My God, my God, I cry to Thee;
O why hast Thou forsaken me?
Afar from me, Thou dost not heed,
Though day and night for help I plead.

But Thou art holy in Thy ways,
Enthroned upon Thy people’s praise;
Our fathers put their trust in Thee,
Believed, and Thou didst set them free.

They cried, and, trusting in Thy Name,
Were saved, and were not put to shame;
But in the dust mine honor lies,
While all reproach and all despise.

My words a cause for scorn they make,
The lip they curl, the head they shake,
And, mocking, bid me trust the Lord
Till He salvation shall afford.

My trust on Thee I learned to rest
When I was on my mother’s breast;
From birth Thou art my God alone,
Thy care my life has ever known.

O let Thy strength and presence cheer,
For trouble and distress are near;
Be Thou not far away from Me,
I have no source of help but Thee.

Unnumbered foes would do me wrong,
They press about me, fierce and strong,
Like beasts of prey, their rage they vent,
My courage fails, my strength is spent.

Down unto death Thou leadest me,
Consumed by thirst and agony;
With cruel hate and anger fierce
My helpless hands and feet they pierce.

While on my wasted form they stare,
The garments torn from me they share,
My shame and sorrow heeding not,
And for my robe they cast the lot.

O Lord, afar no longer stay;
O Thou my Helper, haste, I pray;
From death and evil set me free;
I live, for Thou didst answer me.

I live and will declare Thy fame
Where brethren gather in Thy Name;
Where all Thy faithful people meet,
I will Thy worthy praise repeat.

Now let our mournful songs record
The dying sorrows of our Lord,
When He complained in tears and blood,
As one forsaken of his God.

The Jews beheld Him thus forlorn,
And shake their heads, and laugh in scorn:
“He rescued others from the grave;
Now let him try himself to save.

“This is the man did once pretend
God was his Father and his Friend;
If God the blessèd loved him so,
Why doth He fail to help him now?”

Barbarous people! cruel priests!
How they stood round like savage beasts!
Like lions gaping to devour,
When God had left Him in their power.

They wound His head, His hands, His feet,
Till streams of blood each other meet;
By lot His garments they divide,
And mock the pangs in which He died.

But God, the Father, heard His cry;
Raised from the dead, He reigns on high;
The nations learn His righteousness,
And humble sinners taste His grace.

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’st 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 pow’r 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 Basan 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 pow’r,
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 despiseth 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.

Why has my God my soul forsook,
Nor will a smile afford?
Thus David once in anguish spoke,
And thus our dying Lord.

Though ’tis Thy chief delight to dwell
Among Thy praising saints,
Yet Thou canst hear a groan as well,
And pity our complaints.

Our fathers trusted in Thy Name,
And great deliverance found;
But I’m a worm, despised of men,
And trodden to the ground.

Shaking the head, they pass me by,
And laugh my soul to scorn;
“In vain he trusts in God,” they cry,
“Neglected and forlorn.”

But Thou art He Who formed my flesh
By Thine almighty Word;
And since I hung upon the breast,
My hope is in the Lord.

Why will my Father hide His face,
When foes stand threatning round,
In the dark hour of deep distress,
And not a helper found?

Behold Thy darling left among
The cruel and the proud,
As bulls of Bashan, fierce and strong,
As lions roaring loud.

From earth and hell My sorrows meet
To multiply the smart;
They nail My hands, they pierce My feet,
And try to vex My heart.

Yet if Thy sovereign hand let loose
The rage of earth and hell,
Why will my heav’nly Father bruise
The Son He loves so well?

My God, if possible it be,
Withhold this bitter cup
But I resign my will to Thee,
And drink the sorrows up.

My heart dissolves with pangs unknown,
In groans I waste my breath;
Thy heavy hand has brought Me down
Low as the dust of death.

Father, I give My Spirit up,
And trust it in Thy hand;
My dying flesh shall rest in hope,
And rise at Thy command.

O God, above the drifting years,
The shrines our fathers founded stand,
And where the higher gain appears,
We trace the working of Thy hand.

