Psalms 22–31
Psalm 22:1-31
Psa.22.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- למנצח: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- אילת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- השחר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מזמור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לדוד: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 3:1 (structural): Shares the same superscription formula (to the choirmaster / a Psalm of David), indicating Davidic authorship and a liturgical/choral direction.
- Psalm 4:1 (structural): Another example of the heading 'למנצח' plus 'מזמור לדוד'—shows the common practice of musical instructions and Davidic attribution in Psalm titles.
- Psalm 18:1 (structural): Like Ps 22:1, this verse functions as a formal superscription assigning the psalm to David and indicating its role in worship performance.
- 1 Chronicles 16:7 (allusion): Narrative account of David assigning psalms to Asaph and the Levitical singers parallels the liturgical/performative orientation implied by the 'to the choirmaster' superscription.
Alternative generated candidates
- To the chief musician—upon the hind of the dawn. A maskil of David.
- To the chief musician: on the hind of the dawn. A Psalm of David.
Psa.22.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- למה: ADV
- עזבתני: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg+obj:1,sg
- רחוק: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- מישועתי: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs,1s
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- שאגתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 27:46 (quotation): Jesus cries out on the cross, quoting this line from the Psalm ('My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'), directly echoing the lament of divine abandonment.
- Mark 15:34 (quotation): Mark records the same cry of Jesus in Aramaic, explicitly citing the Psalmic lament and linking Jesus' suffering to Psalm 22's theme of abandonment.
- Isaiah 49:14 (thematic): Zion laments that the LORD has forsaken and forgotten her—a closely related theme of communal/personal abandonment by God found in Psalm 22.
- Psalm 88:14 (verbal): Another psalm of lament that uses similar language of being cast off and hidden from by God ('Why are you cast off? Why do you hide your face?'), reflecting the same experience of divine distance.
- Lamentations 5:20 (thematic): A communal cry asking why God has utterly rejected and forgotten his people, echoing the sense of prolonged forsakenness central to Psalm 22:2.
Alternative generated candidates
- My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
- My God, my God—why have you forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my lament.
Psa.22.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- א: PRT
- להי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1,sg
- אקרא: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- יומם: ADV
- ולא: CONJ
- תענה: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- ולילה: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- דומיה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
Parallels
- Habakkuk 1:2 (verbal): Both plead, 'How long shall I cry… and you will not hear?' — direct verbal and thematic echo of crying to God without an answer.
- Lamentations 3:8 (thematic): Speaks of crying out and receiving no reply; shares the theme of persistent lament and apparent divine silence.
- Job 30:20 (verbal): Job says, 'I cry to you for help, but you do not answer me,' closely mirroring the complaint of crying day and night with no response.
- Psalm 13:1 (thematic): A lament asking 'How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?' — similar motif of prolonged petition and perceived divine absence.
- Mark 15:34 (cf. Psalm 22:1) (quotation): Jesus' cry 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (a quotation of Psalm 22) frames the same lament tradition of feeling abandoned and unheard.
Alternative generated candidates
- O my God, I cry by day, and you do not answer; and by night I am not silent.
- I cry to you by day, and you do not answer; by night, and I have no quiet.
Psa.22.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואתה: CONJ+PRON,2,m,sg
- קדוש: ADJ,m,sg
- יושב: VERB,qal,ptcp,1,m,sg
- תהלות: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 99:3 (verbal): Links God’s holiness with communal praise—'They praise your great and awesome name—he is holy,' echoing the assertion that God is holy amid Israel’s praises.
- Isaiah 6:3 (verbal): The heavenly vision's thrice‑repeated 'Holy' frames God’s holiness in liturgical/adoring speech, paralleling the Psalm’s coupling of holiness and worship.
- Revelation 4:8-11 (structural): Heavenly beings continually praise the enthroned God; this mirrors the image of God 'enthroned' in/among praise and the cultic liturgy of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 16:29 (thematic): A call to worship 'in the splendor/beauty of holiness' connects Israel’s corporate praise with the holiness of God, similar to Ps 22:4’s link of holiness and praise.
- Psalm 22:22 (structural): Later in the same psalm the speaker promises public praise ('I will declare your name... in the congregation I will praise you'), demonstrating the psalm’s movement to communal praise in which God is honored.
Alternative generated candidates
- Yet you are holy, enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
- Yet you are holy; enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Psa.22.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- בטחו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- אבתינו: NOUN,m,pl,suff:1pl
- בטחו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- ותפלטמו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Ps.22.4 (structural): Immediate context in the same psalm: the nearby verse links crying out to God with being rescued and trusting in him—Psalm 22 repeats the theme of trust leading to deliverance.
