My God, My God

31 versesLament and PraiseThe heading attributes it to David and says it is for the Chief Musician, set to "The Doe of the Morning

Psalm 22 summary: what it means

Psalm 22 begins with a cry: my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? The speaker prays day and night and gets no answer. He remembers that God rescued his ancestors when they trusted him, but he himself is mocked and despised. Enemies surround him, pictured as bulls, lions and dogs. His body is failing, he is brought to the dust of death, and others divide his clothes.

In verse 21 the prayer breaks into an answer: you have rescued me. From there the psalm becomes praise, first among the speaker's own people, then among the nations, and finally for generations not yet born. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark record Jesus crying out the opening words of this psalm from the cross.

Psalm 22: My God, My God

World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-22

Psalm 22 commentary: explained verse by verse

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

The psalm opens with a question asked of God directly: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? The speaker still says my God while saying he feels abandoned and unheard, and verse 2 adds that he cries day and night without an answer. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 record Jesus crying out these first words from the cross.

Also read 1 Samuel 12:22, Psalm 31:14-16, Psalm 22:11, Hebrews 5:7

My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;in the night season, and am not silent.

Also read Psalm 42:3, Luke 22:41-46, 2 Timothy 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 3:10

But you are holy,you who inhabit the praises of Israel.

Straight after saying that God does not answer, the speaker affirms that God is holy, the one who inhabits the praises of Israel. Complaint and faith sit side by side. Nothing in the verse takes back the question of verse 1.

Also read Psalm 65:1, Deuteronomy 10:21, Revelation 4:8, Psalm 99:9

Our fathers trusted in you.They trusted, and you delivered them.

The speaker looks back to earlier generations. Our fathers trusted in God, and he delivered them. This history sharpens the contrast with the speaker's own situation.

Also read Exodus 14:31, Exodus 14:13-14, Hebrews 11:8-32, 1 Samuel 7:9-12

They cried to you, and were delivered.They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

The memory continues. They cried out and were delivered, they trusted and were not disappointed. The next verse sets that against the speaker, who calls himself a worm and no man.

Also read Psalm 99:6-7, Romans 9:33, Psalm 71:1, Psalm 31:1

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

Also read Isaiah 41:14, Psalm 31:1, Lamentations 3:30, Psalm 31:11

All those who see me mock me.They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

The speaker describes public mockery. People who see him insult him with their lips and shake their heads. Verse 8 then quotes what they say: he trusts in the LORD, so let the LORD rescue him.

Also read Job 16:10, Matthew 9:24, Luke 23:11, Mark 15:20

“He trusts in the LORD.Let him deliver him.Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”

Also read Matthew 12:18, Psalm 18:19, Psalm 91:14, Luke 23:35

But you brought me out of the womb.You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.

Against the mockers of verses 7 and 8, the speaker turns to his own history with God. God brought him out of the womb and made him trust while he was still at his mother's breasts. The KJV reads thou didst make me hope, so his trust is traced back to his earliest days.

Also read Isaiah 49:1-2, Psalm 71:17, Revelation 12:4-5, Psalm 71:6

I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.You are my God since my mother bore me.

The same thought goes further. The speaker says he was thrown on God from his mother's womb, cast upon thee in the KJV, as if placed in God's care from birth. The line you are my God since my mother bore me answers the forsaken cry of verse 1 with a lifelong claim.

Also read Luke 2:52, Galatians 1:15, Luke 2:40, Isaiah 46:3-4

Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.For there is no one to help.

This is the first direct request of the psalm. The speaker asks God not to be far away, because trouble is near and there is no one else to help. Near and far are set against each other in a single line.

Also read Matthew 26:74, Psalm 35:22, Psalm 13:1-3, Psalm 69:1-2

Many bulls have surrounded me.Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

The enemies are pictured as animals. Many bulls surround him, and the strong bulls of Bashan encircle him, so he is hemmed in on every side by creatures far stronger than he is. The KJV says they have beset me round.

Also read Acts 4:27, Ezekiel 39:18, Amos 4:1-3, Matthew 27:1

They open their mouths wide against me,lions tearing prey and roaring.

The picture changes from bulls to lions. The enemies open their mouths wide against him, like lions tearing prey and roaring. The KJV reads a ravening and a roaring lion, and the lion returns in verse 21 when he asks to be saved from the lion's mouth.

