1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 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.
15 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.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 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.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 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.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Aijeleth H365 Shahar, H7837 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 My God, H410 my God, H410 why hast thou forsaken H5800 me? why art thou so far H7350 from helping H3444 me, and from the words H1697 of my roaring? H7581
2 O my God, H430 I cry H7121 in the daytime, H3119 but thou hearest H6030 not; and in the night season, H3915 and am not silent. H1747
3 But thou art holy, H6918 O thou that inhabitest H3427 the praises H8416 of Israel. H3478
4 Our fathers H1 trusted H982 in thee: they trusted, H982 and thou didst deliver H6403 them.
5 They cried H2199 unto thee, and were delivered: H4422 they trusted H982 in thee, and were not confounded. H954
6 But I am a worm, H8438 and no man; H376 a reproach H2781 of men, H120 and despised H959 of the people. H5971
7 All they that see H7200 me laugh me to scorn: H3932 they shoot out H6358 the lip, H8193 they shake H5128 the head, H7218 saying,
8 He trusted H1556 on the LORD H3068 that he would deliver H6403 him: let him deliver H5337 him, seeing he delighted H2654 in him.
9 But thou art he that took H1518 me out of the womb: H990 thou didst make me hope H982 when I was upon my mother's H517 breasts. H7699
10 I was cast H7993 upon thee from the womb: H7358 thou art my God H410 from my mother's H517 belly. H990
11 Be not far H7368 from me; for trouble H6869 is near; H7138 for there is none to help. H5826
12 Many H7227 bulls H6499 have compassed H5437 me: strong H47 bulls of Bashan H1316 have beset me round. H3803
13 They gaped H6475 upon me with their mouths, H6310 as a ravening H2963 and a roaring H7580 lion. H738
14 I am poured out H8210 like water, H4325 and all my bones H6106 are out of joint: H6504 my heart H3820 is like wax; H1749 it is melted H4549 in the midst H8432 of my bowels. H4578
15 My strength H3581 is dried up H3001 like a potsherd; H2789 and my tongue H3956 cleaveth H1692 to my jaws; H4455 and thou hast brought H8239 me into the dust H6083 of death. H4194
16 For dogs H3611 have compassed H5437 me: the assembly H5712 of the wicked H7489 have inclosed H5362 me: they pierced H3738 H738 my hands H3027 and my feet. H7272
17 I may tell H5608 all my bones: H6106 they look H5027 and stare H7200 upon me.
18 They part H2505 my garments H899 among them, and cast H5307 lots H1486 upon my vesture. H3830
19 But be not thou far H7368 from me, O LORD: H3068 O my strength, H360 haste H2363 thee to help H5833 me.
20 Deliver H5337 my soul H5315 from the sword; H2719 my darling H3173 from the power H3027 of the dog. H3611
21 Save H3467 me from the lion's H738 mouth: H6310 for thou hast heard H6030 me from the horns H7161 of the unicorns. H7214
22 I will declare H5608 thy name H8034 unto my brethren: H251 in the midst H8432 of the congregation H6951 will I praise H1984 thee.
23 Ye that fear H3373 the LORD, H3068 praise H1984 him; all ye the seed H2233 of Jacob, H3290 glorify H3513 him; and fear H1481 him, all ye the seed H2233 of Israel. H3478
24 For he hath not despised H959 nor abhorred H8262 the affliction H6039 of the afflicted; H6041 neither hath he hid H5641 his face H6440 from him; but when he cried H7768 unto him, he heard. H8085
25 My praise H8416 shall be of thee in the great H7227 congregation: H6951 I will pay H7999 my vows H5088 before them that fear H3373 him.
26 The meek H6035 shall eat H398 and be satisfied: H7646 they shall praise H1984 the LORD H3068 that seek H1875 him: your heart H3824 shall live H2421 for ever. H5703
27 All the ends H657 of the world H776 shall remember H2142 and turn H7725 unto the LORD: H3068 and all the kindreds H4940 of the nations H1471 shall worship H7812 before H6440 thee.
