Psalm 22 of the Book of Psalms (the hind of the dawn) or My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? is a psalm in the Bible.
The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament of the Bible. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 21. In Latin, it is known as Deus, Deus meus.Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 21 (22) medievalist.net
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran liturgies in addition to Protestant psalmody.
History and context In the most general sense, Psalm 22 is about a person who is crying out to God to save him from the taunts and torments of his enemies, and (in the last ten verses) thanking God for rescuing him.
Jewish interpretations of Psalm 22 identify the individual in the psalm with a royal figure, usually King David or Queen Esther.Talmud Bavli, Tractate Megillah, Schottenstein Ed., Mesorah Publications, New York, 1991; page 15b2, footnote 16 explains that Psalm 22 contains prophetic references to Esther.
The psalm is also interpreted as referring to the plight of the Jewish people and their distress and alienation in exile.Writing and Reading the Scroll of Isaiah: Studies of an Interpretative Tradition, p. 412-413 For instance, the phrase "But I am a worm" (Hebrew: ואנכי תולעת) refers to Israel, similarly to Isaiah 41: "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I help thee, saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."
Tractate Megillah of the Babylonian Talmud contains an extended collection of midrash expanding on the Book of Esther. Commenting on Esther 5:1, Rabbi Levi is quoted saying that, as Esther passed through the hall of idols on the way to the throne room to plead with the king, she felt the Shekhinah (divine presence) leaving her, at which point she quoted Psalm 22:1 saying "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me."Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Megillah, page 15b (Vilna edition).
Heading To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Deer of the Dawn". A Psalm of David.: New King James Version Ayelet Hashachar (Hebrew: "hind of the dawn") is found in the title of the psalm. It is probably the name of some song or tune to the measure of which the psalm was to be chanted.See for example Some, however, understand by the name some instrument of music, or an allegorical allusion to the subject of the psalms. In the recent literature, however, it is argued that "Hind of Dawn" is a cultic role of the priest designated person acting as מְנַצֵּחַ (menatseach), as head of the ritual.
Where English translations have "psalm", the underlying Hebrew word is מִזְמוֹר (mizmor), a song with instrumental accompaniment. This is part of the series of "Davidic Psalms" (mizmor le-david). Traditionally, their authorship was attributed to King David; however, in scholarly exegesis this attribution has been variously qualified or challenged since the late 19th century. The Hebrew particle le can mean "for", "about", or "by", so that it remains open to interpretation whether these psalms originate with David, or whether the heading refers, rather, to the chief character of the poetry, as being concerned with Davidic kingship in the narrow sense, or even divine kingship more generally.Hans-Joachim Kraus (1993). Psalmen 1–59: A Continental Commentary. Translated from the German by Hilton C. Oswald. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. p. 22–23.
The heading further assigns the psalm as "for the conductor" (לַֽמְנַצֵּחַ). This is apparently a reference to the use of psalms in the (temple) liturgy. The exact meaning is unclear.John F. A. Sawyer. The Terminology of the Psalm Headings. In: Ders.: Sacred Texts and Sacred Meanings. Studies in Biblical Language and Literature. Sheffield, 2011.
Parallels and allusions Old Testament In verse 12, the "strong bulls of Bashan" represent "frightening power"; in Amos 4:1 the "cows of Bashan" represent luxury.Jerusalem Bible (1966), Footnote a at Amos 4:1
New Testament The New Testament makes numerous allusions to Psalm 22, mainly during the crucifixion of Jesus.
Verse 1, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", is quoted in Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46 Codex Vaticanus transliterates this differently from the canonical Greek text. Codex Vaticanus Matthew 27.46 has: Eloey, Eloey, lema sabaktanei which is similar to the old Syriac Psalm 22 Alóhi Alóhi lmóno shbáqthoni. Codex Vaticanus Mark 15.34 has: Eloi, Eloi, lama zabafthanei which matches the Hebrew Psalm 22 (אלי אלי למה עזבתני) Elí, Elí, láma azavtháni.
Verse 7, "They hurl insults, shaking their heads", is quoted in Mark 15:29; Matthew 27:39.
Verse 8, "He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him", is quoted in Matthew 27:43.
Verse 18, "They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment", is quoted in Mark 15:24; Matthew 27:35; Luke 23:34; John 19:24.
Verse 22, "I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you", is quoted Hebrews 2:12.
Text The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text come from different textual traditions.A 1917 translation directly from Hebrew to English by the Jewish Publication Society can be found here or here, and an 1844 translation directly from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton can be found here. Both translations are in the public domain. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 21. #HebrewEnglishGreek (To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.) 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 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 : 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 , 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 that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the : and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is the '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 for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Uses
Judaism Psalm 22 is traditionally recited on the Fast of Esther, on the day before Purim.The Artscroll Tehillim, p. 329
This psalm is recited during synagogue services on Purim by various groups. Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews say Psalm 22 at the beginning of the evening service on Purim night. Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, as well as Ashkenazi Jews who follow the nusach of the Vilna Gaon, recite Psalm 22 as the Song of the Day in the Purim morning service.
Verse 4 is part of the opening paragraph of Uva letzion.
Verse 12 is recited during Selichot.
Verse 26 is found in the repetition of the Amidah in the Rosh Hashanah morning service.
Verse 29 is a part of the Song of the Sea, which is recited during Pesukei dezimra in the morning prayer. This verse is also said during Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah.
Christianity According to the Gospel of Matthew and Gospel of Mark, Jesus cried out the opening verse of Psalm 22 from the cross (; ). Although Jesus said its first verse alone in his duress, it is well established that the first word or words of a Jewish text are understood as indicating its entirety,See for examples: Albright, W. F. "A Catalogue of Early Hebrew Lyric Poems (Psalm LXVIII)," HUCA 23 (1950-51) 1-39; Menn 2000, p. 331. so thereby he regards the whole psalm as foreshadowing his passion and resurrection.Tkacz, Catherine Brown, "Esther, Jesus, and Psalm 22", The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Vol. 70, No. 4 (October 2008), pp. 709–728
ChristiansSee for examples: Menn 2000, pp. 301–341; and Brown, Raymond E. (1994) Death of the Messiah: From Gethsemane to the Grave; A Commentary on the Passion Narratives in the Four Gospels (2 vols.; Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday) 2. 1455–1465. contend that "They have pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalm 22:16), and "I can count all my bones" (Psalm 22:17) are prophecies indicating the manner of Jesus's crucifixion: that he would be nailed to a cross (John 20:25) and, per the Levitical requirement for a sacrifice, that none of his bones would be broken (Numbers 9:11–13), since Christians view Jesus as an atoning sacrifice.
Some Christian commentators, such as E. W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes, and H. A. Ironside, point out that the word translated 'worm' in "I am a worm and not a man" (Psalm 22:6) is tola, a Middle Eastern worm that lives in a tree and is crushed for its red dye, also translated 'crimson'. It is also the word used in (Isaiah 41:14) in the servant songs of Isaiah.