Also read Lamentations 3:46, Psalm 22:21, Matthew 26:59-65, Psalm 35:17

I am poured out like water.All my bones are out of joint.My heart is like wax.It is melted within me.

The speaker describes his body giving way. He is poured out like water, his bones are out of joint and his heart has melted like wax. The images are of strength draining away completely.

Also read Psalm 68:2, Job 23:16, Mark 14:33-34, Matthew 26:38

My strength is dried up like a potsherd.My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.You have brought me into the dust of death.

The description goes further. His strength is dried up like a potsherd, a broken piece of pottery, his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth, and he says God has brought him into the dust of death. It is the lowest point of the psalm.

Also read Job 29:10, Psalm 69:21, Psalm 30:9, 1 Corinthians 15:3

For dogs have surrounded me.A company of evildoers have enclosed me.They have pierced my hands and feet.

Also read Matthew 26:57, Matthew 7:6, John 20:25, John 19:37

I can count all of my bones.They look and stare at me.

The speaker is so worn down that he can count all his bones, which the KJV puts as I may tell all my bones. At the same time others look and stare at him. His suffering has become something for the people around him to watch.

Also read Psalm 102:3-5, Isaiah 52:14, Mark 15:29-32, Matthew 27:39-41

They divide my garments among them.They cast lots for my clothing.

Also read John 19:23-24, Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34

But don’t be far off, LORD.You are my help. Hurry to help me!

After the long description of suffering, the speaker turns back to prayer. He calls the LORD his help and asks him to hurry. The request of verse 11 returns with more urgency.

Also read Psalm 22:11, Psalm 40:13, Psalm 69:13-18, Psalm 10:1

Deliver my soul from the sword,my precious life from the power of the dog.

The plea of verse 19 continues. He asks God to deliver his soul from the sword and his precious life from the power of the dog, recalling the dogs that surrounded him in verse 16. The KJV has my darling where the WEB has my precious life.

Also read Psalm 17:13, Psalm 35:17, Zechariah 13:7

Save me from the lion’s mouth!Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.

The verse starts as a plea to be saved from the lion's mouth. It ends with a statement: you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. This is where the psalm turns from lament to praise.

Also read 1 Peter 5:8, Acts 4:27, Deuteronomy 33:17, Acts 5:30-32

I will declare your name to my brothers.Among the assembly, I will praise you.

This is where the praise of the psalm begins. The speaker who felt forsaken now promises to declare God's name to his brothers and to praise him among the assembly. The KJV reads in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee, and verses 23 to 31 carry that praise outward.

Also read John 20:17, Romans 8:29, Matthew 25:40, Psalm 22:25

You who fear the LORD, praise him!All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!

The speaker now calls others to join in. Everyone who fears the LORD, all the descendants of Jacob and Israel, are told to praise him, glorify him and stand in awe of him. The private cry has become public worship.

Also read 1 Chronicles 16:8-13, Psalm 106:5, Luke 2:20, Psalm 105:3-7

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.

This verse gives the reason for the praise. The LORD did not despise the afflicted person or hide his face from him, and when he cried, God heard. It answers the complaint of verse 2 that God does not answer.

Also read Psalm 22:6, Psalm 22:2, Psalm 35:10, Psalm 118:5

My praise of you comes in the great assembly.I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

Also read Psalm 65:1, Psalm 56:12, Psalm 111:1, Psalm 118:19-20

The humble shall eat and be satisfied.They shall praise the LORD who seek after him.Let your hearts live forever.

The praise becomes a shared meal. The humble shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the LORD will praise him. The verse ends with a blessing on the hearers, let your hearts live forever, and the KJV calls them the meek.

Also read Psalm 105:3-4, Leviticus 7:11-17, Psalm 107:9, John 4:14

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD.All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

The circle widens from Israel to the whole world. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the relatives of the nations, the kindreds in the KJV, will worship before him. A prayer that began with one person alone now reaches every people.

Also read Acts 26:18-20, Isaiah 45:22, Revelation 7:9-12, Romans 16:26

For the kingdom is the LORD’s.He is the ruler over the nations.

The praise widens to the whole world. The kingdom belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. This is the ground for the claim in verse 27 that all the ends of the earth will turn to him.

