Psalms 22:19 — Word Study
WLCוְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־ תִּרְחָ֑ק אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃
BSAto dividechâlaq treacherybeged uponʻal clothinglᵉbûwsh to fallnâphal allottedgôwrâl
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | and you | Conjunction, pronoun |
| יְ֭הוָה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| אַל־ | may not | Particle |
| תִּרְחָ֑ק | you be distant | Verb, Qal, jussive second person masculine singular |
| אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י | O strength my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי | to help my | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| חֽוּשָׁה׃ | make haste ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. |
| KJV | But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. |
| ASV | But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me. |
| YLT | And Thou, O Jehovah, be not far off, O my strength, to help me haste. |
| WEB | But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help. Hurry to help me! |
| BBE | Do not be far from me, O Lord: O my strength, come quickly to my help. |
Where they part company is חֽוּשָׁה — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of one main clause with two subordinate phrases, highlighting the direct appeal to God and the urgency of the request.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectבֶּגֶד
verbהוּא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 22:19
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 Cry for Helpgenerated
Psalm 22:19 captures a moment of desperation where the psalmist, feeling distant from God, cries out for His immediate help. This plea follows a vivid depiction of suffering and abandonment, emphasizing the need for divine intervention. The urgency in the request reflects the psalmist's deep reliance on God as a source of strength and support during troubling times.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 22:11 | Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. |
| 2 | Psalm 10:1 | Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble? |
| 3 | Psalm 18:1 | I love You, O LORD, my strength. |
| 4 | Psalm 21:1 | O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation! |
| 5 | Psalm 40:13–17 | Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְהוָה, Yahwehgenerated
The name יְהוָה (Yahweh) is the proper name of God in Hebrew, often translated as 'the LORD'. It signifies God's eternal and self-existent nature, foundational to Jewish faith. The psalmist uses this name to invoke God's personal relationship with His people, emphasizing His role as a protector and helper.
This name appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, underscoring the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. In this verse, it highlights the psalmist's appeal for God to be present and active in his time of need.
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 finite verb תִּרְחָ֑ק (tirchak), meaning 'you be distant', governs the main clause, with the subject אַתָּ֣ה (attah) and various phrases hanging off it. The structure emphasizes the direct plea to God, with the imperative חֽוּשָׁה indicating urgency.
The word order in Hebrew places the subject first, which highlights the psalmist's direct address to God. The imperative form of the verb adds a sense of immediacy to the request for help.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְהוָה is rendered as μου (mou), which translates to 'my'. This choice reflects a more personal appeal, emphasizing the intimate relationship between the psalmist and God.
The Greek translation also captures the urgency of the plea with the use of ἔβαλον (ebalon) for 'make haste', aligning closely with the original intent of the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 22:19 is a heartfelt plea from the psalmist to God, asking Him not to be distant and to come quickly to provide help. This verse reflects a deep reliance on God as a source of strength and support during difficult times.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is expressing a deep sense of abandonment and pleading for God's immediate presence and assistance.
This title emphasizes God's role as a source of power and protection, highlighting the psalmist's reliance on Him during times of distress.
The urgency reflects the psalmist's desperate need for help, indicating that the situation is critical and requires immediate divine intervention.
This verse encapsulates the themes of suffering, reliance on God, and the desire for divine rescue that permeate Psalm 22.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel distant from God, and how can I invite Him to draw near?
- How can I recognize God's strength in my own moments of weakness?
- What are some practical ways I can seek God's help in my daily life?
- How does understanding God's nature as my strength change the way I approach challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Augustine of Hippo, refer to this verse to discuss God's immediate assistance and support in times of distress.
"But You, O Lord, withhold not Your help far from Me" [Psalms 22:19]. But You, O Lord, raise Me up again, not as the rest of men, at the end of the world, but immediately.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 22 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 22:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut be not thou far from me, O Lord,.... [See comments on Psalms 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
Read John Gill on Psalms 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Be not thou far from me - resuming the key-note of his prayer in Psalms 22:1-11. O my strength , [ 'ªyaaluwtiy (H360)].
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 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] God is so to a believer, then especially when he feeleth himself weak as water. Haste thee to help me] Who am now in an exigent, and am therefore bold, without limitation, to request thee to haste away to me.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) Darling.—See margin. The Hebrew word is used of an only child, Genesis 22:2; Genesis 22:12, Judges 11:34; of a person left desolate, Psalms 25:16; Psalms 68:6; here as a synonym for “soul” or “life.” We may compare the common Homeric expression, ϕίλονκῆρ.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 22 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 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…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19. 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 Psalms 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.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 22 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut 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 Psalms 22:11.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19. 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 Psalms 22:11, and is the echo of Psa 22:1.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help. Hurry to help me!
But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
But you, O Lord, do not remain far away! You are my source of strength! Hurry and help me!
Tyndale line
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.
But be not thou far off, O LORD: O thou my succour, haste thee to help me.
