My Papa, Why You Far Reach So?
For di director of music, to di tune of "Di Doe of di Dawn." A psalm of David.
One sufferer wey dem dey mock like worm, im bones don comot for joint, dem pierce im hand and im leg, dem gamble im cloth — but di Papa wey don be im own since for belle still dey hold am. Di cry no ever stop; e turn to praise wey reach di end of di earth.
22 1My God, my God, why You take leave me? Why You dey far so from save me, far so from di groan of my pain? a a v1 Jesus pray di opening words of dis psalm for di cross. Di whole psalm na im own — e dey move from di agony of person wey dem leave, go reach di worship of all di nations.
2My Papa, I dey cry out for daytime, but You no dey answer; for nighttime, but I no dey find any rest.
3But still, You holy, You sidon for throne on top di praises of Israel. 4Na for You our ancestors put dia trust; dem trust, and You save dem. 5Na You dem cry to, and dem rescue dem; na for You dem trust, and shame no catch dem.
6But me na worm, no be man; mankind dey scorn me, and di people dey despise me. 7Everybody wey see me dey mock me; dem dey throw insult, dey shake dia head: 8"E dey trust for God; make God rescue am. Make our Papa deliver am, since our Papa take pleasure for am."
9But still, na You bring me commot for womb; na You make me trust for my mama breast. 10From di day dem born me, dem hand me over give You; from inside my mama womb, na You be my Papa.
11No dey far from me, because trouble dey near, and person no dey wey go help.
12Plenty bull don surround me; strong bulls of Bashan don circle me. 13Like lions wey dey roar, dey tear dia prey, dem open dia mouth wide against me. 14Dem don pour me out like water, and all my bones don comot for dia joint. My heart don turn to wax; e dey melt inside me. 15My strength don dry like clay wey sun bake, and my tongue don stick to di roof of my mouth; You lay me down for di dust of death.
16Dogs don surround me; a gang of bad people don circle me; dem don pierce my hands and my feet. b b v16 Dem write dis one one thousand years before dem start to dey crucify person, but dis details — hands and feet wey dem pierce, and di clothes wey dem share wey follow — fulfil for di cross of Jesus. 17I fit count all my bones; people dey look me hard, dey gloat over me. 18Dem share my garments among demself, and dem throw dice for my cloth.
19But You, my Papa, no dey far; na You be my strength—come quick come help me. 20Deliver my life from di sword, my precious life from di power of di dogs. 21Rescue me from di mouth of di lion; from di horns of di wild oxen You don answer me. c c v21 Na here di psalm turn: di way e sharp-sharp change to past tense — "You don answer me" — na sign of confident faith say God don already respond.
22I go declare Your name give my brothers; for di middle of di assembly I go praise You. d d v22 Di New Testament put dis verse for Jesus mouth — di Pikin wey rise from death dey declare di Papa name among di brothers and sisters wey shame no dey catch am to call im own. 23Una wey dey fear our Papa, praise am! All una descendants of Jacob, honour am! Make una all stand for awe of am, all una offspring of Israel! 24Because e no despise or scorn di suffering of di person wey dey afflicted; e no hide im face from am, but e don listen to im cry for help.
25Na from You my praise dey come for di great assembly; before dem wey dey fear am I go pay my vows. 26Di afflicted go chop and belle-full; dem wey dey seek our Papa go praise am—make una heart live forever!
27All di ends of di earth go remember and turn to our Papa, and all di families of di nations go bow down before am. 28Because kingship na our Papa own, and na im dey rule over di nations.
29All di rich people of di earth go feast and worship; all wey dey go down to di dust go kneel before am—dem wey no fit keep demself alive. 30Offspring go serve am; dem go tell di generations wey never come about di Sovereign Papa. 31Dem go come and proclaim im correct-and-holy way give a people wey dem never born—because our Papa don do dis thing.
