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psalms 22:1

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Psalms 22:1

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring?

Psalms 22:1 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Psalms 22:1

Theological / Devotional

My God. Heb. ’Eli. On the force of the word used here for “God” see Vol. I, p. 171. “My” seems to add a touch of loving faith to the apparent despair of the rest of the verse. Faith struggles with fear.

Why? The cry of a despairing child who cannot understand why his father has left him.

Forsaken me. Heb. ‘azabtani. The form sabachthani is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic, in which Jesus uttered His cry (see Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).

From helping me. Literally, “from my salvation.”

Roaring. Heb. she’agah, used to describe the roar of a lion (Job 4:10; Isa. 5:29; Eze. 19:7; Zech. 11:3). As used of a human being, an intense cry (see Ps. 32:3).

By SdaBc