Psalms 22:13 — Word Study
WLCפָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃
BSAto turnçâbab bullockpar manyrab mightyʼabbîyr BashanBâshân to surroundkâthar
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| פָּצ֣וּ | they have opened | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| עָלַ֣י | on me | Preposition, suffix |
| פִּיהֶ֑ם | mouth their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה | a lion | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| טֹרֵ֥ף | tearing | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃ | and roaring | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul. |
| KJV | They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. |
| ASV | They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a roaring lion. |
| YLT | They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring. |
| WEB | They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring. |
| BBE | I saw their mouths wide open, like lions crying after food. |
Where they part company is in style, as all versions convey the same essential meaning.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a simile, emphasizing the nature of the attack.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbסָבַב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 22:13
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament of Distressgenerated
Psalm 22:13 depicts the psalmist's anguish as he is surrounded by powerful enemies. The imagery of lions suggests both physical and psychological threats, reflecting the intensity of his suffering. This verse is part of a larger lament where the psalmist feels abandoned and attacked, as seen in the surrounding verses that describe his dire situation and the hostility he faces.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 22:7 | All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: |
| 2 | Psalm 35:21 | They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!” |
| 3 | Job 16:10 | They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. |
| 4 | Lamentations 2:16 | All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!” |
| 5 | Lamentations 3:46 | All our enemies open their mouths against us. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — פָּצ֣וּ, pa.Tzugenerated
The verb פָּצָה (patsah) means 'to open' and is often used in contexts of speech or utterance. In this verse, it conveys the action of enemies opening their mouths against the psalmist, indicating aggression and hostility.
The parsing as a perfect third person common plural shows that the action is completed and performed by multiple subjects, emphasizing the collective nature of the attack against the psalmist.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb פָּצ֣וּ governs the sentence, with a prepositional phrase עָלַ֣י indicating the direction of the action towards the psalmist. The structure emphasizes the action of the enemies as they collectively confront him.
The noun phrase פִּיהֶ֑ם serves as the object of the verb, while the simile comparing them to lions adds vivid imagery to the aggression being described.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the Hebrew verb פָּצָה with περιεκύκλωσάν, which suggests a more encompassing action than simply 'opening'. This choice may reflect an interpretation of the enemies not just as vocal but as surrounding and attacking.
This rendering indicates a possible broadening of the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the threat posed by the enemies.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 22:13 describes how the psalmist feels attacked by enemies who are compared to roaring lions. This imagery captures the ferocity of their words and actions against him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is expressing how his enemies are aggressively confronting him, as if they are roaring lions ready to attack.
Lions symbolize strength and ferocity, highlighting the intensity of the threat he faces from his adversaries.
This phrase emphasizes the personal nature of the attack, indicating that the psalmist feels targeted and alone in his suffering.
Psalm 22 is a lament that expresses feelings of abandonment and distress, with this verse illustrating the psalmist's sense of being surrounded by powerful foes.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations have I felt surrounded by challenges like the psalmist?
- How can I find strength in my own moments of distress, as the psalmist does?
- What does it mean for me to confront my fears and adversities?
- How can I support others who may feel attacked or overwhelmed?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, have commented on this verse, noting the aggressive nature of the enemies as a reflection of their own desires.
"They opened their mouth upon Me" [Psalms 22:13]. They opened their mouth upon Me, not out of Your Scripture, but of their own lusts.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 22 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 22:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey gaped upon me [with] their mouths,.... Either by way of derision and contempt, Job 16:10; or belching out blasphemy against him, or rather, with the greatest vehemency, crying out "Crucify him,
Read John Gill on Psalms 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. A ravening ... lion - i:e., a tearing lion: one tearing his victim in pieces, and "roaring" (note, Psalms 22:1) in exultation over his prey (Amos 3:4).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 22 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BiblePartly to affright me, and principally to tear and devour me, as the following metaphor explains it. Otherwise it might be understood of their crying out with loud and earnest voices, that he might be condemned and put to death.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 22:13 They gaped upon me [with] their mouths, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.Ver. 13. They gaped upon me with their mouths] As if they would have swallowed me up at a bit, like so many lycanthropi, or savage cannibals. As a ravening and a roaring lion] Rapiens et rugiens leo, licet non sit mos boum rapere, Bulls do not use to raven though they roar (Kimchi); but the malignities of all fierce and fell creatures are to be found in cruel persecutors. Would any man take the Church’ s picture? saith Luther; then let him paint a silly poor maid sitting in a wood or wilderness, compassed about with hungry lions, wolves, bulls, boars, and bears, and with all manner of cruel and harmful…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) Ravening.—Literally, tearing in pieces. (Comp. Lamentations 2:15-16; Lamentations 3:10.) Roaring.—Comp. Amos 3:4.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 22 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. They gaped upon me] They were fiercely and madly beat on my destruction.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. They gaped &c.] R.V., they gape upon me with their mouths (Lamentations 2:16; Lamentations 3:46); like a lion roaring as it prepares to spring upon its prey (Psalms 7:2).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 22 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey gaped upon me with their mouths - Margin, as in Hebrew, “opened their mouths against me.” That is, they opened their mouths wide as if they would devour me, as a lion does when he seizes upon his prey.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 22 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
They open their mouths to devour me like a roaring lion that rips its prey.
