Psalms 22

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 22

1¶ To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring?

2O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

6But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying],

8He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

9But thou [art] he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope [when I was] upon my mother's breasts.

10I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother's belly.

11¶ Be not far from me; for trouble [is] near; for [there is] none to help.

12Many bulls have compassed me: strong [bulls] of Bashan have beset me round.

13They gaped upon me [with] their mouths, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.

14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17I may tell all my bones: they look [and] stare upon me.

18They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

22¶ I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

23Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

25My praise [shall be] of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

27All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28For the kingdom [is] the LORD'S: and he [is] the governor among the nations.

29All [they that be] fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

30A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

31They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done [this].

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Psalm 22 opens with a profound cry of dereliction from the psalmist, feeling utterly forsaken by God amidst intense suffering and public scorn. He vividly describes his physical and emotional torment at the hands of his enemies, who mock his trust in the Lord. Despite this anguish, the psalm transitions to a declaration of future praise and a prophetic vision of all nations turning to the Lord, acknowledging His universal kingdom.

Medium Summary

Psalm 22, attributed to David, opens with a desperate lament, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", expressing deep anguish and a sense of abandonment. The psalmist describes himself as a "worm," scorned by men, who mock his trust in the Lord. He recounts his physical deterioration, feeling "poured out like water," with bones out of joint, and his heart melted. Enemies, likened to bulls, lions, and dogs, surround him, even piercing his hands and feet and casting lots for his garments. Despite this profound suffering and feeling of being near death, the psalmist appeals to God for swift deliverance. The psalm then dramatically shifts, as the psalmist vows to praise God among his brethren and in the great congregation. It concludes with a prophetic vision that all the ends of the world and kindreds of the nations shall remember and worship the Lord, for the kingdom is His, and future generations will declare His righteousness.

Long Summary

Psalm 22 commences with a poignant and desperate cry from the psalmist, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", articulating a profound sense of abandonment and distance from divine help. He laments that his cries go unanswered day and night, yet acknowledges God's holiness and past faithfulness in delivering their ancestors who trusted in Him. The psalmist describes his own abject state, feeling like a "worm" and "no man," subjected to the scorn and mockery of all who see him, who challenge his trust in the Lord. He appeals to God as his deliverer from birth, pleading for His presence as trouble is near and there is no helper. The psalm then graphically details the psalmist's suffering and the cruelty of his adversaries. He is surrounded by powerful enemies, depicted as "many bulls," "ravening and roaring lions," and "dogs," an "assembly of the wicked." His physical torment is vividly portrayed: he feels "poured out like water," his bones are "out of joint," his heart is "like wax," and his strength is "dried up." Notably, the text states, "they pierced my hands and my feet," and "they part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture," describing profound humiliation and physical violation. Amidst this extreme distress, the psalmist renews his fervent plea for God to hasten to his aid and deliver his soul from the sword and the power of the dog. The tone then dramatically shifts from lament to triumphant praise and prophecy. The psalmist declares his intention to proclaim God's name to his brethren and praise Him in the midst of the congregation, urging all who fear the Lord to glorify Him. He affirms that God has not despised the affliction of the afflicted but has heard their cries. The psalm culminates in a grand, universal vision: the meek shall be satisfied, all the ends of the world and nations shall remember and turn to the Lord, and worship Him, for the kingdom belongs to Him. Future generations, a "seed" yet to be born, will serve Him and declare His righteousness and what He has accomplished.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Abandonment and LamentThe psalm opens with the psalmist's profound cry of feeling forsaken by God, expressing deep anguish and unanswered prayers, despite acknowledging God's inherent holiness. This initial section sets a tone of intense personal suffering and perceived divine distance.
  • Public Scorn and HumiliationThe psalmist describes himself as despised and mocked by men, who ridicule his trust in the Lord, challenging God's willingness to deliver him. This highlights the social and emotional torment accompanying his physical suffering.
  • Physical Suffering and PersecutionThe psalmist vividly details his physical deterioration and the cruel actions of his enemies, including being surrounded by hostile forces, feeling his body breaking, and specifically mentioning "pierced my hands and my feet" and the parting of his garments. These descriptions convey extreme pain and vulnerability.
  • Trust in God's DeliveranceDespite the overwhelming suffering and sense of abandonment, the psalmist recalls God's faithfulness to his ancestors and appeals to God as his helper from birth, demonstrating an underlying, albeit challenged, faith in divine intervention.
  • Shift to Praise and ThanksgivingA significant turning point occurs where the psalmist transitions from lament to a vow of public praise, promising to declare God's name among his brethren and in the great congregation, acknowledging God's attentiveness to the afflicted.
  • Universal Worship and God's KingdomThe psalm concludes with a prophetic vision of all nations and future generations turning to and worshipping the Lord, recognizing His universal sovereignty. This expands the psalm's scope from personal suffering to a global declaration of God's dominion.
  • Prophetic ForeshadowingSeveral verses, particularly those describing the piercing of hands and feet, the parting of garments by lot, and the cry of abandonment, are widely understood as prophetic foreshadowing of events in the life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.