- Ps.9.10 (thematic): Speaks of those who know God's name trusting him and not being abandoned—similar theme of reliance on God and his saving faithfulness.
- Ps.20.7 (thematic): Contrast between human confidence and trust in the LORD; affirms the principle of placing trust in God as the basis for deliverance.
- Ps.118.8 (thematic): Declares it is better to trust the LORD than people or powers, echoing the psalmic conviction that trust in God results in safety/deliverance.
- Exod.14.31 (allusion): After the crossing of the sea, Israel saw the LORD's work and believed in him—an historical example of trusting God and being delivered, echoing the psalm's claim.
Alternative generated candidates
- In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
- In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
Psa.22.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אליך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- זעקו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- ונמלטו: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,pl
- בך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- בטחו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- ולא: CONJ
- בושו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Psalm 107:19 (verbal): Echoes the same formula: 'Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress' — close verbal and thematic parallel of crying to God and being saved.
- Psalm 34:6 (verbal): 'This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles' — similar verbal pairing of cry to the LORD and divine rescue.
- Psalm 118:5 (thematic): 'Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free' — thematically parallels calling/crying to God and being delivered.
- Psalm 18:6 (thematic): 'In my distress I called to the LORD; to my God I cried for help' — similar motif of crying to God from distress and God’s attentive response.
- Jonah 2:2 (allusion): Jonah's prayer begins 'I called out to the LORD, out of my distress' — an evocative parallel of crying to God from peril and God’s hearing.
Alternative generated candidates
- To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not ashamed.
- To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
Psa.22.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואנכי: PRON,1,sg
- תולעת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חרפת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- אדם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובזוי: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg
- עם: PREP
Parallels
- Psalm 22:6 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the same psalm: the speaker calls himself a 'worm' and not a man—same image and language (Heb. תולעת ולא־איש).
- Isaiah 41:14 (verbal): Uses the 'worm' imagery of Israel ('worm Jacob') to express humiliation and weakness, echoing the self‑abasement of Ps 22:7.
- Isaiah 53:3 (thematic): Describes the Suffering Servant as 'despised and rejected by men,' paralleling Ps 22:7’s note of reproach and being scorned by the people.
- Matthew 27:39–44 (allusion): The mockery of Jesus at the cross ('He saved others; himself he cannot save') parallels the scorn and derision described in Ps 22:7 and the surrounding context of Psalm 22.
Alternative generated candidates
- But I am a worm, and not a man; a scorn of men, despised by the people.
- But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
Psa.22.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כל: DET
- ראי: VERB,qal,impv,2,f,sg
- ילעגו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- יפטירו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- בשפה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יניעו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ראש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ps.22:7 (verbal): Immediate verbal/ thematic parallel in the same psalm: both verses depict onlookers mocking, making faces and shaking their heads at the sufferer.
- Matthew 27:39-43 (quotation): Matthew records passersby and religious leaders mocking Jesus during the crucifixion—wagging their heads and taunting him—which explicitly echoes and alludes to the mockery language of Ps 22.
- Mark 15:29-32 (quotation): Mark's crucifixion account similarly describes bystanders and authorities jeering and taunting Jesus, closely paralleling the Psalm's imagery of scorn and head‑shaking.
- Luke 23:35 (allusion): Luke reports the crowd and rulers deriding Jesus with the taunt 'He saved others; let him save himself,' reflecting the same motif of public derision found in Ps 22.
- Isaiah 53:3 (thematic): Isaiah's Suffering Servant is 'despised and rejected by men,' thematically paralleling the contempt and mockery directed at the Psalmic sufferer.
Alternative generated candidates
- All who see me mock me; they mouth with the lip, they shake the head.
- All who see me deride me; they mock with the lip and wag their heads.
Psa.22.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- יפלטהו: VERB,hifil,imprf,3,m,sg
- יצילהו: VERB,hifil,imprf,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- חפץ: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 71:6 (verbal): Close verbal and thematic echo—both texts speak of being cast on God/from birth and God as protector from the mother’s womb.
- Isaiah 49:1 (thematic): Prophetic motif of being called or formed by God from the womb—emphasis on divine purpose and appointment from birth.
- Jeremiah 1:5 (thematic): God’s knowledge and consecration of a person before birth parallels the idea of divine care and purpose beginning in the womb.
