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
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.
Videos
Overview Video
Poetic Features Video
Video forthcoming
Exegetical Issues Video
Verse-by-Verse
Click the link to view all of Psalm 22 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.
