Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 22:19
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
19. The prayer for help is repeated after this description of the urgency of his need. But thou, O lord (in emphatic contrast to they in Psa 22:17), keep not thou far off. The sufferer looks away from his numerous tormentors and fixes his gaze upon Jehovah.
O my strength ] R.V., O thou my succour.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But be not thou far from me, O Lord – O Yahweh. Others – all others – have forsaken me, and left me to perish. Now, in the day of my desertion and my peril, be thou near to me. See Psa 22:11. This is the burden of the prayer in the whole psalm, that God would not leave him, but sustain and deliver him. Compare Psa 22:1.
O my strength – Source of my strength; thou on whom I rely for support and deliverance.
Haste thee to help me – Help me speedily. Come to support me; come to deliver me from these dreadful sorrows. This is not necessarily a prayer to be rescued from death, but it would be applicable to deliverance from those deep mental sorrows that had come upon him – from this abandonment to unutterable woes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Be not thou far from me] In the first verse he asks, Why hast thou forsaken me? Or, as if astonished at their wickedness, Into what hands hast thou permitted me to fall? Now he prays, Be not far from me. St. Jerome observes here, that it is the humanity of our blessed Lord which speaks to his divinity. Jesus was perfect man; and as man he suffered and died. But this perfect and sinless man could not have sustained those sufferings so as to make them expiatory had he not been supported by the Divine nature. All the expressions in this Psalm that indicate any weakness, as far as it relates to Christ, (and indeed it relates principally to him,) are to be understood of the human nature; for, that in him God and man were united, but not confounded, the whole New Testament to me bears evidence, the manhood being a perfect man, the Godhead dwelling bodily in that manhood. Jesus, as MAN, was conceived, born, grew up, increased in wisdom, stature, and favour with God and man; hungered, thirsted, suffered, and died. Jesus, as GOD, knew all things, was from the beginning with God, healed the diseased, cleansed the lepers, and raised the dead; calmed the raging of the sea, and laid the tempest by a word; quickened the human nature, raised it from the dead, took it up into heaven, where as the Lamb newly slain, it ever appears in the presence of God for us. These are all Scripture facts. The man Christ Jesus could not work those miracles; the God in that man could not have suffered those sufferings. Yet one person appears to do and suffer all; here then is GOD manifested in the FLESH.
O my strength] The divinity being the power by which the humanity was sustained in this dreadful conflict.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
19, 20. He now turns withunabated desire and trust to God, who, in His strength andfaithfulness, is contrasted with the urgent dangers described.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But be not thou far from me, O Lord,….
[See comments on Ps 22:11];
O my strength; Christ as God is the mighty God, the Almighty; as Mediator, he is the strength of his people; but, as man, God is his strength; he is the man of his right hand, whom he has made strong for himself, and whom he has promised his arm shall strengthen,
Ps 80:17; and therefore he addresses him in this manner here, saying,
haste thee to help me; his help was alone in God his strength; there were none that could help him but he, and he seemed to stand afar off from helping him, Ps 22:1; and his case being so distressed, as is represented in the preceding verses, it required haste.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb.: 22:20-22) In Psa 22:19 the description of affliction has reached its climax, for the parting of, and casting lots for, the garments assumes the certain death of the sufferer in the mind of the enemies. In Psa 22:20, with the looks of the sufferer, in the face of his manifold torments, concentrate themselves all at once upon Jahve. He calls Him nom. abstr. from , Psa 88:5: the very essence of strength, as it were the idea, or the ideal of strength; leezrathi has the accent on the penult., as in Psa 71:12 (cf. on the other hand Ps 38:23), in order that two tone syllables may not come together. In Psa 22:21, means the deadly weapon of the enemy and is used exemplificatively. In the expression , is not merely equivalent to , but is, according to the sense, equivalent to “paw” (cf. , Lev 11:27), as is equivalent to jaws; although elsewhere not only the expression “hand of the lion and of the bear,” 1Sa 17:37, but also “hands of the sword,” Psa 63:11, and even “hand of the flame,” Isa 47:14 are used, inasmuch as is the general designation of that which acts, seizes, and subjugates, as the instrument of the act. Just as in connection with the dog , and in connection with the lion (cf. however, Dan 6:28) is mentioned as its weapon of attack, the horns, not the horn (also not in Deu 33:17), are mentioned in connection with