- Luke 1:15 (allusion): The annunciation about John the Baptist (filled with the Spirit ‘from his mother’s womb’) echoes the theme of divine presence and destiny from birth.
- Galatians 1:15 (allusion): Paul’s statement that God ‘set me apart’ before I was born parallels the New Testament appropriation of the OT motif of divine election/calling from the womb.
Alternative generated candidates
- “Commit yourself to the LORD—let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him.”
- Let him commit his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him—for he delights in him.
Psa.22.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- גחי: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- מבטן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מבטיחי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- על: PREP
- שדי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמי: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 71:6 (verbal): Nearly identical wording: God as the one present from the mother's womb and the object of trust/refuge—direct verbal parallel to Psalm 22:10.
- Psalm 139:13-16 (verbal): Speaks of God forming and knitting the speaker in the mother's womb, echoing the theme of divine care and presence from earliest life.
- Jeremiah 1:5 (thematic): Declares God's intimate knowledge and consecration of a person before and from the womb, paralleling the idea of God's involvement with and purpose for life from birth.
- Isaiah 49:1 (thematic): The prophet is called 'from the womb,' highlighting the motif of divine calling/relationship beginning in the womb, similar to the trust and care expressed in Psalm 22:10.
Alternative generated candidates
- For you are he who brought me forth from the womb; you made me trust while at my mother's breasts.
- For you are he who brought me forth from the womb; you made me trust while at my mother's breasts.
Psa.22.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- השלכתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- מרחם: VERB,piel,ptc,3,m,sg
- מבטן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמי: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 22:9-10 (verbal): Immediate parallel within the same psalm: the speaker says God has been with him from his mother's womb and that he was cast upon (or entrusted to) God — same motif and similar wording.
- Psalm 71:6 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language about God being with the speaker from birth/'from my mother's womb' and God as a refuge/support from earliest life.
- Isaiah 49:1,5 (allusion): Proclaims a divine calling or relationship established 'from the womb'—echoing the idea of God’s involvement with a person from before birth.
- Galatians 1:15 (allusion): Paul speaks of being set apart by God 'from my mother's womb,' reflecting the New Testament appropriation of the theme of divine action/calling from the womb.
- Psalm 139:13 (thematic): Shared theme of God’s intimate involvement in formation and existence from the womb ('you knit me together in my mother's womb'), highlighting divine care/knowledge from earliest life.
Alternative generated candidates
- Upon you I was cast from my birth; from my mother's womb you are my God.
- Upon you I was cast from birth; from my mother's womb you are my God.
Psa.22.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אל: NEG
- תרחק: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- ממני: PREP,suff,1,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- צרה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- קרובה: ADJ,f,sg
- כי: CONJ
- אין: PART,neg
- עוזר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ps.71:12 (verbal): Near-identical plea — “Do not be far from me” and appeal for help when trouble is near, echoing the same wording and petition.
- Ps.38:11 (thematic): Describes friends and companions standing aloof and the psalmist’s isolation, thematically parallel in abandonment and lack of help.
- Matt.27:46 (Mark 15:34) (allusion): Jesus’ cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” alludes to Psalm 22’s theme of divine distance and abandonment, connecting to the plea that God not be far.
- Job 30:20 (thematic): Job laments crying to God without answer and experiencing divine remoteness, paralleling the sense that help is absent and God seems far off.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not be far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
- Do not be far from me, for distress is near; for there is no one to help.
Psa.22.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- סבבוני: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- פרים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- רבים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- אבירי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- בשן: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כתרוני: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Amos 4:1 (thematic): Uses the phrase “kine of Bashan” (cattle of Bashan) as a symbol of powerful, pampered/oppressive figures—parallels Psalm 22’s image of enemies as the strong bulls of Bashan surrounding the speaker.
- Deuteronomy 33:17 (thematic): Speaks of horned oxen/bulls and their power (“his horns are like the horns of a wild ox”), employing bull/ox imagery to signify strength—resonant with Psalm 22’s ‘strong bulls of Bashan.’
- Psalm 22:16 (structural): Another verse within the same psalm that continues the motif of being beset by hostile creatures/forces (“dogs have compassed me”), showing a sustained literary strategy of portraying enemies as surrounding animals.
- Psalm 92:10 (thematic): Speaks of exaltation ‘like the horn of an ox’—uses horn/bull imagery to convey power and vindication, thematically akin to the bull symbolism in Psalm 22:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- Many bulls have surrounded me; mighty bulls of Bashan beset me round about.