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
But be thou not farre off, O Lord, my strength: hasten to helpe me.
Strictly literal
But thou, Jehovah, be not far [from me]; O my strength, haste thee to help me.
And Thou, O Jehovah, be not far off, O my strength, to help me haste.
And You, O YHWH, do not be far off, || O My strength, hurry to help Me.
(22:20) But thou, O Lord, be not far from me: O [thou who art] my strength, hasten to my aid.
Do not be far away, Yahweh; please hurry to help me, my strength!
Simplified
But you, Lord, don't be far away from me! You are my strength—hurry, come and help me!
Do not be far from me, O Lord: O my strength, come quickly to my help.
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 largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls display some restoration, indicating that while parts are missing, the overall message remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.
וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־ תִּרְחָ֑ק אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חֽוּשָׁה׃
6 of the 7 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.
[יחלקו] [בגד׳י] ל׳הם ועל לבוש׳י יפילו גורל
2 words on the leather — 3 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
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 22:19
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.
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
HC/Pp2ms — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp2ms
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HNpt — Noun properHNpt
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
HTn — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word רָחַק (rachaq) is a primitive root meaning to be or become far or distant. It encompasses various forms, including intransitive meanings like receding and transitive meanings such as removing or sending away. The entries indicate uses in different stems, including Qal (to be distant), Piel (to send far away), and Hiphil (to cause to be distant).
רָחַק vb. be, or become, far, distant
Qal be far, distant
Pi. send far away
Hiph.
dir. caus. make, or exhibit, distance, be gone for
indir. caus. remove, put far away
base
H7368 רָחַק be, or become, far, distant
7368 rachaq raw-khak'
a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e.
(intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or
figuratively, of place or relation):--(a-, be, cast, drive,
get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw)
far (away, off), loose, X refrain, very, (be) a good way
(off).
רָחַק (ra.chaq) — to remove.
v
1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away
1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant
1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far
1c2) to remove, put far away
2) (Niphal) loose
v inf (as adv)
3) at a distance
HVqj2ms — Verb · Qal · jussive second person masculine singularHVqj2ms
אֱיָלוּת (eyaluwth) is a feminine noun derived from אֱיָל (eyal), meaning strength or power, and implies protection. The entries consistently emphasize its association with strength, with no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
[אֱיָלוּת] n.f. id. [אֱיָל]
base
H360 [אֱיָלוּת] id. [אֱיָל]
360 'eyaluwth eh-yaw-looth'
feminine of 353; power; by implication,
protection:--strength.
see HEBREW for 0353
אֱיָלוּת (e.ya.lut) — strength.
strength, my help
HNcfsc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
עֶזְרָה (ezrah) refers to help, succour, or assistance. It is a feminine noun derived from the root meaning aid. The word appears in contexts related to providing support, including in Psalm 60:11 and Psalm 108:12, where it emphasizes the act of helping or the one who helps.
עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה n.f. help, succour, assistance
base
H5833 עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה help, succour, assistance
5833 `ezrah ez-raw'
or mezrath (Psa. 60:11 (13); 108:12 (13)) {ez-rawth'};
feminine of 5828; aid:--help(-ed, -er).
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 05828
עֶזְרָה (ez.rah) — help.
1) help, succour, assistance
1a) help, succour
1b) one who helps
HR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
חוּשׁ (chush) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to hurry or make haste. It can also imply eagerness or enjoyment. The entries indicate two main uses: one related to hastening actions and the other to feelings of enjoyment. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
חוּשׁ vb. haste, make haste
Qal make haste
Hiph.
shew haste, act quickly
transit. I will hasten it
base
[חוּשׁ] vb. feel, enjoy
base
H2363a חוּשׁ haste, make haste .make haste
. . shew haste, act quickly
. transit. I will hasten it
H2363b חוּשׁ feel, enjoy
2363 chuwsh koosh
a primitive root; to hurry; figuratively, to be eager with
excitement or enjoyment:--(make) haste(-n), ready.
חוּשׁ (chush) — to hasten.
1) to haste, make haste, hurry
1a) (Qal) to make haste
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to show haste, act quickly, hasten, come quickly
חוּשׁ (chush) — to enjoy.
to feel, enjoy
HVqv2ms/Sh — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
hast (chaphaz, chush, mahar; speudo): "Haste" (from a root meaning "to pursue") implies "celerity of motion."
(1) The noun occurs as translation of mahar, "to hasten," etc. (Ex 10:16; 12:33, "in haste"); of chapaz, "to make haste" (2Ki 7:15; Ps 31:22; 116:11, "I said in my haste (the Revised Version margin "alarm"), All men are liars"); of chippazon, a "hasty flight" (Ex 12:11; De 16:3; Isa 52:12); of nachats, "to be urgent" (1Sa 21:8, "The king's business required haste").
→ In judgment, by Moses and the Israelites Nu 32:1-19; Jos 22:10-34
→ See RASHNESS