Psalm 22:21

Translations

Modern

Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!

Traditional

Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Literal

Save me from the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen answer me.

Latin

Salva me ex ore leonis, et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

Original

Hebrew

English

Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!

Notes

Psalms 22:19–21

The psalmist prays to God for help with his troubles. Only the Lord can protect him from dogs, lions, and oxen.

Psalms 22:1–21

The psalmist switches between thinking about his current difficult situation and remembering the Lord's past faithfulness. He ends the psalm with a prayer for rescue.

Psalms 22:1–31

All previous laments seem minor compared to this outcry against the enemy and God's abandonment. The psalm has two main sections:

the lament (Psalm 22:1–21) and
praise for redemption (Psalm 22:22–31).

This naturally leads to Psalm 23.

The apostles saw this psalm as expressing the sufferings of Jesus Christ. He ultimately fulfilled the purpose of David's humiliation, rejection by people, and divine abandonment (Matthew 27:35, 39, 43, 46; Mark 15:34; John 19:23–24, 28; Hebrews 2:12).

Psalms 20:1–24:10

This series of psalms shows a journey from confidence and commitment (Psalms 20–21), through anguish and abandonment (Psalm 22), and finally to comfort, insight, and hope (Psalms 23–24).

Theme notes and profiles

David Psalms of Suffering The Poor and Needy in the Psalms

Related verses

2 Timothy 4:17
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Acts 4:27
In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
John 14:30
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on Me.
Numbers 23:22
God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
Isaiah 34:7
And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.
John 8:59
At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
Deuteronomy 33:17
His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Acts 5:30–32
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
Luke 22:53
Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”
Job 39:9–10
Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?

Psalm 22:21

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Original?

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Translations

Original

Notes

Related verses

Parallels

Glossary

Topics