- Many bulls surround me; mighty bulls of Bashan close about me.
Psa.22.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- פצו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- פיהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m,pl
- אריה: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- טרף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושאג: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Peter 5:8 (verbal): The enemy is pictured as a 'roaring lion' seeking to devour — a close verbal and thematic echo of Ps 22's image of mouths/lion tearing and roaring against the sufferer.
- Psalm 10:9 (thematic): The wicked are described as lying in wait 'like a lion in its covert' to seize the helpless, paralleling Ps 22's predatory/lion imagery of attackers surrounding and devouring.
- Psalm 17:12 (thematic): Enemies are compared to a greedy lion and a young lion lurking in secret places — similar motif of hostile, lion-like attackers menacing the righteous.
- Amos 3:8 (thematic): 'The lion has roared' motif signals threat and impending attack; parallels Ps 22's use of the roaring lion image to portray aggressive, dangerous enemies.
Alternative generated candidates
- They open wide their mouths against me—like a ravening and roaring lion.
- They open wide their mouths against me—like a ravening and roaring lion.
Psa.22.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כמים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- נשפכתי: VERB,niphal,perf,1,_,sg
- והתפרדו: CONJ+VERB,hithpael,perf,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- עצמותי: NOUN,f,pl,poss1
- היה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לבי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1cs
- כדונג: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נמס: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בתוך: PREP
- מעי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1cs
Parallels
- Psalm 69:2 (thematic): Uses water imagery to describe being overwhelmed and engulfed by distress—'sink into deep mire' echoes 'I am poured out like water.'
- Lamentations 2:19 (verbal): Both texts employ the metaphor of pouring out the heart like water to express utter lament and emotional overflow.
- John 19:28 (allusion): Jesus' cry of thirst and the crucifixion narrative echo Psalm 22's suffering motifs (dry mouth, thirst), linking the psalm's physical anguish to New Testament passion imagery.
- Psalm 102:3 (thematic): Speaks of bodily wasting and bones consumed/burned—parallels the psalmist's image of scattered/afflicted bones and inner dissolution ('my heart is like wax; it melts').
Alternative generated candidates
- I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it melts within me.
- I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax—it melts within my inmost parts.
Psa.22.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יבש: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- כחרש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כחי: NOUN,m,sg,poss,1,sg
- ולשוני: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs+1s
- מדבק: VERB,qal,ptc,ms
- מלקוחי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- ולעפר: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מות: VERB,qal,infabs
- תשפתני: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg+1s
Parallels
- Zechariah 12:10 (verbal): Contains the striking phrase ‘they shall look on me whom they have pierced’ — a direct verbal parallel to the pierced/penetrated imagery in Psalm 22.
- John 19:37 (quotation): The Fourth Gospel cites the Zechariah wording (‘they shall look on him whom they pierced’) and applies it to Jesus’ crucifixion, linking the ‘pierced’ motif of Psalm 22 to the NT passion.
- John 19:24 (quotation): Narrative depiction of soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments and casting lots directly echoes Psalm 22:18 (Heb. 17), part of the same cluster of images surrounding the ‘pierced’ lament.
- John 19:28 (thematic): Jesus’ cry ‘I thirst’ parallels the physical agony expressed in Psalm 22 (‘my tongue cleaves to my jaws’), underscoring shared motifs of extreme thirst and suffering.
- Isaiah 53:5 (allusion): The Suffering Servant is described as being pierced/crushed for transgressions — a thematic prophetic echo of the pierced, vicarial suffering depicted in Psalm 22.
Alternative generated candidates
- My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you bring me into the dust of death.
- My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you lay me in the dust of death.
Psa.22.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- סבבוני: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- כלבים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- עדת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- מרעים: VERB,qal,ptc,,m,pl
- הקיפוני: VERB,hif,perf,3,m,pl
- כארי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ידי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- ורגלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
Parallels
- Zechariah 12:10 (verbal): Uses the language of being ‘pierced’ — depicts a look upon the one pierced, which echoes the piercing imagery found in Ps 22:17/16 (MT/LXX variant).
- Isaiah 53:5 (thematic): Speaks of being pierced and wounded (‘pierced for our transgressions’), thematically paralleling the suffering and bodily injury implied in Ps 22’s hands and feet imagery."
- John 20:25-27 (verbal): Thomas is invited to ‘see my hands… and put your finger’ in Jesus’ wounds; the explicit reference to hands (and by implication feet/wounds) echoes Ps 22’s mention of hands and feet.
