Psalm 22
Purpose: To showcase YHWH's salvation of a servant near death.
Content: It looked like YHWH had abandoned me, even though he had been faithful to our nation and to me in the past. That's why I cried out one last time, thinking myself at the point of death. And then, at last, he heard me! That's why I will declare his praise and exhort others to honour him, so that even the nations and future generations will worship him.
Message: Even though it seemed YHWH had abandoned me in my affliction, he heard me, and his deliverance rightly results in the public praise of his name.
Author: David
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Overview
Translation
Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 22.
- 1. For the director. According to “The Doe of the Dawn.” A psalm by David.
- 2. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
- Why are you far from my protection, from my words of groaning?
- 3. My God, I cry out by day, but you don’t answer,
- and by night, and I am not silent.
- 4. But you are holy,
- the one sitting enthroned on Israel’s songs of praise.
- 5. Our ancestors trusted you;
- they trusted and you rescued them.
- 6. They called to you, so that they escaped;
- they trusted you and they were not disappointed.
- 7. But I am a worm and not a man;
- I am scorned by mankind and despised by people.
- 8. Everyone who sees me mocks me;
- they open their mouth wide; they shake their head.
- 9. “Commit it to YHWH! - Let him rescue him,
- Let him deliver him because he is pleased with him.”
- 10. However, you are the one who took me out of the womb,
- who made me feel secure upon my mother’s breasts.
- 11. I have been cast upon you from the womb;
- you have been my God from my mother’s womb.
- 12. Don’t be far from me,
- because trouble is near;
- because there is no one helping.
- 13. Many bulls have surrounded me;
- mighty ones of Bashan have surrounded me.
- 14. They have opened their mouth wide against me
- like a mauling and roaring lion.
- 15. I am poured out like water
- and all of my bones are disjointed;
- my heart is like wax;
- it is melted like wax in the midst of my interior.
- 16. My strength has dried up like a potsherd
- and my tongue clings to the roof of my mouth
- and you place me in the dust of death,
- 17. because dogs have surrounded me;
- a company of evildoers has encompassed me;
- they have pierced my hands and my feet.
- 18. I can count all of my bones;
- they look, they gaze at me.
- 19. They divide my clothes among themselves
- and cast a lot for my garment.
- 20. But you, YHWH, don’t be far!
- My strength, hurry to my aid!
- 21. Rescue my life from a sword,
- my only [life] from a dog’s power,
- 22. save me from a lion’s mouth!
- And from wild oxen’s horns — you answered me!
- 23. I will announce your name to my brothers;
- I will praise you in the midst of the community.
- 24. You who fear YHWH: praise Him!
- All you offspring of Jacob: honour Him!
- And be in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
- 25. Because he has not regarded the sufferer’s affliction as worthless nor detestable
- and he has not hidden his face from him
- but he has heard when he cries to him for help.
- 26. My praise among a great community is from you;
- I will fulfil my vows in the presence of those who fear Him;
- 27. The afflicted will eat and be satisfied;
- those who seek him will praise YHWH.
- May your heart live forever!
- 28. Let all of the ends of the earth consider so that they will turn to YHWH,
- so that all of the families of the nations will worship before you,
- 29. because the kingdom is YHWH’s
- and he rules over the nations.
- 30. All of the strong ones of the earth have eaten and worshipped;
- all of those going down to dust will kneel before him
- — that is, whose life he will not have preserved.
- 31. Future generations will serve him;
- it will be proclaimed concerning the Lord to the generation…
- 32. Let them come so that they tell his righteous deed
- to a people being born - what he has done.
The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
For links to other translations of Psalm 22, click here.
Verse-by-Verse
Click the link to view all of Psalm 22 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.
- v. 1
- v. 2
- v. 3
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- v. 7
- v. 8
- v. 9
- v. 10
- v. 11
- v. 12
- v. 13
- v. 14
- v. 15
- v. 16
- v. 17
- v. 18
- v. 19
- v. 20
- v. 21
- v. 22
- v. 23
- v. 24
- v. 25
- v. 26
- v. 27
- v. 28
- v. 29
- v. 30
- v. 31
- v. 32
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