Also read Revelation 11:15, Daniel 7:14, Zechariah 14:9, Psalm 47:7-8

All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,even he who can’t keep his soul alive.

Worship reaches both ends of human life. The rich ones of the earth eat and worship, and all who go down to the dust bow before him, even the one who cannot keep his soul alive. The KJV says all they that be fat upon earth.

Also read Philippians 2:10, Isaiah 60:16, Revelation 21:24, Isaiah 26:19

Posterity shall serve him.Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

The psalm now looks ahead in time. Posterity shall serve the LORD, and future generations shall be told about him. The KJV reads a seed shall serve him, so the praise that began with one voice is passed on to those who come after.

Also read 1 Peter 2:9, Matthew 3:9, Psalm 73:15, Psalm 24:6

They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born,for he has done it.

The last verse speaks to people not yet born. They will be told of God's righteousness, and the psalm closes with the reason: for he has done it. The KJV reads that he hath done this, so a psalm that began with why have you forsaken me ends on something God has done.

Also read Psalm 78:6, Psalm 86:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 60:4

A prayer from Psalm 22

My God, my God, why do you feel so far away? I cry in the daytime and in the night, and I am not silent. Yet you are holy. Our fathers trusted in you, and you delivered them. You brought me out of the womb, and you have been my God since my mother bore me. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one else to help. My strength is dried up and I am poured out like water. You are my help. Hurry to help me. I will declare your name and praise you in the assembly, for you have not despised the affliction of the afflicted, and when they cried to you, you heard. Amen.

Psalm 22 Bible study questions

In verses 1 and 2, what does the speaker ask God, and at what times of day does he say he cries out?
In verses 12 to 18, what animals and actions does the speaker use to describe the people around him?
The speaker says my God even while asking why he has been forsaken; what do you make of holding both of those at once?
Where do you notice the psalm turn from lament to praise, and how does that turn affect the way you read the opening verses?
Psalm 13:1 asks how long God will hide his face, and Psalm 22:24 says he has not hidden his face from the afflicted; what do you notice when you read them side by side?

Questions about Psalm 22

What is Psalm 22 about?

It is a prayer from someone who feels abandoned by God, mocked, surrounded by enemies and near death. In verse 21 it turns, and the rest of the psalm is praise that spreads from the speaker's own people to the nations and to future generations.

Who wrote Psalm 22?

The heading attributes it to David and says it is for the Chief Musician, set to "The Doe of the Morning."

Is Psalm 22 quoted in the New Testament?

Yes. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 record Jesus crying out its first words from the cross, and John 19:24 quotes verse 18 about casting lots for clothing.

What does Psalm 22:1 say in the KJV?

The King James Version reads "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" The World English Bible has groaning where the King James has roaring.

What does Psalm 22:24 mean?

It gives the reason for the praise at the end of the psalm. The LORD did not despise or hide from the afflicted person, and when he cried out, God heard.

What does Psalm 22:28 mean?

It says the kingdom belongs to the LORD and that he rules over the nations. It explains why the psalm expects all the ends of the earth to turn to him and worship.

Psalm 22 KJV: the King James Version

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I 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.14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For 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.24

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

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

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

For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations.28

All 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.29

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

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

Psalm 22 in Hebrew

The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.

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1 לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל־אַיֶּ֥לֶת הַשַּׁ֗חַר מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

2 אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי רָח֥וֹק מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י דִּבְרֵ֥י שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃

3 אֱֽלֹהַ֗י אֶקְרָ֣א י֭וֹמָם וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֶ֑ה וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה לִֽי׃

4 וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

5 בְּ֭ךָ בָּטְח֣וּ אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בָּ֝טְח֗וּ וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ׃

6 אֵלֶ֣יךָ זָעֲק֣וּ וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ בְּךָ֖ בָטְח֣וּ וְלֹא־בֽוֹשׁוּ׃

7 וְאָנֹכִ֣י תוֹלַ֣עַת וְלֹא־אִ֑ישׁ חֶרְפַּ֥ת אָ֝דָ֗ם וּבְז֥וּי עָֽם׃

8 כָּל־רֹ֭אַי יַלְעִ֣גוּ לִ֑י יַפְטִ֥ירוּ בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה יָנִ֥יעוּ רֹֽאשׁ׃