- John 19:34-37 (allusion): The soldier pierces Jesus’ side and John cites fulfillment motifs; this crucifixion/piercing detail is read by the NT as fulfillment of OT suffering texts, connecting to the piercing/hands-and-feet motif in Ps 22.
- Matthew 27:35 (thematic): Describes Jesus’ crucifixion (hands and feet fixed to the cross) and the casting of lots for his garments; the depiction of crucifixion injuries thematically parallels Ps 22’s portrayal of surrounding foes and wounded limbs.
Alternative generated candidates
- For dogs have surrounded me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have gaped at me.
- For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they have pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa.22.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אספר: VERB,qal,impf,1,m,sg
- כל: DET
- עצמותי: NOUN,f,pl,poss1
- המה: PRON,3,m,pl
- יביטו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- יראו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- בי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 22:7 (verbal): Earlier line in the same psalm: the righteous sufferer is mocked by onlookers—'all who see me mock me / they gloat over me'—paralleling 'they look and stare at me.'
- Matthew 27:39-44 (thematic): During the crucifixion passersby, priests and scribes mock Jesus and taunt him, echoing the psalm’s scene of derision and staring crowds.
- John 19:23-24 (allusion): Soldiers divide Jesus’ garments and cast lots—explicit New Testament fulfillment/allusion to Psalm 22 (often cited with v.18 in English numbering), linking the psalm’s depiction of the sufferer to the crucifixion.
- Isaiah 53:3-5 (thematic): The Suffering Servant’s physical affliction and contempt by others ('despised and rejected', pierced/wounded) thematically parallels the psalm’s vivid bodily suffering imagery ('all my bones') and the scorn of onlookers.
Alternative generated candidates
- They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
- I can count all my bones; they stare and look upon me.
Psa.22.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יחלקו: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl
- בגדי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- ועל: CONJ+PREP
- לבושי: NOUN,m,sg,poss1
- יפילו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- גורל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- John 19:23-24 (quotation): The evangelist explicitly records Roman soldiers dividing Jesus' garments and casting lots, citing the Psalm as fulfilled in the crucifixion scene.
- Matthew 27:35 (quotation): Matthew's crucifixion narrative states that they divided Jesus' garments and cast lots, directly echoing the Psalmic line.
- Mark 15:24 (quotation): Mark likewise reports the soldiers dividing Jesus' clothes and casting lots, paralleling the Psalm's wording.
- Psalm 22:18 (English numbering; Hebrew 22:19) (verbal): Same verse across numbering systems—verbal correspondence in translations: 'They divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.'
Alternative generated candidates
- But you, O LORD, do not be far off; O my help, hasten to my aid.
- They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Psa.22.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואתה: CONJ+PRON,2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- תרחק: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- אילותי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1s
- לעזרתי: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs,1s
- חושה: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 22:1 (thematic): Both verses express the experience of divine distance and abandonment — Ps 22:1's 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' parallels the plea 'O LORD, do not be far off.'
- Psalm 38:22 (verbal): A near-verbal parallel petition: 'Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me,' echoing the request that God not be distant and to draw near to help.
- Psalm 70:1 (verbal): Shares the urgent cry for immediate help — 'Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, make haste to help me,' corresponding to 'hasten to help me' in Ps 22:20.
- Psalm 40:13 (verbal): Uses the same appeal for swift deliverance — 'Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me,' paralleling the request for God's prompt assistance.
- Mark 15:34 (quotation): Jesus' cry on the cross quotes Ps 22:1 and reflects the Psalm's overarching theme of feeling forsaken and appealing to God for nearness and help, connecting to the plea 'do not be far off.'
Alternative generated candidates
- Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
- But you, O LORD, do not be far off; O my help, hasten to my aid.
Psa.22.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הצילה: VERB,hiphil,perf,3,f,sg
- מחרב: PREP
- נפשי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
- מיד: PREP
- כלב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יחידתי: NOUN,f,sg,abs,1,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 59:1-6 (verbal): A cry for rescue from hostile foes; uses dog imagery of enemies (“they return at evening… they howl like dogs”), paralleling the ‘dog’ metaphor and plea for deliverance.
- Psalm 35:1 (thematic): David petitions God to fight his adversaries and deliver him from violent attack—same motif of appealing to God to contend against hostile, life-threatening enemies.
- Psalm 18:16-19 (2 Samuel 22:17-20) (structural): A salvation-song that describes God’s dramatic rescue from deadly peril; parallels Psalm 22’s voice of deliverance and trust in God as rescuer.
