O God, My God, Wherefore Dost Thou

O God

my God

where­fore dost Thou

Forsake me ut­ter­ly?

And help­est not when I do make

My great com­plaint and cry?

To Thee

my God

e’en all day long

I do both cry and call;

I cease not all the night

and yet

Thou hear­est not at all.

But Thou that in Thy ho­ly place

For ev­er­more dost dwell;

Thou art the joy

the com­fort

and

Glory of Is­ra­el:

And Him in whom our fa­thers old

Had all their hope and stay;

Who

when they put their trust in Thee

Delivered them al­way.

They were pre­serv­èd ev­er when

They called up­on Thy name;

And for the faith they had in Thee

They were not put to shame.

But I am now be­come more like

A worm than to a man

An out­cast

whom the peo­ple scorn

With all the spite they can.

All men des­pise as they be­hold

Me walk­ing on the way:

They grin

make mouths

and nod their heads

And on this wise do say.

This man did glo­ry in the Lord

His fa­vor and His love:

Let Him re­deem and help him now

His pow­er if he will prove.

But from the pri­son of the womb

I was by Thee re­leased;

Thou didst pre­serve me still in hope

Whilst I did suck the breast:

I was com­mit­ted from my birth

With Thee to have ab­ode;

Since I came from my mo­ther’s womb

Thou hast been still my God.

Then

Lord

de­part not now from me

In this my pre­sent grief

Since I have none to be my help

My suc­cor and re­lief.

For ma­ny bulls do com­pass me

That be full strong of head;

Yea

bulls so fat

as though they had

In Ba­shan field been fed.

They gape up­on me greed­ily

As though they would me slay;

Much like a li­on roar­ing out

And ramp­ing for his prey.

But I drop down like wa­ter shed

My joints in sun­der break

My heart doth in my bo­dy melt

Like wax

I am so weak.

My strength doth like a pot­sherd dry

My tongue it cleav­eth fast

Unto my jaws

and I am brought

To dust of death at last.

For ma­ny dogs do com­pass me

In coun­cil they do meet

Conspiring still against my life

Piercing my hands and feet.

I was tor­ment­ed so that I

Might all my bones have told

Whilst they do look and stare at me

When they do me be­hold.

My gar­ments they di­vid­ed have

In parts among them all;

And for my coat they did cast lots

To whom it should be­fall.

Therefore

I pray Thee

be not far

From me at my great need

But ra­ther

since Thou art my strength

To help me

Lord

make speed:

And from the sword save Thou my soul

By Thy might and Thy pow­er

And ev­er keep my dar­ling dear

From dogs that would de­vour;

And from the li­on’s mouth that would

Me all in sun­der tear;

From ’midst the horns of uni­corns

O Lord

Thou didst me hear.

When shall I to my breth­ren all

Thy ma­jes­ty re­cord

And in Thy Church shall praise the name

Of Thee

the liv­ing Lord.

All ye that fear Him

praise the Lord

Thou

Ja­cob

Him ad­ore

And all ye seed of Is­ra­el

Fear Him for ev­er­more.

For He des­pis­es not the poor

He hid­eth not away

His coun­te­nance when they do call

But hears them when they pray

Among the folk that fear the Lord

I will there­fore pro­claim

Thy praise

and keep my pro­mise made

For set­ting forth Thy name.

The poor shall eat and be suf­ficed;

Such as their minds do give

To seek the Lord

and praise His name

Their hearts shall ev­er live.

The coasts of all the earth shall praise

The Lord

and seek His grace;

The hea­then folk shall wor­ship all

Before His bless­èd face.

The king­doms of the hea­then folk

The Lord shall have there­fore;

And he shall be their go­ver­nor

And king for ev­er­more.

The rich men of His good­ly gifts

Shall taste and feed al­so

And in His pre­sence wor­ship Him

And bow their knees full low.

And all that shall go down to dust

Of life by Him shall taste;

A seed shall serve and wor­ship Him

Till time away shall waste.

They shall declare and plain­ly show

His truth and right­eous­ness

Unto a peo­ple yet un­born

Who shall His name con­fess.