Tyndale line
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a roaring lion.
They gape upon me with their mouth, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
They gape vpon me with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring lyon.
Strictly literal
They gape upon me with their mouth, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.
They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring.
They have opened their mouth against Me, || A lion tearing and roaring.
(22:14) They have opened wide against me their mouth, [as] a ravenous and roaring lion.
They open their mouths wide against me like a roaring lion ripping its victim.
Simplified
Like roaring lions tearing at their prey they open their mouths wide against me.
I saw their mouths wide open, like lions crying after food.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of this verse, with all six words matched. The Septuagint's translation reflects the meaning of the Hebrew text, though its word order differs.
פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 22:13
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
פָּצָה (patsah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to open or part, particularly in reference to the mouth. It encompasses actions like snatching away or setting free. The entries highlight its use in contexts of utterance and deliverance, but do not provide specific verse references.
[פָּצָה] vb. part, open;—Qal
open mouth
snatch away, set free
base
H6475 פָּצָה part, open . open mouth
. snatch away, set free
6475 patsah paw-tsaw'
a primitive root; to rend, i.e. open (especially the
mouth):--deliver, gape, open, rid, utter.
פָּצָה (pa.tsah) — to open.
1) to part, open, separate, set free
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to open (mouth), utter
1a2) to snatch away, set free
HVqp3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word פֶּה (*peh*) means 'mouth' and encompasses various meanings, including the mouth of a person or animal, as well as openings or orifices. It can also refer to speech, edges, and portions. Additionally, it denotes a weight equal to one third of a shekel, found in 1 Samuel 13:21.
פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth
mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
external organ
much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
as laughing; panting
of God
of idols
of musical instr. = sound
of animals; hence of edge of sword
mouth = opening, orifice
extremity, end
= portion
with preps.
base
H6310 פֶּה mouth . . mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
. external organ
. . much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
. as laughing; panting
. of God
. of idols
. of musical instr. = sound
. of animals
. mouth = opening, orifice
. . extremity, end
. = portion
. with preps.
6310 peh peh
from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether
literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically
edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition)
according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment,
assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, +
file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should)
say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk,
tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.
see HEBREW for 06284
פֶּה (peh) — lip.
: lip/mouth
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: edge.
: edge
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: word.
: word/command
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
HNcmsc/Sp3mp — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp
אֲרִי (ariy) and אַרְיֵה (aryeh) both mean 'lion' in Hebrew, referring to the animal itself or images of it. The word is derived from a root associated with violence. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
אֲרִי n.m. lion
base
אַרְיֵה n.m. lion
base
H738a אֲרִי lion H738b אַרְיֵה lion
738 'ariy ar-ee'
or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}; from 717 (in the sense of
violence); a lion:--(young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).
see HEBREW for 0717
אֲרִי (a.ri) — lion.
1) lion
1a) pictures or images of lions
אַרְיֵה (ar.yeh) — lion.
1) lion
1a) pictures or images of lions
Aramaic equivalent: ar.yeh (אַרְיֵה "lion" H0744)
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
li'-un:
(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.
1. Names:
Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).
"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…
The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…
טָרַף (taraph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tear, rend, or pluck. It can describe the action of tearing in various forms, such as being torn in pieces or providing food. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical tearing to metaphorical feeding, with specific examples in contexts like animals being torn apart.
טָרַף vb. tear, rend, pluck
Qal tear, rend
Niph. of animal torn
Pu. Joseph has certainly been torn in pieces
Hiph. let me devour my appointed bread
base
H2963 טָרַף tear, rend, pluck
2963 taraph taw-raf'
a primitive root; to pluck off or pull to pieces; causatively
to supply with food (as in morsels):--catch, X without doubt,
feed, ravin, rend in pieces, X surely, tear (in pieces).
טָרַף (ta.raph) — to tear.
1) to tear, rend, pluck
1a) (Qal) to tear, rend
1b) (Niphal) to be torn in pieces
1c) (Poal) to be torn in pieces
1d) (Hiphil) to provide food
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
The Hebrew word שָׁאַג (sha'ag) means 'to roar' and is derived from a primitive root. It covers the action of roaring, particularly in contexts involving a lion, a conqueror, or a cry of distress. The entries consistently emphasize the powerful nature of the sound, but do not provide specific verse references.
H7580 שָׁאַג roar
7580 sha'ag shaw-ag'
a primitive root; to rumble or moan:--X mightily, roar.
שָׁאַג (sha.ag) — to roar.
1) (Qal) to roar
1a) of lion, conqueror, Jehovah, cry of distress
HC/Vqrmsa — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vqrmsa