- Matthew 27:46 (cf. Mark 15:34) (quotation): Jesus quotes the opening of Psalm 22 in his crucifixion, invoking the Psalm’s context of suffering and the plea for help—linking the Psalm’s cry for deliverance to the passion narrative.
- Psalm 69:1 (thematic): Another anguished plea “Save me, O God… for the waters have come in,” thematically parallel in its urgent request for rescue from overwhelming danger.
Alternative generated candidates
- Save me from the lion's mouth, and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.
- Rescue my life from the sword; my precious life from the power of the dog.
Psa.22.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הושיעני: VERB,hiph,impv,2,m,sg
- מפי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אריה: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- ומקרני: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- רמים: ADJ,m,pl
- עניתני: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Daniel 6:22 (verbal): Daniel reports that God 'shut the lions' mouths' to deliver him—directly parallel verbal imagery of rescue from a lion's mouth.
- 1 Samuel 17:34-36 (thematic): David recalls rescuing a lamb from the mouth of a lion (and a bear) while tending sheep—theme of deliverance from beasts and enemies echoes the psalm's petition.
- 2 Samuel 22:21-22 (structural): Part of David's victory-song that uses the same motif of God rescuing him from deadly peril; parallels Psalm 22's language of divine deliverance from strong foes.
- Psalm 92:10 (verbal): Uses the image of the 'horn of the wild ox' to signify exalted strength—parallels the psalm's reference to 'horns of the wild oxen' as symbols of danger and power (and God's rescue).
Alternative generated candidates
- I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
- Deliver me from the lion's mouth; and from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.
Psa.22.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אספרה: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- שמך: NOUN,m,sg,cs,2,m,sg
- לאחי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+1,sg
- בתוך: PREP
- קהל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אהללך: VERB,qal,impf,1,com,sg+PRSOBJ,2,ms
Parallels
- Hebrews 2:12 (quotation): Direct citation of Psalm 22:23 (Hebrew numbering) in the New Testament: 'I will declare your name to my brothers...' applied to Jesus and his identification with believers.
- Psalm 40:9-10 (verbal): Very similar language and theme of publicly declaring God's faithfulness and salvation 'in the great congregation,' echoing the motif of proclaiming God's name to the assembly.
- Psalm 35:18 (verbal): Uses parallel phrasing about praise and thanksgiving 'in the great congregation,' reflecting the communal vow to praise God before the assembly.
- Matthew 28:10 (thematic): Jesus commissions the women to tell 'my brothers' the news of his resurrection—resonant with the Psalm's emphasis on declaring God's name to one's brothers (community of faith).
Alternative generated candidates
- You who fear the LORD, praise him; all offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel.
- I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
Psa.22.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יראי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- הללוהו: VERB,qal,impv,2,pl
- כל: DET
- זרע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כבדוהו: VERB,piel,impv,2,pl
- וגורו: CONJ+VERB,qal,impv,2,pl
- ממנו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- כל: DET
- זרע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 33:8 (verbal): Commands to “fear the LORD” and to “stand in awe” closely parallel the wording and theme of universal reverence in Ps.22:24.
- Psalm 34:9 (verbal): Direct exhortation “O you who fear the LORD” echoes the same address to God‑fearing persons as in Ps.22:24.
- Psalm 115:13 (thematic): Affirms that the LORD blesses and honors those who fear him—resonant with Ps.22:24’s call for Jacob’s offspring to glorify and revere God.
- Deuteronomy 10:12 (structural): A covenantal summons to Israel to “fear the LORD” and serve him—parallels Ps.22:24’s address specifically to the descendants of Jacob/Israel to revere and honor God.
Alternative generated candidates
- For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
- You who fear the LORD, praise him; all you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel.
Psa.22.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- לא: PART_NEG
- בזה: PREP+DEM
- ולא: CONJ
- שקץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ענות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עני: ADJ,m,sg
- ולא: CONJ
- הסתיר: VERB,hifil,perf,3,m,sg
- פניו: NOUN,m,pl,cons+3,m,sg
- ממנו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- ובשועו: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- שמע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 34:6 (verbal): Both verses state that the poor/afflicted cried out and the LORD heard them—language of a needy person’s cry and God’s responsive hearing mirrors Ps 22:25.
- Psalm 102:17 (verbal): Affirms that God 'regards the prayer of the destitute' and does not despise their plea, closely echoing the theme and wording of Ps 22:25 about not despising the afflicted.
