Psalm 22:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

NIV: But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

NASB: But You, Lord, do not be far away; You who are my help, hurry to my assistance.

CSB: But you, Lord, don't be far away. My strength, come quickly to help me.

NLT: O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!

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

NKJV: But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

After expressing confusion and pain over what seems to be abandonment by God (Psalm 22:1–2), David has also stated his faith in God's will (Psalm 22:3–5). He then described his anguish using the symbolism of a man being brutally abused and executed by his foes (Psalm 22:12–18). All of these serve as prophetic remarks fulfilled by Jesus' experience on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Here, David turns his focus to a renewed plea for deliverance. In verse 1 he questioned why the Lord was far from him. In verse 11 he called upon the Lord not to be far from him because trouble was near. Now he looks to the Lord for help. David has compared his enemies to raging bulls, wild dogs, and a roaring, hungry lion (Psalm 22:12–16). Only the Lord could give him the strength he needed to overcome the threat.

On the cross, the Messiah, Jesus, faced an onslaught of evildoers intent on shedding His blood, but God came to His aid by raising Him from the dead. Believers may face treacherous circumstances, but God answers prayer. He may deliver us from whatever threatens us or give us the grace to endure and overcome (Romans 8:36–37; 2 Corinthians 12:7–9).

Psalm 22:1–21 depicts David's questioning of God's silence and estrangement from him in his desperate situation. The structure of this prayer, and the images it evokes, are prophecies of Messiah's sufferings. Isaiah 53:3–8 likewise predicts these experiences and explains that Messiah endured them for us sinners. Matthew 27:46 reports that Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 when he was suffering on the cross. First Peter 2:24 –25 refers to the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah and calls Jesus ''the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.''

This psalm may be divided into two parts. The first part, verses 1–21, contains an urgent prayer, in which the suppliant questions a holy God's distance from him in his time of suffering. It also contains a graphic description of the Messiah's suffering. Messiah's suffering included humiliation, the taunts of unbelievers, a distressful sense of loneliness, and intense physical pain. The second part of the psalm continues a prayer to be delivered, and includes a glimpse of resurrection and exaltation. The psalm praises God and announces a future time when God will receive worldwide acclaim and worship.

This psalm of David should be understood in association with Psalms 23 and 24. Psalm 22 describes the sufferings of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, for His sheep. Psalm 23 describes His care for His sheep. Psalm 24 describes His return in glory to reward His sheep. Psalm 22 includes prophetic sayings which Jesus uttered from the cross. It also predicts the afflictions he endured there (Matthew 27:27–56; Luke 22:63–65; 23:18–49). Isaiah 53 also prophesies the sufferings that Jesus suffered on the cross.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.