28 For the kingdom H4410 is the LORD'S: H3068 and he is the governor H4910 among the nations. H1471
29 All they that be fat H1879 upon earth H776 shall eat H398 and worship: H7812 all they that go down H3381 to the dust H6083 shall bow H3766 before H6440 him: and none can keep alive H2421 his own soul. H5315
30 A seed H2233 shall serve H5647 him; it shall be accounted H5608 to the Lord H136 for a generation. H1755
31 They shall come, H935 and shall declare H5046 his righteousness H6666 unto a people H5971 that shall be born, H3205 that he hath done H6213 this.
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? `Why art thou so' far from helping me, `and from' the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: They trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, `saying',
8 Commit `thyself' unto Jehovah; Let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him.
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; Thou didst make me trust `when I was' upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God since my mother bare me.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gape upon me with their mouth, `As' a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.
15 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.
16 For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may count all my bones; They look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, And upon my vesture do they cast lots.
19 But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the assembly will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him; All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; And stand in awe of him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 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.
25 Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied; They shall praise Jehovah that seek after him: Let your heart live for ever.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is Jehovah's; And he is the ruler over the nations.
29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he that cannot keep his soul alive.
30 A seed shall serve him; It shall be told of the Lord unto the `next' generation.
31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it. Psalm 23 A Psalm of David.
1 To the Overseer, on `The Hind of the Morning.' -- A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation, The words of my roaring?
2 My God, I call by day, and Thou answerest not, And by night, and there is no silence to me.
3 And Thou `art' holy, Sitting -- the Praise of Israel.
4 In Thee did our fathers trust -- they trusted, And Thou dost deliver them.
5 Unto Thee they cried, and were delivered, In Thee they trusted, and were not ashamed.
6 And I `am' a worm, and no man, A reproach of man, and despised of the people.
7 All beholding me do mock at me, They make free with the lip -- shake the head,
8 `Roll unto Jehovah, He doth deliver him, He doth deliver him, for he delighted in him.'
9 For thou `art' He bringing me forth from the womb, Causing me to trust, On the breasts of my mother.
10 On Thee I have been cast from the womb, From the belly of my mother Thou `art' my God.
11 Be not far from me, For adversity is near, for there is no helper.
12 Many bulls have surrounded me, Mighty ones of Bashan have compassed me,
13 They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring.
14 As waters I have been poured out, And separated themselves have all my bones, My heart hath been like wax, It is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 Dried up as an earthen vessel is my power, And my tongue is cleaving to my jaws.
16 And to the dust of death thou appointest me, For surrounded me have dogs, A company of evil doers have compassed me, Piercing my hands and my feet.
17 I count all my bones -- they look expectingly, They look upon me,
18 They apportion my garments to themselves, And for my clothing they cause a lot to fall.
19 And Thou, O Jehovah, be not far off, O my strength, to help me haste.
20 Deliver from the sword my soul, From the paw of a dog mine only one.
21 Save me from the mouth of a lion: -- And -- from the horns of the high places Thou hast answered me!
22 I declare Thy name to my brethren, In the midst of the assembly I praise Thee.
23 Ye who fear Jehovah, praise ye Him, All the seed of Jacob, honour ye Him, And be afraid of Him, all ye seed of Israel.
24 For He hath not despised, nor abominated, The affliction of the afflicted, Nor hath He hidden His face from him, And in his crying unto Him He heareth.
25 Of Thee my praise `is' in the great assembly. My vows I complete before His fearers.
26 The humble do eat and are satisfied, Praise Jehovah do those seeking Him, Your heart doth live for ever.
27 Remember and return unto Jehovah, Do all ends of the earth, And before Thee bow themselves, Do all families of the nations,
28 For to Jehovah `is' the kingdom, And He is ruling among nations.
29 And the fat ones of earth have eaten, And they bow themselves, Before Him bow do all going down to dust, And he `who' hath not revived his soul.
