Psalm 109:22 kjv
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
Psalm 109:22 nkjv
For I am poor and needy, And my heart is wounded within me.
Psalm 109:22 niv
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
Psalm 109:22 esv
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.
Psalm 109:22 nlt
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is full of pain.
Psalm 109 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 34:6 | This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. | God hears the afflicted and saves them. |
| Ps 34:18 | The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. | God is near to the spiritually wounded. |
| Ps 40:17 | But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. | Similar cry for divine remembrance and care. |
| Ps 70:5 | But as for me, I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! | Urgent plea from a state of destitution. |
| Ps 86:1 | Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. | Prayer relying on God's mercy for the helpless. |
| Ps 116:3 | The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. | Experiencing profound distress and anguish. |
| Ps 142:6 | Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. | Helpless cry against overwhelming enemies. |
| Deut 15:7 | If there is among you a poor man of your brothers... you shall not harden your heart... | Law commands care for the poor and needy. |
| Job 24:4 | The poor of the land are made to hide themselves; all the humble of the earth are forced into hiding. | Depiction of social injustice against the poor. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain... | Prophetic image of the Messiah's suffering. |
| Lam 3:19 | I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. | Profound personal lamentation of suffering. |
| Ezra 9:8 | ...to grant us a firm place in His holy sanctuary, so that our God may enlighten our eyes... | The plight of the remnant after affliction. |
| Zec 9:9 | ...your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey... | Messiah comes in humility and lowliness. |
| Mt 5:3 | Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Spiritual poverty as a state of humility. |
| Lk 6:20 | Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. | Blessing on those physically or socially poor. |
| 2 Cor 8:9 | For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor... | Christ's voluntary spiritual and material impoverishment. |
| Php 2:7-8 | Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. | Christ's humility and self-emptying. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted... | Christ's empathy, having suffered. |
| Jas 2:5 | Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world... | God's valuing of the world's despised. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. | Encouragement to give burdens to God. |
| Ps 22:14-15 | I am poured out like water... my heart has turned to wax... my strength is dried up... | A vivid description of complete desolation. |
| Jer 14:17 | ...let my eyes stream with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered... | Corporate suffering and heartbreak. |
Psalm 109 verses
Psalm 109 22 Meaning
Psalm 109:22 expresses the Psalmist's deep affliction, revealing a state of utter vulnerability and despair. He declares himself "poor and needy," signifying not only financial destitution but also a complete lack of strength, resources, or societal standing. His "heart is wounded," metaphorically describing a profound inner pain, anguish, and a spirit pierced by grief or trauma from his adversaries' cruel actions. This verse is a lament, underscoring the severity of his suffering as the basis for his plea to God for deliverance and justice.
Psalm 109 22 Context
Psalm 109 is a profound and intensely personal lament from David, an imprecatory psalm crying out for divine judgment against severe adversaries. The preceding verses (1-5) set the scene, with the psalmist accusing his enemies of speaking "false and malicious words" against him, returning "evil for good" and "hatred for my love." They surround him with slander and unfounded hostility. This verse (v. 22) then shifts focus, moving from his enemies' actions to his own desolate condition. It describes the psalmist's personal suffering and vulnerability as the direct consequence of his enemies' malicious attacks and the injustice he endures. His declaration of being "poor and needy" and having a "wounded heart" is a foundational plea, emphasizing his powerlessness and desperation, thus validating the righteous nature of his appeal to God for help and justice against his formidable foes. The context of this entire Psalm highlights the deep pain of one who suffers betrayal and oppression while maintaining integrity and trusting in God.
Psalm 109 22 Word analysis
- For (Hebrew: kî): This conjunction serves an explanatory or causal purpose. It connects the Psalmist's current suffering described in verse 22 to the previous intense petition and imprecation. It's as if to say, "because I am in such a deplorable state..."
- I (Hebrew: ’ānōḵî): This is an emphatic form of the first-person singular pronoun. Its use emphasizes the psalmist's personal, internal, and unique experience of suffering, highlighting his isolation and the direct impact of the adversity on him specifically.
- am: Implied in the Hebrew sentence structure, typical for present tense being verbs.
- poor (Hebrew: ‘ānî): More than mere financial destitution, this term signifies oppression, affliction, humiliation, and a state of lowliness. It denotes someone without power or resources to defend themselves, depending entirely on divine intervention. It encompasses physical, social, and spiritual helplessness.
- and: A simple conjunction joining two descriptors of the psalmist's state.
- needy (Hebrew: ’eḇyôn): This term further intensifies "poor," signifying someone utterly destitute, literally "one who begs." It emphasizes absolute dependence and vulnerability, highlighting a lack of any personal provision or protection, relying solely on external aid, implicitly from God. Often used in parallel with ‘ānî.
- and: Connects the personal state to the internal condition.
- my heart (Hebrew: liḇbî): In biblical anthropology, the heart is not just the seat of emotions but also the center of thought, will, conscience, and moral character. It represents the psalmist's innermost being.
- is wounded (Hebrew: ḥālal): This verb literally means "pierced," "slain," "profaned," or "thrust through." When applied to the heart, it's a powerful metaphor for being grievously afflicted, deeply pained, or utterly shattered by sorrow, grief, or distress. It signifies an injury that incapacitates the very core of one's being, like a spiritual or emotional mortal blow.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "For I am poor and needy": This phrase functions as the lamenting premise for the Psalmist's plea. It's a statement of profound weakness and vulnerability before God, indicating his utter reliance on divine strength. This combined phrase (ʻānî wĕ'eḇyôn) is frequently used in Psalms (e.g., Ps 40:17, 70:5, 86:1) to describe one appealing to God from a position of absolute dependency and often unmerited suffering.
- "and my heart is wounded within me": This describes the internal, emotional, and spiritual devastation the psalmist experiences. The "wound" is deep-seated, affecting his core self. It underscores the emotional trauma resulting from betrayal and malicious treatment, showing the personal agony beneath the request for divine justice. The pain is not superficial but cuts to the soul's essence.
Psalm 109 22 Bonus section
The deep suffering expressed in Ps 109:22 connects directly to the redemptive narrative in Christ. Jesus, though God, "became poor" for our sakes (2 Cor 8:9), and was a "man of sorrows" whose "heart was wounded" by the sins and rejection of humanity (Isa 53:3-5). He fulfilled the experience of the truly "poor and needy" in spirit and deed, identifying completely with suffering humanity. This verse also implicitly warns against self-reliance and fosters a dependence on God alone when faced with overwhelming circumstances. It provides a blueprint for crying out to the Lord when one feels utterly helpless and heartbroken due to external pressures or betrayal.
Psalm 109 22 Commentary
Psalm 109:22 is the deeply poignant cry of a soul in extreme distress, articulating the crushing burden of affliction from the psalmist’s adversaries. His self-description as "poor and needy" transcends material want, indicating a profound helplessness and dependence on God amidst relentless oppression. This state contrasts sharply with the malevolent strength of his foes, underscoring the spiritual bankruptcy and despair resulting from their baseless hatred. The metaphor of a "wounded heart" speaks to an inner agony that has pierced his very essence, suggesting brokenness, sorrow, and perhaps even betrayal at the deepest level. This confession of utter weakness is a profound appeal to God's mercy and justice, emphasizing that his only hope lies in divine intervention. It justifies his subsequent prayers for retribution against his persecutors, framing them not as personal vengeance but as an appeal for God to uphold justice for the truly oppressed. The psalmist places himself in the company of those most vulnerable whom God pledges to defend.