9 גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בּֽוֹ׃

10 כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה גֹחִ֣י מִבָּ֑טֶן מַ֝בְטִיחִ֗י עַל־שְׁדֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃

11 עָ֭לֶיךָ הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי מֵרָ֑חֶם מִבֶּ֥טֶן אִ֝מִּ֗י אֵ֣לִי אָֽתָּה׃

12 אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִ֭מֶּנִּי כִּי־צָרָ֣ה קְרוֹבָ֑ה כִּי־אֵ֥ין עוֹזֵֽר׃

13 סְ֭בָבוּנִי פָּרִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים אַבִּירֵ֖י בָשָׁ֣ן כִּתְּרֽוּנִי׃

14 פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃

15 כַּמַּ֥יִם נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮ וְהִתְפָּֽרְד֗וּ כָּֽל־עַצְמ֫וֹתָ֥י הָיָ֣ה לִ֭בִּי כַּדּוֹנָ֑ג נָ֝מֵ֗ס בְּת֣וֹךְ מֵעָֽי׃

16 יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀ כֹּחִ֗י וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּ֣ק מַלְקוֹחָ֑י וְֽלַעֲפַר־מָ֥וֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי׃

17 כִּ֥י סְבָב֗וּנִי כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים עֲדַ֣ת מְ֭רֵעִים הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י יָדַ֥י וְרַגְלָֽי׃

18 אֲסַפֵּ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י הֵ֥מָּה יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִֽי׃

19 יְחַלְּק֣וּ בְגָדַ֣י לָהֶ֑ם וְעַל־לְ֝בוּשִׁ֗י יַפִּ֥ילוּ גוֹרָֽל׃

20 וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־תִּרְחָ֑ק אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃

21 הַצִּ֣ילָה מֵחֶ֣רֶב נַפְשִׁ֑י מִיַּד־כֶּ֝֗לֶב יְחִידָתִֽי׃

22 ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּ֣י אַרְיֵ֑ה וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י רֵמִ֣ים עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃

23 אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְאֶחָ֑י בְּת֖וֹךְ קָהָ֣ל אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃

24 יִרְאֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־זֶ֣רַע יַעֲקֹ֣ב כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ וְג֥וּרוּ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

25 כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָזָ֨ה וְלֹ֪א שִׁקַּ֡ץ עֱנ֬וּת עָנִ֗י וְלֹא־הִסְתִּ֣יר פָּנָ֣יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וּֽבְשַׁוְּע֖וֹ אֵלָ֣יו שָׁמֵֽעַ׃

26 מֵ֥אִתְּךָ֗ תְֽהִלָּ֫תִ֥י בְּקָהָ֥ל רָ֑ב נְדָרַ֥י אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם נֶ֣גֶד יְרֵאָֽיו׃

27 יֹאכְל֬וּ עֲנָוִ֨ים ׀ וְיִשְׂבָּ֗עוּ יְהַֽלְל֣וּ יְ֭הוָה דֹּ֣רְשָׁ֑יו יְחִ֖י לְבַבְכֶ֣ם לָעַֽד׃

28 יִזְכְּר֤וּ ׀ וְיָשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ כָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת גּוֹיִֽם׃

29 כִּ֣י לַ֭יהוָה הַמְּלוּכָ֑ה וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃

30 אָכְל֬וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ ׀ כָּֽל־דִּשְׁנֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ לְפָנָ֣יו יִ֭כְרְעוּ כָּל־יוֹרְדֵ֣י עָפָ֑ר וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ לֹ֣א חִיָּֽה׃

31 זֶ֥רַע יַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ יְסֻפַּ֖ר לַֽאדֹנָ֣י לַדּֽוֹר׃

32 יָ֭בֹאוּ וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ צִדְקָת֑וֹ לְעַ֥ם נ֝וֹלָ֗ד כִּ֣י עָשָֽׂה׃

Psalm 22 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible

The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 21 there.

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1 Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David.

2 O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.

3 O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me.

4 But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.

5 In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them.

6 They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

7 But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.

8 All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.

9 He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him.

10 For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother.

11 I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother’s womb thou art my God,

12 Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me.

13 Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.

14 They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring.

15 I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels.

16 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death.

17 For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet.

18 They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me.

19 They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

20 But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence.

21 Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog.

