Psalm 22 Participant Analysis
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Psalm 22/Participant Analysis
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Have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22
Participant Analysis
Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.
There are 5 participants/characters in Psalm 22:
| David (v. 1) |
| "a worm and not a man" (v. 7) |
| YHWH (vv. 9, 20, 24, 27, 28, 29) |
| "my God" (vv. 2, 3, 11) |
| "the one sitting enthroned upon Israel's songs of praise" (v. 4) |
| "the Lord" (v. 31) |
| Israel (vv. 4, 24) |
| "brothers" (v. 23) |
| "community" (vv. 23, 26) |
| "Jacob" (v. 24) |
| "those who fear YHWH" (vv. 24, 26) |
| Ancestors (vv. 5-6) |
| The sufferer (v. 25) |
| The afflicted (v. 27) |
| Evildoers (v. 17) |
| "people, mankind" (v. 7) |
| "bulls" (v. 13) |
| "mighty ones of Bashan" (v. 13) |
| "dogs" (vv. 17, 21) |
| "a lion" (v. 22) |
| "a wild oxen" (v. 22) |
| trouble (v. 12) |
| "a sword" (v. 21) |
| The nations (v. 29) |
| "the ends of the earth" (v. 28) |
| "the families of the nations" (v. 28) |
| The strong ones of the earth (v. 30) |
| "those going down to dust" (v. 30) |
| Future generations (v. 31) |
| "a people who will be born" (v. 32) |
- The psalmist is identified as David in the superscription, though, reflecting the community's attitude towards him in his state of suffering, he feels as low and unclean as "a worm and not a man" (v. 7). With the exception of v. 9, in which he quotes the speech of those mocking him, David is the speaker throughout the psalm.
- YHWH is identified as David's God, as well as "the one sitting enthroned on Israel's songs of praise" (v. 4; see the imagery table). He is the addressee for most of the psalm (see the text table).
- As for David's favorable community, Israel's ancestors are mentioned first (vv. 5–6), as having trusted YHWH on previous occasions. As soon as he receives response from YHWH (v. 22b), David is eager to make his praise heard in the community of his people, so that others who have experienced suffering or affliction will be encouraged to celebrate with him, since YHWH has not despised the sufferer or afflicted one.
- David's enemies are those who delight in his state of suffering and wait to take advantage of his imminent death. They threaten David throughout vv. 13–22 both verbally and physically. They are also judged to be the mocking speakers of v. 9.
- The nations are introduced only in the last five verses. They are called to consider the testimony of David's salvation, so that they will turn and worship YHWH along with future generations.
| Hebrew | Verse | English |
|---|---|---|
| לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל־אַיֶּ֥לֶת הַשַּׁ֗חַר מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. According to "The Doe of the Dawn." A psalm. By David. |
| אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי | 2a | My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? |
| רָח֥וֹק מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י דִּבְרֵ֥י שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃ | 2b | [Why are you] far from my protection, [far from] my words of groaning? |
| אֱֽלֹהַ֗י אֶקְרָ֣א י֭וֹמָם וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֶ֑ה | 3a | My God, I cry out by day but you do not answer; |
| וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה לִֽי׃ | 3b | and by night, and I am not silent. |
| וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ | 4a | But you are holy, |
| י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 4b | the one sitting enthroned on Israel’s songs of praise. |
| בְּ֭ךָ בָּטְח֣וּ אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ | 5a | Our ancestors trusted you; |
| בָּ֝טְח֗וּ וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ׃ | 5b | they trusted and you rescued them. |
| אֵלֶ֣יךָ זָעֲק֣וּ וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ | 6a | They called to you and they were delivered; |
| בְּךָ֖ בָטְח֣וּ וְלֹא־בֽוֹשׁוּ׃ | 6b | they trusted you and they were not disappointed. |
| וְאָנֹכִ֣י תוֹלַ֣עַת וְלֹא־אִ֑ישׁ | 7a | But I am a worm and not a man; |
| חֶרְפַּ֥ת אָ֝דָ֗ם וּבְז֥וּי עָֽם׃ | 7b | I am scorned by mankind and despised by people. |
| כָּל־רֹ֭אַי יַלְעִ֣גוּ לִ֑י | 8a | Everyone who sees me mocks me; |
| יַפְטִ֥ירוּ בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה יָנִ֥יעוּ רֹֽאשׁ׃ | 8b | they open [their] mouth wide; they shake [their] head. |
| גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ | 9a | "Commit [it] to YHWH! —Let him rescue him; |
| יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בּֽוֹ׃ | 9b | let him deliver him, because he is pleased with him." |
| כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה גֹחִ֣י מִבָּ֑טֶן | 10a | However, you are the one who took me out of the womb, |