- Psalm 34:18 (thematic): Speaks of the LORD’s nearness to the brokenhearted and saving the crushed in spirit, paralleling Ps 22:25’s assurance that God does not hide His face from the afflicted and hears their cry.
- Isaiah 66:2 (allusion): God’s attentive regard for the humble and contrite echoes Ps 22:25’s idea that the afflicted are not despised and are heard by God—both stress divine notice of the lowly.
- Luke 18:13 (thematic): The tax collector’s humble cry 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner' and Jesus’ commendation (he went home justified) reflect the NT fulfillment of the motif in Ps 22:25: God hears and responds to the humble/afflicted who cry out.
Alternative generated candidates
- From you comes my praise in the great assembly; I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
- For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has he hidden his face from him; and when he cried to him, he heard.
Psa.22.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מאתך: PREP+PRON,2,ms
- תהלתי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- בקהל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רב: ADJ,m,sg
- נדרי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+1cs
- אשלם: VERB,qal,impf,1,comm,sg
- נגד: PREP
- יראיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
Parallels
- Psalm 116:14 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language: 'I will pay my vows to the LORD before all his people' (Hebrew אשלם נדרי), matching the pledge to fulfill vows in public worship.
- Psalm 35:18 (verbal): Speaks of praising God 'in the great congregation' and publicly giving thanks—same motif and similar phrasing about communal praise.
- Jonah 2:9 (verbal): Contains the same verb and concept—'I will pay that which I have vowed'—linking deliverance, thanksgiving, and the repayment of vows (אשלם נדרי).
- Psalm 50:14 (thematic): Commands offering 'a sacrifice of thanksgiving' and to 'perform your vows to the Most High,' thematically paralleling the obligation to fulfill vows as an act of public praise.
- Psalm 66:13–14 (verbal): 'I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows'—a closely parallel formula of entering God's presence, offering sacrifices/thanks, and paying vows before the community.
Alternative generated candidates
- The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD shall praise him—may their hearts live forever.
- From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
Psa.22.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יאכלו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ענוים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- וישבעו: VERB,qal,imf,3,m,pl
- יהללו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- דרשיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
- יחי: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לבבכם: NOUN,m,sg,poss
- לעד: ADV
Parallels
- Psalm 22:28 (structural): Immediate continuation of the psalm: verse 27’s universal worship motif flows into 22:28’s declaration that the LORD reigns over the nations, reinforcing the same eschatological consummation.
- Psalm 86:9 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language of 'all nations' coming to worship the LORD—direct verbal parallel emphasizing universal praise of God.
- Psalm 67:2-3 (thematic): Prays that God's ways and salvation be known among the nations so that all peoples will praise him, echoing the international scope of worship in Ps 22:27.
- Isaiah 45:23 (thematic): Declares that every knee will bow and every tongue swear allegiance to the LORD—an Old Testament proclamation of universal acknowledgment comparable to Ps 22:27’s nations-worship motif.
- Philippians 2:10-11 (allusion): New Testament citation of the idea that 'every knee' will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord, echoing the OT theme of worldwide worship and submission reflected in Ps 22:27.
Alternative generated candidates
- All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
- The meek shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD shall praise him—may your hearts live for ever.
Psa.22.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יזכרו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- וישבו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- אפסי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וישתחוו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לפניך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- כל: DET
- משפחות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- גוים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 66:4 (verbal): Both verses speak of the whole earth worshiping God—‘all the earth shall worship thee’ echoes the universal reach of worship in Ps 22:28.
- Psalm 86:9 (verbal): Nearly identical language: ‘All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before you,’ paralleling Ps 22:28’s focus on all families/nations worshiping the LORD.
- Isaiah 45:23 (thematic): Declares universal submission to God (‘unto me every knee shall bow’), thematically paralleling the worldwide turning and worship envisioned in Ps 22:28.
- Philippians 2:10–11 (allusion): New Testament echo of universal adoration—‘every knee should bow... every tongue confess’—reflecting the same motif of all peoples worshiping the Lord.
- Revelation 15:4 (quotation): Explicit liturgical affirmation—‘All nations shall come and worship before thee’—directly echoes the language and universal-worship theme of Ps 22:28.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the kingdom belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
- All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall bow down before you.
Psa.22.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- המלוכה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ומשל: CONJ+PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- בגוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 103:19 (verbal): Uses similar language about the LORD’s sovereign rule—'The LORD has established his throne... and his kingdom rules over all.' echoing 'the kingdom is the LORD’s; he rules over the nations.'
