹּחִ֗י (my strength),
וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי (and my tongue) מֻדְבָּ֣ק (clings to) מַלְקוֹחָ֑י (my jaws),
וְֽלַעֲפַר־ (and in the dust) מָ֥וֶת (of death) תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי׃ (You lay me).
16 כִּ֥י (For) סְבָב֗וּנִי (have surrounded me) כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים (dogs);
עֲדַ֣ת (the swarm) מְ֭רֵעִים (of the wicked) הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי (has encircled me),
כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י (like a lion) יָדַ֥י (at my hands) וְרַגְלָֽי׃ (and my feet).
17 אֲסַפֵּ֥ר (I can count) כָּל־ (all) עַצְמוֹתָ֑י (my bones);
הֵ֥מָּה (they) יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ (glare), יִרְאוּ־ (they look) בִֽי׃ (at me).
18 יְחַלְּק֣וּ (They divide out) בְגָדַ֣י (my garments) לָהֶ֑ם (for themselves),
וְעַל־ (and over) לְ֝בוּשִׁ֗י (my clothing) יַפִּ֥ילוּ (they cast) גוֹרָֽל׃ (lots).
19 וְאַתָּ֣ה (And You), יְ֭הוָה (O YHWH), אַל־ (not) תִּרְחָ֑ק (should you be far away);
אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י (O my strength), לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי (to help me) חֽוּשָׁה׃ (may You hurry).
20 הַצִּ֣ילָה (Snatch away) מֵחֶ֣רֶב (from the sword) נַפְשִׁ֑י (my soul),
מִיַּד־ (and from the hand) כֶּ֝֗לֶב (of the dog) יְחִידָתִֽי׃ (my only one).
21 ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵנִי (Save me) מִפִּ֣י (from the mouth) אַרְיֵ֑ה (of the lion),
וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י (and from the horns) רֵמִ֣ים (of the wild oxen) עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃ (answer me).
22 אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה (I will declare) שִׁמְךָ֣ (Your name) לְאֶחָ֑י (to my brothers);
בְּת֖וֹךְ (in the midst) קָהָ֣ל (of the assembly) אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃ (I will praise You).
23 יִרְאֵ֤י (Those fearing) יְהוָ֨ה׀ (YHWH), הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ (praise Him)!
כָּל־ (All) זֶ֣רַע (the seed) יַעֲקֹ֣ב (of Jacob), כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ (honor Him)!
וְג֥וּרוּ (And fear) מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ (Him), כָּל־ (all) זֶ֥רַע (the seed) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).
24 כִּ֤י (For) לֹֽא־ (not) בָזָ֨ה (has He despised)
וְלֹ֪א (and not) שִׁקַּ֡ץ (detested) עֱנ֬וּת (the affliction) עָנִ֗י (of the afflicted);
וְלֹא־ (and not) הִסְתִּ֣יר (has He hidden) פָּנָ֣יו (His face) מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (from him);
וּֽבְשַׁוְּע֖וֹ (and in his crying out) אֵלָ֣יו (to Him)— שָׁמֵֽעַ׃ (He has heard).
25 מֵ֥אִתְּךָ֗ (From You is) תְֽהִלָּ֫תִ֥י (my praise) בְּקָהָ֥ל (in the assembly) רָ֑ב (great);
נְדָרַ֥י (my vows) אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם (I will complete) נֶ֣גֶד (in front) יְרֵאָֽיו׃ (of those who fear Him).
26 יֹאכְל֬וּ (Shall eat) עֲנָוִ֨ים׀ (the afflicted ones) וְיִשְׂבָּ֗עוּ (and shall be satisfied);
יְהַֽלְל֣וּ (they shall praise) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH) דֹּ֣רְשָׁ֑יו (those seeking Him);
יְחִ֖י (may live) לְבַבְכֶ֣ם (your⁺ hearts) לָעַֽד׃ (forever).
27 יִזְכְּר֤וּ׀ (They will remember) וְיָשֻׁ֣בוּ (and will turn) אֶל־ (to) יְ֭הוָה (YHWH),
כָּל־ (all) אַפְסֵי־ (the ends) אָ֑רֶץ (of the earth).
וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ (And they will bow down) לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ (before Your face)
כָּֽל־ (all) מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת (the clans) גּוֹיִֽם׃ (of the nations).
28 כִּ֣י (For) לַ֭יהוָה (unto YHWH) הַמְּלוּכָ֑ה (is the kingship),
וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל (and He rules) בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ (over the nations).
29 אָכְל֬וּ (They shall eat) וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ׀ (and bow low) כָּֽל־ (all) דִּשְׁנֵי־ (the fat ones) אֶ֗רֶץ (of the earth);
לְפָנָ֣יו (before His face) יִ֭כְרְעוּ (will bow) כָּל־ (all) יוֹרְדֵ֣י (those going down) עָפָ֑ר (to the dust)
וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ (and his soul) לֹ֣א (not) חִיָּֽה׃ (the one able to keep alive).
30 זֶ֥רַע (A seed) יַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ (shall serve Him);
יְסֻפַּ֖ר (it will be recounted) לַֽאדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) לַדּֽוֹר׃ (to the generation).
31 יָ֭בֹאוּ (They will come) וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ (and declare) צִדְקָת֑וֹ (His righteousness)
לְעַ֥ם (to a people) נ֝וֹלָ֗ד (to be born),
כִּ֣י (that which) עָשָֽׂה׃ (He has done)!