| מַ֝בְטִיחִ֗י עַל־שְׁדֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃ | 10b | who made me feel secure upon my mother's breasts. |
| עָ֭לֶיךָ הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי מֵרָ֑חֶם | 11a | I have been cast upon you from the womb; |
| מִבֶּ֥טֶן אִ֝מִּ֗י אֵ֣לִי אָֽתָּה׃ | 11b | you have been my God from my mother's womb. |
| אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִ֭מֶּנִּי | 12a | Do not be far from me, |
| כִּי־צָרָ֣ה קְרוֹבָ֑ה | 12b | because trouble is near; |
| כִּי־אֵ֥ין עוֹזֵֽר׃ | 12c | because there is no one helping. |
| סְ֭בָבוּנִי פָּרִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים | 13a | Many bulls have surrounded me; |
| אַבִּירֵ֖י בָשָׁ֣ן כִּתְּרֽוּנִי׃ | 13b | mighty ones of Bashan have surrounded me. |
| פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם | 14a | They have opened their mouth wide against me |
| אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃ | 14b | like a mauling and roaring lion. |
| כַּמַּ֥יִם נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮ | 15a | I am poured out like water |
| וְהִתְפָּֽרְד֗וּ כָּֽל־עַצְמ֫וֹתָ֥י | 15b | and all my bones are disjointed; |
| הָיָ֣ה לִ֭בִּי כַּדּוֹנָ֑ג | 15c | my heart has become like wax— |
| נָ֝מֵ֗ס בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃ | 15d | it has melted within my interior. |
| יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀ כֹּחִ֗י | 16a | My strength has dried up like a potsherd |
| וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּ֣ק מַלְקוֹחָ֑י | 16b | and my tongue clings to the roof of my mouth; |
| וְֽלַעֲפַר־מָ֥וֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי׃ | 16c | you place me in the dust of death. |
| כִּ֥י סְבָב֗וּנִי כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים | 17a | For dogs have surrounded me, |
| עֲדַ֣ת מְ֭רֵעִים הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי | 17b | a company of evildoers has encompassed me, |
| כָּ֝אֲרוּ יָדַ֥י וְרַגְלָֽי׃ | 17c | they have pierced my hands and my feet. |
| אֲסַפֵּ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י | 18a | I can count all my bones; |
| הֵ֥מָּה יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִֽי׃ | 18b | they look, gazing at me. |
| יְחַלְּק֣וּ בְגָדַ֣י לָהֶ֑ם | 19a | They divide my clothes among themselves |
| וְעַל־לְ֝בוּשִׁ֗י יַפִּ֥ילוּ גוֹרָֽל׃ | 19b | and cast a lot for my garment. |
| וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־תִּרְחָ֑ק | 20a | But you, YHWH, don’t be far! |
| אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃ | 20b | My strength, hurry to my aid! |
| הַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י | 21a | Rescue my life from a sword, |
| מִיַּד־כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃ | 21b | my only [life] from a dog’s power. |
| ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּ֣י אַרְיֵ֑ה | 22a | Save me from a lion’s mouth! |
| וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י רֵמִ֣ים עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃ | 22b | And from wild oxen's horns —you have answered me! |
| אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְאֶחָ֑י | 23a | I will announce your name to my brothers; |
| בְּת֖וֹךְ קָהָ֣ל אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃ | 23b | I will praise you in the midst of the community. |
| יִרְאֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ | 24a | You who fear YHWH, praise him! |
| כָּל־זֶ֣רַע יַעֲקֹ֣ב כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ | 24b | All you offspring of Jacob, honor him! |
| וְג֥וּרוּ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 24c | And be in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! |
| כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָזָ֨ה וְלֹ֪א שִׁקַּ֡ץ עֱנ֬וּת עָנִ֗י | 25a | Because he has not regarded as worthless nor detestable the sufferer's affliction |
| וְלֹא־הִסְתִּ֣יר פָּנָ֣יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ | 25b | and he has not hidden his face from him; |
| וּֽבְשַׁוְּע֖וֹ אֵלָ֣יו שָׁמֵֽעַ׃ | 25c | but he heard when he cried to him for help. |
| מֵ֥אִתְּךָ֗ תְֽהִלָּ֫תִ֥י בְּקָהָ֥ל רָ֑ב | 26a | My praise among a great community is because of you; |
| נְדָרַ֥י אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם נֶ֣גֶד יְרֵאָֽיו׃ | 26b | I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who fear him. |
| יֹאכְל֬וּ עֲנָוִ֨ים ׀ וְיִשְׂבָּ֗עוּ | 27a | The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; |
| יְהַֽלְל֣וּ יְ֭הוָה דֹּ֣רְשָׁ֑יו | 27b | those who seek him will praise YHWH— |
| יְחִ֖י לְבַבְכֶ֣ם לָעַֽד׃ | 27c | may your heart live forever! |
| יִזְכְּר֤וּ ׀ וְיָשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ | 28a | Let all the ends of the earth consider so that they will turn to YHWH, |
| וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ כָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת גּוֹיִֽם׃ | 28b | so that all the families of the nations will worship before you, |