30 A seed doth serve Him, It is declared of the Lord to the generation.
31 They come and declare His righteousness, To a people that is borne, that He hath made!
1 {To the chief Musician. Upon Aijeleth-Shahar. A Psalm of David.} My ùGod, my ùGod, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou] far from my salvation, from the words of my groaning?
2 My God, I cry by day, and thou answerest not; and by night, and there is no rest for me:
3 And thou art holy, thou that dwellest amid the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers confided in thee: they confided, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered; they confided in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and the despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying:]
8 Commit it to Jehovah -- let him rescue him; let him deliver him, because he delighteth in him!
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me trust, upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my ùGod from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have encompassed me; Bashan's strong ones have beset me round.
13 They gape upon me with their mouth, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is become like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my palate; and thou hast laid me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs have encompassed me; an assembly of evil-doers have surrounded me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may count all my bones. They look, they stare upon me;
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But thou, Jehovah, be not far [from me]; O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my only one from the power of the dog;
21 Save me from the lion's mouth. Yea, from the horns of the buffaloes hast thou answered me.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear Jehovah, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and revere him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 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.
25 My praise is from thee, in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise Jehovah that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah, and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee:
28 For the kingdom is Jehovah's, and he ruleth among the nations.
29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, and he that cannot keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done [it].
1 > My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; In the night season, and am not silent.
3 But you are holy, You who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8 "He trusts in Yahweh; Let him deliver him; Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."
9 But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.
10 I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11 Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13 They open their mouths wide against me, Lions tearing prey and roaring.
14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.
15 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.
16 For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evil-doers have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18 They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19 But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth; Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 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.
25 Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28 For the kingdom is Yahweh's. He is the ruler over the nations.
29 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.
30 Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, For he has done it.
1 <To the chief music-maker on Aijeleth-hash-shahar. A Psalm. Of David.> My God, my God, why are you turned away from me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my crying?
2 O my God, I make my cry in the day, and you give no answer; and in the night, and have no rest.
3 But you are holy, O you who are seated among the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers had faith in you: they had faith and you were their saviour.
5 They sent up their cry to you and were made free: they put their faith in you and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man; cursed by men, and looked down on by the people.
7 I am laughed at by all those who see me: pushing out their lips and shaking their heads they say,
8 He put his faith in the Lord; let the Lord be his saviour now: let the Lord be his saviour, because he had delight in him.
9 But it was you who took care of me from the day of my birth: you gave me faith even from my mother's breasts.
10 I was in your hands even before my birth; you are my God from the time when I was in my mother's body.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; there is no one to give help.
12 A great herd of oxen is round me: I am shut in by the strong oxen of Bashan.
13 I saw their mouths wide open, like lions crying after food.
14 I am flowing away like water, and all my bones are out of place: my heart is like wax, it has become soft in my body.
15 My throat is dry like a broken vessel; my tongue is fixed to the roof of my mouth, and the dust of death is on my lips.
16 Dogs have come round me: I am shut in by the band of evil-doers; they made wounds in my hands and feet.
17 I am able to see all my bones; their looks are fixed on me:
18 They make a division of my robes among them, by the decision of chance they take my clothing.
19 Do not be far from me, O Lord: O my strength, come quickly to my help.
20 Make my soul safe from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
21 Be my saviour from the lion's mouth; let me go free from the horns of the cruel oxen.
22 I will give the knowledge of your name to my brothers: I will give you praise among the people.
23 You who have fear of the Lord, give him praise; all you seed of Jacob, give him glory; go in fear of him, all you seed of Israel.
24 For he has not been unmoved by the pain of him who is troubled; or kept his face covered from him; but he has given an answer to his cry.