From out their tireless prayer and toil
Emerge the gifts that time has proved,
And seed laid deep in sacred soil,
Yields harvests rich in lasting good.

The torch of their devotion lent,
Lightens the dark that round us lies;
Help us to pass it on unspent,
Until the dawn lights up the skies.

Form Thou our hearts with faith like theirs,
Who served the days they could not see,
And give us grace, through ampler years,
To build the kingdom yet to be.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Refrain

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Refrain

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Refrain

O Lord, our Father, shall we be confounded
Who, though by trials and woes surrounded,
On Thee alone for help are still relying,
To Thee are crying?

Lord, put to shame Thy foes who breathe defiance
And vainly make their might their sole reliance;
In mercy turn to us, the poor and stricken,
Our hope to quicken.

Be Thou our Helper and our strong Defender;
Speak to our foes and cause them to surrender.
Yea, long before their plans have been completed,
They are defeated.

’Tis vain to trust in man; for Thou, Lord, only
Art the Defense and Comfort of the lonely.
With Thee to lead, the battle shall be glorious
And we victorious.

Thou art our Hero, all our foes subduing;
Save Thou Thy little flock they are pursuing.
We seek Thy help; for Jesus’ sake be near us.
Great Helper, hear us!

O’erwhelmed in depths of woe,
Upon the tree of scorn,
Hangs the Redeemer of mankind,
With racking anguish torn.

See how the nails those hands
And feet so tender rend;
See down His face, and neck, and breast
His sacred blood descend.

Oh, hear that last, loud cry
Which pierced His mother’s heart,
As into God the Father’s hands
He bade His soul depart.

Earth hears, and trembling quakes
Around that tree of pain;
The rocks are rent; the graves are burst;
The veil is rent in twain.

Shall man alone be mute?
Have we no griefs, or fears?
Come, old and young, come, all mankind,
And bathe those feet in tears.

Come, fall before His cross,
Who shed for us His blood,
Who died, the Victim of pure love,
To make us sons of God.

Jesu, all praise to Thee,
Our Joy and endless Rest;
Be Thou our Guide while pilgrims here,
Our Crown amid the blest.

“Now from the roaring lion’s rage,
O Lord, protect Thy Son,
Nor leave Thy darling to engage
The powers of hell alone.”

Thus did our suffering Savior pray
With mighty cries and tears;
God heard Him in that dreadful day,
And chased away His fears.

Great was the victory of His death,
His throne exalted high;
And all the kindreds of the earth
Shall worship or shall die.

A numerous offspring must arise
From His expiring groans;
They shall be reckoned in His eyes
For daughters and for sons.

The meek and humble souls shall see
His table richly spread;
And all that seek the Lord shall be
With joys immortal fed.

The isles shall know the righteousness
Of our incarnate God,
And nations yet unborn profess
Salvation in His blood.

Amid the thronging worshippers
Jehovah will I bless,
Before my brethren, gathered there,
His Name I will confess.
Come, praise Him, ye that fear the Lord,
Ye children of His grace,
With reverence sound His glories forth
And bow before His face.

The burden of the sorrowful
The Lord will not despise;
He has not turned from those that mourn,
He hearkens to their cries.
His goodness makes me join the throng
Where saints His praise proclaim,
And there will I fulfill my vows
’Mid those who fear His Name.

He feeds with good the humble soul
And satisfies the meek,
And they shall live and praise the Lord
Who for His mercy seek.
The ends of all the earth take thought,
The nations seek the Lord;
They worship Him, the King of kings,
In earth and Heav’n adored.

All ye that fear God’s holy Name,
His glory tell, His praise proclaim;
Ye children of His chosen race,
Stand ye in awe before His face,
Stand ye in awe before His face.

The suffering one He has not spurned
Who unto Him for succor turned;
From him He has not hid His face
But answered his request in grace,
But answered his request in grace.

O Lord, Thy goodness makes me raise
Amid Thy people songs of praise;
Before all them that fear Thee, now
I worship Thee and pay my vow,
I worship Thee and pay my vow.

For all the meek Thou wilt provide,
They shall be fed and satisfied;
All they that seek the Lord shall live
And never ending praises give,
And never ending praises give.