| כִּ֣י לַ֭יהוָה הַמְּלוּכָ֑ה | 29a | because kingship belongs to YHWH |
| וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ | 29b | and he rules over the nations. |
| אָכְל֬וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ ׀ כָּֽל־דִּשְׁנֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ | 30a | All the strong ones of the earth have eaten and worshiped; |
| לְפָנָ֣יו יִ֭כְרְעוּ כָּל־יוֹרְדֵ֣י עָפָ֑ר | 30b | all those going down to dust will kneel before him, |
| וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ לֹ֣א חִיָּֽה׃ | 30c | and he did not preserve their life. |
| זֶ֥רַע יַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ | 31a | Future generations will serve him; |
| יְסֻפַּ֖ר לַֽאדֹנָ֣י לַדּֽוֹר׃ | 31b | it will be proclaimed concerning the Lord to that generation— |
| יָ֭בֹאוּ וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ צִדְקָת֑וֹ | 32a | Let them come so that they tell his righteous deed |
| לְעַ֥ם נ֝וֹלָ֗ד כִּ֣י עָשָֽׂה׃ | 32b | to a people who will be born—what he has done. |
- v. 9 – For a full discussion of the speakers and addressees of this verse, see the exegetical issue The Text, Grammar and Participants of Psalm 22:9.
- v. 9d – In the fourth clause of v. 9, it is possible to interpret the "delighting" as David in YHWH, or YHWH being pleased with David. We have preferred the continuation of the ironic and sarcastic tone throughout the verse, such that the mockers do not really believe God is pleased with David—hence his grave situation. See also the parallel passage in Ps 18:20: "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me (כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי)" (NIV). For a full discussion, see the exegetical issue The Text, Grammar and Participants of Psalm 22:9.
- v. 17 – For the emendation *כָּאֲרוּ* (MT: כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י), see the exegetical issue The Text of Psalm 22:17b.
- vv. 26–28 – The references to YHWH switch rapidly throughout these verses (as well as verse-internally) from second-person to third-person and vice versa. We understand any second-person reference to YHWH within a verse to indicate him as the addressee (unless there is strong evidence to the contrary), whereas verses dominated by third-person reference are judged to have Israel as their addressee, as evident throughout v. 24–25, 29–32.
- In v. 26, it may be hypothesized that "those who fear him/YHWH" was a fixed expression and thus more likely to contain the third-person reference, even if addressed to YHWH directly.
- On the other hand, translations as old as Jerome (Hebr.) and the Peshitta have struggled with the switch in person in v. 28, translating "before you" (לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ) as "before him" (coram eo and ܩܕܡܘܗܝ).[1]
- v. 30c – The agent of the verb חִיָּֽה could be understood as those described in the previous clause or as YHWH, illustrated by the ESV "the one who could not keep himself alive" and TOB "he has not let them live (il ne les a pas laissé vivre)," respectively. The agent of piel חיה throughout the Psalter is YHWH (see Pss 30:4; 33:19; 41:3; 71:20; 80:19; 85:7; 119:25, 37, 40, 50, 88, 93, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159), while there are only a couple of instances in the Bible in which the agent and undergoer of piel חיה are the same participant (Ezek 13:18; 18:27). Furthermore, in the New Testament YHWH is described as he "who was able to save him from death" (Heb 5:7, ESV), while David is known to have died and "God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne" (Acts 2:30 ESV; cf. זרע in Ps 22:31). Thus, we prefer to understand YHWH as the agent of the verb.
- v. 32 – The grammatical subject of the first two verbs in this verse could be the strong ones (see v. 30) or a future generation (see v. 31). Despite the change in order, it is preferable to understand the strong ones resumed again in this verse, so that just as it will be told to the future generations (v. 31), it is repeated that they will tell his deeds to a people being born (i.e., future generations).
Participant Relations Diagram
The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:
Participant Analysis Summary Distribution
Notes:
- Quite unsurprisingly, neither Israel nor the nations overlap with David's adversaries. Nevertheless, it is significant that the majority of the David's presence does overlap with his treatment from his adversaries. Indeed, following the victorious turn of v. 22b, the psalm is almost exclusively concerned with the ripple effect of YHWH's deliverance among the entirety of a "great community" (v. 26), as well as to "the end of the earth" (v. 28). Furthermore, YHWH's most consistent presence is also in this final section, concerned with "the big picture" and not only David's experience.