22 Save me from the lion’s mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.

23 I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee.

24 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him.

25 Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me.

26 With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him.

27 The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.

28 All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight.

29 For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he shall have dominion over the nations.

30 All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him.

31 And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him.

32 There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.

Psalm 22 in Latin

The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 21.

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1 In finem, pro susceptione matutina. Psalmus David.

2 Deus, Deus meus, respice in me: quare me dereliquisti? longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum.

3 Deus meus, clamabo per diem, et non exaudies; et nocte, et non ad insipientiam mihi.

4 Tu autem in sancto habitas, laus Israël.

5 In te speraverunt patres nostri; speraverunt, et liberasti eos.

6 Ad te clamaverunt, et salvi facti sunt; in te speraverunt, et non sunt confusi.

7 Ego autem sum vermis, et non homo; opprobrium hominum, et abjectio plebis.

8 Omnes videntes me deriserunt me; locuti sunt labiis, et moverunt caput.

9 Speravit in Domino, eripiat eum: salvum faciat eum, quoniam vult eum.

10 Quoniam tu es qui extraxisti me de ventre, spes mea ab uberibus matris meæ.

11 In te projectus sum ex utero; de ventre matris meæ Deus meus es tu:

12 ne discesseris a me, quoniam tribulatio proxima est, quoniam non est qui adjuvet.

13 Circumdederunt me vituli multi; tauri pingues obsederunt me.

14 Aperuerunt super me os suum, sicut leo rapiens et rugiens.

15 Sicut aqua effusus sum, et dispersa sunt omnia ossa mea: factum est cor meum tamquam cera liquescens in medio ventris mei.

16 Aruit tamquam testa virtus mea, et lingua mea adhæsit faucibus meis: et in pulverem mortis deduxisti me.

17 Quoniam circumdederunt me canes multi; concilium malignantium obsedit me. Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos;

18 dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea. Ipsi vero consideraverunt et inspexerunt me.

19 Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt sortem.

20 Tu autem, Domine, ne elongaveris auxilium tuum a me; ad defensionem meam conspice.

21 Erue a framea, Deus, animam meam, et de manu canis unicam meam.

22 Salva me ex ore leonis, et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

23 Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis; in medio ecclesiæ laudabo te.

24 Qui timetis Dominum, laudate eum; universum semen Jacob, glorificate eum.

25 Timeat eum omne semen Israël, quoniam non sprevit, neque despexit deprecationem pauperis, nec avertit faciem suam a me: et cum clamarem ad eum, exaudivit me.

26 Apud te laus mea in ecclesia magna; vota mea reddam in conspectu timentium eum.

27 Edent pauperes, et saturabuntur, et laudabunt Dominum qui requirunt eum: vivent corda eorum in sæculum sæculi.

28 Reminiscentur et convertentur ad Dominum universi fines terræ; et adorabunt in conspectu ejus universæ familiæ gentium:

29 quoniam Domini est regnum, et ipse dominabitur gentium.

30 Manducaverunt et adoraverunt omnes pingues terræ; in conspectu ejus cadent omnes qui descendunt in terram.

31 Et anima mea illi vivet; et semen meum serviet ipsi.

32 Annuntiabitur Domino generatio ventura; et annuntiabunt cæli justitiam ejus populo qui nascetur, quem fecit Dominus.

Printable Psalm 22: free, large print and PDF

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Psalm 22 at a glance

Verses	31
Heading in the text	For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David.
Attributed to	The heading attributes it to David and says it is for the Chief Musician, set to "The Doe of the Morning."
Type	Lament and Praise
Number in Greek and Latin Bibles	Psalm 21

Read Psalm 22 when you are facing

loneliness broken heart enemies hope

Psalm 22 in other translations

This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 22 in those translations at Bible Gateway.

Where Psalm 22 belongs

Psalms of David Book 1 of the Psalms

How this page was made

The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.

Sources

Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
New Testament quotations: Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 and John 19:24 checked against the King James Version text from ebible.org source
Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source

Written by

Lucas Pradella

Last checked 25 September 2026 · How pages are checked

I built AllPsalms because I could not find one site that covered all 150 psalms properly. I am a Christian and a reader of the psalms, not a scholar or a minister. What I can do is the work: put every psalm in one place, in plain English, with the text unedited and every claim sourced.

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