Psalm 22 (Hebrew numbering) corresponds to Psalm 21 in the Latin Vulgate.
It is one of the most profound and prophetic psalms — a lament that begins in despair but ends in triumph.
Traditionally understood as foreshadowing the Passion of Christ, it expresses the cry of the forsaken yet faithful soul.
(= Psalm 22 in Hebrew numbering)
Deus, Deus meus, respice in me
1. Deus, Deus meus, respice in me: quare me dereliquisti?
My God, my God, look upon me: why have you forsaken me?
Word Notes
- Deus, -ī (m.) – God
- respiciō, -ere, -xī, -ctum – to look upon, regard
- quārē – why, for what reason
- dērelinquō, -ere, -līquī, -lictum – to forsake, abandon
2. Longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum.
Far from my salvation are the words of my offences.
Word Notes
- longē – far away
- salūs, -ūtis (f.) – salvation, deliverance
- verbum, -ī (n.) – word, saying
- dēlictum, -ī (n.) – fault, sin, transgression
3. Deus meus, clamabo per diem, et non exaudies: et nocte, et non ad insipientiam mihi.
My God, I shall cry by day, and you will not hear; and by night, and it shall not be foolishness to me.
Word Notes
- clāmō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to cry aloud
- per diem / per noctem – by day / by night
- exaudiō, -īre, -īvī, -ītum – to hear favourably
- insipientia, -ae (f.) – folly, foolishness
4. Tu autem in sancto habitas, laus Israël.
But you dwell in the holy place, the praise of Israel.
Word Notes
- habitō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to dwell, live
- sānctus, -a, -um – holy
- laus, laudis (f.) – praise
- Israël (indecl.) – Israel
5. In te speraverunt patres nostri: speraverunt, et liberasti eos.
In you our fathers hoped: they hoped, and you delivered them.
Word Notes
- spērō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to hope, trust
- pater, patris (m.) – father, ancestor
- līberō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to free, deliver
6. Ad te clamaverunt, et salvi facti sunt: in te speraverunt, et non sunt confusi.
They cried to you and were saved: they trusted in you and were not confounded.
Word Notes
- clāmō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to cry aloud
- salvus, -a, -um – safe, saved
- cōnfundō, -ere, -fūdī, -fūsum – to confound, shame
7. Ego autem sum vermis, et non homo: opprobrium hominum, et abjectio plebis.
But I am a worm and not a man: the reproach of men and the outcast of the people.
Word Notes
- vermis, -is (m.) – worm
- homo, -inis (m.) – man, human being
- opprobrium, -ī (n.) – reproach, disgrace
- abiectiō, -ōnis (f.) – rejection, scorn
- plebs, plebis (f.) – people, crowd
8. Omnes videntes me deriserunt me: locuti sunt labiis, et moverunt caput.
All who saw me mocked me: they spoke with their lips and wagged their heads.
Word Notes
- videō, -ēre, vīdī, vīsum – to see
- derideō, -ēre, -rīsī, -rīsum – to mock, laugh at
- loquor, -ī, locūtus sum – to speak
- labium, -ī (n.) – lip
- moveō, -ēre, mōvī, mōtum – to move, shake
- caput, -itis (n.) – head
9. Speravit in Domino, eripiat eum: salvum faciat eum, quoniam vult eum.
He trusted in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, for he delights in him.
Word Notes
- spērō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to hope
- eripiō, -ere, -uī, -reptum – to snatch away, rescue
- salvus, -a, -um – safe, saved
- volō, velle, voluī – to will, desire
10. Quoniam tu es qui extraxisti me de ventre: spes mea ab uberibus matris meæ.
For you are he who drew me out of the womb: my hope from my mother’s breasts.
Word Notes
- extrahō, -ere, -xī, -ctum – to draw out, deliver
- venter, ventris (m.) – womb
- spes, speī (f.) – hope
- uber, -eris (n.) – breast, teat
- māter, mātris (f.) – mother
11. In te projectus sum ex utero: de ventre matris meæ Deus meus es tu.
Upon you I was cast from the womb: from my mother’s belly you are my God.
Word Notes
- prōiciō, -ere, -iēcī, -iectum – to cast forward, throw upon
- ūterus, -ī (m.) – womb, belly
- Deus meus es tu – “you are my God”
12. Ne discesseris a me: quoniam tribulatio proxima est, quoniam non est qui adiuvet.
Be not far from me: for tribulation is near, for there is none to help.
Word Notes
- discēdō, -ere, -cessī, -cessum – to go away, depart
- tribulātiō, -ōnis (f.) – distress, affliction
- adiuvō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum – to help, aid
13. Circumdederunt me vituli multi: tauri pingues obsederunt me.
Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me.
Word Notes
- circumdō, -dare, -dedī, -datus – to surround
- vitulus, -ī (m.) – calf, young bull
- taurus, -ī (m.) – bull
- pinguis, -e – fat, rich
- obsideō, -ēre, -sēdī, -sessum – to besiege
14. Aperuerunt super me os suum, sicut leo rapiens et rugiens.
They opened their mouth against me, like a lion seizing and roaring.
Word Notes
- aperiō, -īre, -uī, -tum – to open
- ōs, oris (n.) – mouth
- sicut – like, as
- leō, leōnis (m.) – lion
- rapiō, -ere, -uī, -ptum – to seize, snatch
- rugiō, -ere, rugīvī – to roar
15. Sicut aqua effusus sum: et dispersa sunt omnia ossa mea.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are scattered.
Word Notes
- aqua, -ae (f.) – water
- effundō, -ere, -fūdī, -fūsum – to pour out
- dispergō, -ere, -sī, -sum – to scatter
- os, ossis (n.) – bone
16. Factum est cor meum tamquam cera liquescens in medio ventris mei.
My heart has become like wax, melting within my breast.
Word Notes
- cor, cordis (n.) – heart
- cēra, -ae (f.) – wax
- liquescō, -ere, -uī – to melt, dissolve
- venter, ventris (m.) – belly, inward parts
(The psalm continues for 32 verses; it describes the piercing of hands and feet, the casting of lots for garments, and ends in a vision of praise among all nations.)