antilopes, (a shorter form, occurring only in this passage, for , Psa 29:6; Psa 34:7). Nevertheless, Luther following the lxx and Vulgate, renders it “rescue me from the unicorns” (vid., thereon on Psa 29:6). , as the parallel member here and in Psa 35:17 shows, is an epithet of . The lxx in both instances renders it correctly , Vulg. unicam meam , according to Gen 22:2; Jdg 11:34, the one soul besides which man has no second, the one life besides which man has no second to lose, applied subjectively, that is, soul or life as the dearest and most precious thing, cf. Homer’s fi’lon kee’r . It is also interpreted according to Psa 25:16; Psa 68:7: my solitary one, solitarium , the soul as forsaken by God and man, or at least by man, and abandoned to its own self (Hupfeld, Kamphausen, and others). But the parallel , and the analogy of (= ) , stamp it as an universal name for the soul: the single one, i.e., that which does not exist in duplicate, and consequently that which cannot be replaced, when lost. The praet. might be equivalent to , provided it is a perf. consec. deprived of its Waw convers. in favour of the placing of first for the sake of emphasis; but considering the turn which the Psalm takes in Psa 22:23, it must be regarded as perf. confidentiae, inasmuch as in the very midst of his supplication there springs up in the mind of the suppliant the assurance of being heard and answered. To answer from the horns of the antilope is equivalent to hearing and rescuing from them; cf. the equally pregnant expression Psa 118:5, perhaps also Heb 5:7.
(Note: Thrupp in his Emendations on the Psalms (Journal of Classic and Sacred Philology, 1860) suggests , my poverty (my poor soul), instead of .)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
19. Be not thou, then, far from me, O Jehovah! We must keep in mind all that David has hitherto related concerning himself. As his miseries had reached the utmost height, and as he saw not even a single ray of hope to encourage him to expect deliverance, it is a wonderful instance of the power of faith, that he not only endured his afflictions patiently, but that from the abyss of despair he arose to call upon God. Let us, therefore, particularly mark, that David did not pour out his lamentations thinking them to be in vain, and of no effect, as persons who are in perplexity often pour forth their groanings at random. The prayers which he adds sufficiently show that he hoped for such an issue as he desired. When he calls God his strength, by this epithet he gives a more evident proof of his faith. He does not pray in a doubting manner; but he promises himself the assistance which the eye of sense did not as yet perceive. By the sword, by the hand of the dog, by the mouth of the lion, and by the horns of the unicorns, he intimates that he was presently exposed to the danger of death, and that in many ways. Whence we gather, that although he utterly fainted in himself when thus surrounded by death, he yet continued strong in the Lord, and that the spirit of life had always been vigorous in his heart. Some take the words only soul, or only life, for dear and precious; (517) but this view does not appear to me to be appropriate. He rather means, that, amidst so many deaths he found no help or succor in the whole world; as in Psa 35:17 the words, only soul, (518) are used in the same sense for a person who is alone and destitute of all aid and succor. This will appear more clearly from Psa 25:16, where David, by calling himself poor and alone, doubtless complains that he was completely deprived of friends, and forsaken of the whole world. When it is said in the end of the 21 verse, Answer me, or, Hear me from the horns of the unicorns, this Hebrew manner of speaking may seem strange and obscure to our ears, but the sense is not at all ambiguous. The cause is only put instead of the effect; for our deliverance is the consequence or effect of God’s hearing us. If it is asked how this can be applied to Christ, whom the Father did not deliver from death? I answer, in one word, that he was more mightily delivered than if God had prevented him from falling a victim to death, even as it is a much greater deliverance to rise again from the dead than to be healed of a grievous malady. Death, therefore, did not prevent Christ’s resurrection from at length bearing witness that he had been heard.
(517) That is, my life, which is dear and precious to me.
(518) “ La vie esseulee.” — Fr. “Life deserted or left alone.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) Darling.See margin. The Hebrew word is used of an only child, Gen. 22:2; Gen. 22:12, Jdg. 11:34; of a person left desolate, Psa. 25:16; Psa. 68:6; here as a synonym for soul or life. We may compare the common Homeric expression, .
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. But be not thou far from me From his persecutors the afflicted petitioner turns his eye to his Deliverer. The appeal is exceedingly plaintive, as in Psa 22:11, and is the echo of Psa 22:1.
O my strength He appropriates to God the title which best befits his helplessness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But do not be far off, Oh YHWH. Oh You Who are my succour, hurry to my aid.’