- Daniel 4:17 (verbal): Declares that 'the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will,' closely paralleling the theme of God’s sovereign reign over nations.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11 (verbal): Proclaims 'Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom,' affirming God’s ownership of the kingdom and his rule—language very close to Psalm 22:29.
- Psalm 47:7-8 (thematic): Praise song celebrating God as King over the nations—'God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne,' thematically parallel to Psalm 22’s assertion of the LORD’s kingship.
- Revelation 11:15 (thematic): New Testament proclamation that 'the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,' reflecting the ultimate fulfillment of God’s rule over the nations.
Alternative generated candidates
- All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all who go down to the dust shall bow before him—those who cannot keep their lives alive.
- For the kingdom belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
Psa.22.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אכלו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- וישתחוו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- דשני: ADJ,m,pl,cons
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לפניו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- יכרעו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- יורדי: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,pl
- עפר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ונפשו: NOUN,f,sg,suff
- לא: PART_NEG
- חיה: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 22:27-28 (structural): Immediate context in the same psalm: the nations and all the ends of the earth remember and worship the LORD, providing a direct thematic continuation of universal homage.
- Isaiah 45:23 (verbal): Uses the same universal submission language ('to me every knee shall bow'), paralleling the image of all who go down to the dust bowing before God.
- Philippians 2:10-11 (allusion): New Testament echo of universal homage at the name of Christ—'every knee should bow'—applying the Old Testament motif of all creation’s submission to Jesus.
- Revelation 5:13 (thematic): Depicts every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea giving worship, echoing the psalm’s vision of universal bowing and worship.
- Daniel 12:2 (thematic): Speaks of those who 'sleep in the dust' being raised—connects the psalm’s reference to 'those who go down to the dust' with eschatological hope and ultimate vindication/submission.
Alternative generated candidates
- Posterity will serve him; it shall be told of the LORD to the coming generation.
- All who go down to the dust shall bow before him—even those who cannot keep their lives alive.
Psa.22.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- זרע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יעבדנו: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- יספר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לאדני: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,m,poss1s
- לדור: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 22:30 (structural): Immediate context/continuation: the same thought that posterity will serve and that the LORD’s deeds will be told to a coming generation; 22:31 functions as the psalm’s concluding affirmation.
- Psalm 78:4 (verbal): Explicitly charges Israel to 'make known to the coming generation' the praises and wonders of the LORD—same motif of passing testimony to future generations.
- Psalm 145:4 (verbal): ‘One generation shall praise thy works to another’—a closely parallel statement about successive generations declaring God’s mighty acts.
- Deuteronomy 4:9 (thematic): Mosaic instruction to remember and teach God’s deeds to children and grandchildren, reflecting the psalm’s emphasis on transmitting knowledge of the LORD to later generations.
- Psalm 96:3 (verbal): Calls to 'declare his glory among the nations' and 'his marvelous works among all the peoples,' echoing the psalm’s theme of proclaiming God’s works to others/coming generations.
Alternative generated candidates
- They shall come and declare his righteousness to a people yet unborn—that he has done it.
- A posterity shall serve him; they will tell of the Lord to a people yet to be born.
To the chief musician, upon the Doe of the Dawn. A psalm of David.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my groaning.
O my God, I call by day—and you do not answer; by night—and I find no rest.
Yet you are holy, enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted; in you they trusted and were delivered.
To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm, and not a man; a scorn of men, and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me; they sneer with the lip, they shake their heads.
“He trusted in the LORD—let the LORD deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him.”
For you drew me forth from the womb; you made me trust upon my mother's breasts.
On you I was cast from birth; you have been my God from my mother's womb.
Do not be far from me, for distress is near, and there is no one to help.
Many bulls have surrounded me; mighty bulls of Bashan have beset me.
They open their mouths against me—like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart has become like wax, it melts within my inward parts.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs have surrounded me; a company of evildoers has enclosed me; like a lion they are at my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.
They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O LORD, do not be far off; O my strength, hasten to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword; my precious life from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion's mouth, and from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.
I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
You who fear the LORD, praise him; all the offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all the offspring of Israel.
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD shall praise him—may your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall bow down before you.
For the kingdom belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
All the well-fed of the earth shall eat and worship; all who go down to the dust shall bow before him—those who cannot keep their lives alive.
Posterity shall serve him; they shall tell of the LORD to the coming generation.