25 My praise will be of you in the great meeting: I will make my offerings before his worshippers.
26 The poor will have a feast of good things: those who make search for the Lord will give him praise: your heart will have life for ever.
27 All the ends of the earth will keep it in mind and be turned to the Lord: all the families of the nations will give him worship.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's; he is the ruler among the nations.
29 All the fat ones of the earth will give him worship; all those who go down to the dust will make themselves low before him, even he who has not enough for the life of his soul.
30 A seed will be his servant; the doings of the Lord will be made clear to the generation which comes after.
31 They will come and make his righteousness clear to a people of the future because he has done this.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 22
Commentary on Psalms 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 22
Ps 22:1-31. The obscure words Aijeleth Shahar in this title have various explanations. Most interpreters agree in translating them by "hind of the morning." But great difference exists as to the meaning of these words. By some they are supposed (compare Ps 9:1) to be the name of the tune to which the words of the Psalm were set; by others, the name of a musical instrument. Perhaps the best view is to regard the phrase as enigmatically expressive of the subject—the sufferer being likened to a hind pursued by hunters in the early morning (literally, "the dawn of day")—or that, while hind suggests the idea of a meek, innocent sufferer, the addition of morning denotes relief obtained. The feelings of a pious sufferer in sorrow and deliverance are vividly portrayed. He earnestly pleads for divine aid on the ground of his relation to God, whose past goodness to His people encourages hope, and then on account of the imminent danger by which he is threatened. The language of complaint is turned to that of rejoicing in the assured prospect of relief from suffering and triumph over his enemies. The use of the words of the first clause of Ps 22:1 by our Saviour on the cross, and the quotation of Ps 22:18 by John (Joh 19:24), and of Ps 22:22 by Paul (Heb 2:12), as fulfilled in His history, clearly intimate the prophetical and Messianic purport of the Psalm. The intensity of the grief, and the completeness and glory of the deliverance and triumph, alike appear to be unsuitable representations of the fortunes of any less personage. In a general and modified sense (see on Ps 16:1), the experience here detailed may be adapted to the case of all Christians suffering from spiritual foes, and delivered by divine aid, inasmuch as Christ in His human nature was their head and representative.
1. A summary of the complaint. Desertion by God, when overwhelmed by distress, is the climax of the sufferer's misery.
words of my roaring—shows that the complaint is expressed intelligently, though the term "roaring" is figurative, taken from the conduct of irrational creatures in pain.
2. The long distress is evinced by—
am not silent—literally, "not silence to me," either meaning, I continually cry; or, corresponding with "thou hearest not," or answerest not, it may mean, there is no rest or quiet to me.
3. Still he not only refrains from charging God foolishly, but evinces his confidence in God by appealing to Him.
thou art holy—or possessed of all the attributes which encourage trust, and the right object of the praises of the Church: hence the sufferer need not despair.
4, 5. Past experience of God's people is a ground of trust. The mention of "our fathers" does not destroy the applicability of the words as the language of our Saviour's human nature.
6. He who was despised and rejected of His own people, as a disgrace to the nation, might well use these words of deep abasement, which express not His real, but esteemed, value.
7, 8. For the Jews used one of the gestures (Mt 27:39) here mentioned, when taunting Him on the cross, and (Mt 27:43) reproached Him almost in the very, language of this passage.
shoot out—or, "open."
the lip—(Compare Ps 35:21).
8. trusted on the Lord—literally, "rolled"—that is, his burden (Ps 37:5; Pr 16:3) on the Lord. This is the language of enemies sporting with his faith in the hour of his desertion.
9, 10. Though ironically spoken, the exhortation to trust was well founded on his previous experience of divine aid, the special illustration of which is drawn from the period of helpless infancy.
didst make me hope—literally, "made me secure."
11. From this statement of reasons for the appeal, he renews it, pleading his double extremity, the nearness of trouble, and the absence of a helper.