As the long hours passed, and the battles with evil and sin continued, He cried that God might not be far off but might hurry to help Him. The hours of darkness seemed so long, the battle with the forces of evil so powerful, and He felt in desperate need of succour. He knew that He must see it through to the end, but now He was thinking beyond the end, when He could say ‘it is finished’, and relief would come.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Ver. 19. But be not thou far from me, O Lord ] Here he resumeth and reinforceth his former prayer, after a most pathetic description of his so doleful condition. Faith wadeth out of trouble (as the moon doth out of a cloud) by hearty and affectionate prayer.
O my strength
Haste thee to help me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 22:19-21
19But You, O Lord, be not far off;
O You my help, hasten to my assistance.
20Deliver my soul from the sword,
My only life from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
Psa 22:19-21 Psa 22:19 links to Psa 22:11. The jussive (see note below) is followed by three imperatives of request.
1. hasten to my assistance BDB 301, KB 300, Qal imperative, cf. Psa 38:22; Psa 40:13; Psa 70:1; Psa 70:5; Psa 71:12; Psa 141:1
2. deliver my soul BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil imperative
3. save me BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil imperative
This strophe closes You answered me with a Qal perfect verb (BDB 772, KB 851) which implies that the psalmist has come to the conviction that YHWH is/will answer him (cf. Psa 34:4; Psa 118:5; Psa 120:1).
Notice again how the psalmist characterizes his enemies.
1. the sword (i.e., pierced of possibly the bite of dogs, cf. Psa 22:16)
2. paw of the dog (cf. Psa 22:16)
3. the lion’s mouth (cf. Psa 22:13; Psa 35:17)
4. the horns of the wild oxen (symbol of power, cf. Job 39:9-10)
Psa 22:19 be not far off See note at Psa 22:11.
Psa 22:20 from the sword It is difficult to know exactly what problems/distresses/enemies the psalmist is facing.
1. sickness
2. rebellion
3. invasion
Because of the many links to Jesus’ life, I think sword is figurative language (cf. Psa 37:12-15).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
LORD *. One of the 134 emendations of the Sopherim (App-32) by which “Jehovah” of the primitive text was changed to “Adonai”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 22:19-21
Psa 22:19-21
“But be not thou far off, O Jehovah:
O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword,
My darling from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth;
Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.”
These lines conclude the first division of this psalm. Appropriately enough, they are concluded with an assurance of God’s answer the Sufferer’s petitions.
“My darling from the power of the dog” (Psa 22:20). The word “darling” fails to reveal what was really meant; and, therefore, it seems better to render it “dear life” as allowed in the American Standard Version marginal reference. That rendition would stress the undeniable truth that Jesus did indeed value his precious life.
“From the horns of the wild-oxen” (Psa 22:21). We are not able to understand what is meant by God’s answering the Sufferer from the “horns of the wild-oxen,” unless this may be referred to the fact that God did not answer our Lord until the very last instant of his earthly life.
“Yea … thou has answered me” (Psa 22:21). As Kidner noted, “Only our version (American Standard Version) captures the sudden and dramatic change, kept back in the Hebrew text until the very last word, rendered here as `thou-hast-answered-me.’
This statement that Jehovah indeed answered the praying Sufferer was reserved until the very last word of the first section of the psalm; and, from this, we may conclude that God’s forsaking Jesus on the cross ended at some point shortly before our Lord expired. The last section of the psalm stresses the wonderful things achieved by the death of the Sufferer. Verse 24, below, makes it clear enough that God did indeed heed the earnest cries of the Suffering Redeemer. The delay in God’s doing so was perhaps due to the necessity that the Atoning Redeemer should indeed “taste of death for every man” in its ultimate sense of “sensing for awhile” the horrible agony of separation from God.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 22:19. This and the rest of the verses is a combining of descriptions of David’s experiences with thoughts pertaining to Christ. David still felt the need of the Lord in overcoming his personal enemies.
Psa 22:20. My darling is in the 3rd person. Inspired writers often used that person in referring to themselves (Num 12:3; Jos 1:1, etc.). The word is from an original that means someone who is precious and valued very highly. David wished to be delivered from the power of wicked men. He also predicted a like desire on the part of Jesus.