12, 13. His enemies, with the vigor of bulls and rapacity of lions, surround him, eagerly seeking his ruin. The force of both figures is greater without the use of any particle denoting comparison.
14, 15. Utter exhaustion and hopeless weakness, in these circumstances of pressing danger, are set forth by the most expressive figures; the solidity of the body is destroyed, and it becomes like water; the bones are parted; the heart, the very seat of vitality, melts like wax; all the juices of the system are dried up; the tongue can no longer perform its office, but lies parched and stiffened (compare Ge 49:4; 2Sa 14:14; Ps 58:8). In this, God is regarded as the ultimate source, and men as the instruments.
15. the dust of death—of course, denotes the grave. We need not try to find the exact counterpart of each item of the description in the particulars of our Saviour's sufferings. Figurative language resembles pictures of historical scenes, presenting substantial truth, under illustrations, which, though not essential to the facts, are not inconsistent with them. Were any portion of Christ's terrible sufferings specially designed, it was doubtless that of the garden of Gethsemane.
16. Evildoers are well described as dogs, which, in the East, herding together, wild and rapacious, are justly objects of great abhorrence. The last clause has been a subject of much discussion (involving questions as to the genuineness of the Hebrew word translated "pierce)" which cannot be made intelligible to the English reader. Though not quoted in the New Testament, the remarkable aptness of the description to the facts of the Saviour's history, together with difficulties attending any other mode of explaining the clause in the Hebrew, justify an adherence to the terms of our version and their obvious meaning.
17. His emaciated frame, itself an item of his misery, is rendered more so as the object of delighted contemplation to his enemies. The verbs, "look" and "stare," often occur as suggestive of feelings of satisfaction (compare Ps 27:13; 54:7; 118:7).
18. This literally fulfilled prediction closes the sad picture of the exposed and deserted sufferer.
19, 20. He now turns with unabated desire and trust to God, who, in His strength and faithfulness, is contrasted with the urgent dangers described.
20. my soul—or self (compare Ps 3:2; 16:10).
my darling—literally, "my only one," or, "solitary one," as desolate and afflicted (Ps 25:16; 35:17).
21. Deliverance pleaded in view of former help, when in the most imminent danger, from the most powerful enemy, represented by the unicorn or wild buffalo.
the lion's mouth—(Compare Ps 22:13). The lion often used as a figure representing violent enemies; the connecting of the mouth intimates their rapacity.
22-24. He declares his purpose to celebrate God's gracious dealings and publish His manifested perfections ("name," Ps 5:11), &c., and forthwith he invites the pious (those who have a reverential fear of God) to unite in special praise for a deliverance, illustrating God's kind regard for the lowly, whom men neglect [Ps 22:24]. To hide the face (or eyes) expresses a studied neglect of one's cause, and refusal of aid or sympathy (compare Ps 30:7; Isa 1:15).
25, 26. My praise shall be of thee—or, perhaps better, "from thee," that is, God gives grace to praise Him. With offering praise, he further evinces his gratitude by promising the payment of his vows, in celebrating the usual festival, as provided in the law (De 12:18; 16:11), of which the pious or humble, and they that seek the Lord (His true worshippers) shall partake abundantly, and join him in praise [Ps 22:26]. In the enthusiasm produced by his lively feelings, he addresses such in words, assuring them of God's perpetual favor [Ps 22:26]. The dying of the heart denotes death (1Sa 25:37); so its living denotes life.
27-31. His case illustrates God's righteous government. Beyond the existing time and people, others shall be brought to acknowledge and worship God; the fat ones, or the rich as well as the poor, the helpless who cannot keep themselves alive, shall together unite in celebrating God's delivering power, and transmit to unborn people the records of His grace.
30. it shall be accounted to the Lord for, &c.—or, "it shall be told of the Lord to a generation." God's wonderful works shall be told from generation to generation.
31. that he hath done this—supply "it," or "this"—that is, what the Psalm has unfolded.