Psa 22:21. Heard me from the horns, etc. This means when David prayed to be delivered from the horns of the unicorn (a species of wild ox that was strong and vicious) the Lord heard his prayer.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
But: Psa 22:11, Psa 10:1
O my: Psa 18:1, Psa 21:1, Psa 40:13, Psa 40:17, Psa 69:13-18
Reciprocal: Psa 35:22 – be Psa 38:21 – O my God Psa 69:18 – Draw Psa 71:12 – O God Psa 102:2 – in the day
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE GREATEST OF THE PASSION PSALMS
O my Strength, haste Thee to help me!
Psa 22:19
I. There are feelings and instincts in human nature the very antiquity of which is a proof of their universal reality.Foremost among such instincts is the aching sense of severance between man and the Infinite Being outside and above himself. Long before the Hebrew Psalmist, Indians and Egyptians, and savage races beyond the pale of even primitive civilisation, had been, with varying accents, uttering the same lament; and Greek tragedians, and Roman Stoics, and medival monks and mystics, and all the voices of modern poets and philosophers, have been echoing incessantly, with however strange a dissonance, the eternal cry of humanity, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
II. It is upon this universal sense of severance that the spiritual life of Christianity depends.You may never have dreamed of saying to yourself, My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God; but you are athirst for finite objects, with a thirst which upon analysis will turn out to be infinite, both in quality and kind, and which therefore nothing short of an infinite object can ever satisfy. (1) Take, for instance, your desire for communion with the natural world. You desire infinite possession of, and infinite communion with, the grandeur, and the beauty, and the wonder of the world; and failing, you feel bitterly that it is your prison, and not your home. (2) It is the same with your human relations. Man will not be satisfied with family, or friendship, or acquaintance. Fresh vistas of humanity are ever opening before him, and each new friend becomes a new point of departure for the extension of his influence to a wider circle still. His motive may vary, but the instinct remains the same, and is simply the instinct to wider, deeper, more intense communion with his fellow-men. And yet, as before, its very unrest is but the measure of its failure. We are more severed from humanity than ever we were from external nature, and if the world is our prison, our fellow-men are our gaolers. (3) And so in our loneliness we look within and try to find refuge in an ideal world, but only to find schism and severance in the recesses of our inmost being. We are farther off from our ideals than even from nature and mankind.
III. All this is a fact, and a fact as universal as human experience; and Christianity, beyond other creeds, has faced and interpreted the fact.Nature, and society, and the thoughts of our hearts were created by a Person, and created for Himself; and our feelings of separation from the world and its inhabitants, and even from the inner vision of our own ideal self, are but symptoms of alienation from the Person in Whom they exist.
IV. Because God is a Person, He cannot be contented with the abstract allegiance of one part of our nature.He claims our being in its wholeness, and says, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. This command is, on the face of it, a paradox. But obey, give God your love, and the paradox will pass into a truism, for you will find that you possess Him in whom all things lovely have their being.
Rev. J. R. Illingworth.
Illustrations
(1) We may well say with the Ethiopian statesman, Of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself or of some other? Whatever may have been its immediate occasion in Davids life, it is clear that he was borne along by prophetic impulse, and said things which he must have questioned after he had written them, searching what the Spirit of Christ that was in him did signify, when it testified of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.
(2) Coleridge once said, I am much delighted and instructed by the hypothesis that our Lord in repeating Eli, Eli, etc., really recited the whole or a large part of the twenty-second psalm. It is impossible to read that psalm without the liveliest feelings of love, gratitude, and sympathy.
(3) We often ask why? The answer is not always vouchsafed. But never let us cease to believe in the holiness of God. Roll thyself on God. Tell God the full measure of thy complaint. He knows all, but He likes thee to tell Him all; and when He has answered thee from the horns of the wild oxen (21 R.V.) then call upon brethren and congregation to join in thy glad praise. It is helpful to read these closing words into the lips of Christ, as He speaks them from the throne of His glory and triumph, and assures us that God does hear, that the meek shall be satisfied, that those who seek God shall praise Him.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
3. Prayer for freedom from death 22:19-21
The psalmist pleaded with God to rescue his life from the fatal attacks of his foes, to whom he referred again as wild animals. He cried to God to be near him and to act swiftly to save him.
A marked change in David’s attitude took place in the middle of Psa 22:21. Evidently he received assurance of the Lord’s help because the last part of this verse expresses confidence in His deliverance. This confidence may have come to the prophet by direct revelation. The rest of the psalm continues this theme of confident assurance of salvation.