Psalm 22 15

Psalm 22:15 kjv

My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Psalm 22:15 nkjv

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.

Psalm 22:15 niv

My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.

Psalm 22:15 esv

my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

Psalm 22:15 nlt

My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.

Psalm 22 verses

Psalm 22 15 Meaning

Psalm 22:15 portrays a state of profound physical desolation and weakness. The psalmist expresses the sensation of having all vital strength completely evaporated, leaving him as dry and brittle as a shattered piece of clay. Simultaneously, he describes an overwhelming thirst so severe that his tongue adheres tightly to the roof of his mouth, rendering him unable to speak. The verse concludes with the psalmist acknowledging that God Himself has laid him in this desperate condition, bringing him to the very brink of death, into the symbolic "dust of death."

Psalm 22 15 Context

Psalm 22 is a profound Messianic lament that articulates intense suffering and perceived divine abandonment, while ultimately culminating in a declaration of praise and trust in God. Historically, it can be understood as David's heartfelt cry during a period of immense persecution or despair, such as during his flight from Saul or Absalom.

Prophetically and most significantly, this psalm is widely understood as a vivid foreshadowing of the Messiah's suffering on the cross. Verse 15 is nestled within the graphic descriptions of the psalmist's agony, depicting extreme physical deterioration, a complete loss of vitality, and the agonizing sensation of a parched throat, immediately preceding descriptions of being surrounded by enemies and having his hands and feet pierced (v. 16). The "dust of death" indicates proximity to the grave, setting the stage for the dramatic and miraculous turn to praise that characterizes the latter part of the psalm, implying deliverance or resurrection.

Psalm 22 15 Word Analysis

• My strength (כֹּחִ֥י - kochiy): Derived from כֹּחַ (koakh), meaning "power, strength, might." The suffix indicates "my." It refers to physical vitality, vigor, or inner resolve. Its drying up implies total depletion, an utter inability to function or resist.
• is dried up (יָבֵשׁ - yāḇēš): From the root יָבֵשׁ (yabesh), meaning "to be dried, withered, shriveled, or to put to shame." Here, it signifies complete desiccation, lacking any moisture or life-giving fluid, indicative of severe dehydration and a terminal state.
• like a potsherd (כַחֶ֖רֶשׂ - kachereś): כַּ (ka) means "like" or "as," and חֶרֶשׂ (ḥereś) refers to a broken piece of pottery or an earthenware vessel. A potsherd is brittle, absorbs any remaining moisture, and is often discarded as worthless. This simile powerfully conveys extreme dryness, fragility, and apparent uselessness. It amplifies the sense of vital fluids having completely evaporated.
• and my tongue (וּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י - ūləšōwnî): וּ (u) means "and," לְשׁוֹנִ֥י (lishoniy) is "my tongue." The tongue is central to speech and consumption. Its condition directly reflects the body's internal state regarding moisture.
• sticks (מֻדְבָּ֖ק - muḏbāq): A passive participle of דָּבַק (dabaq), meaning "to cleave, cling, stick fast, be joined." In this context, it describes the severe physical adhesion of the tongue due to absolute dehydration, making it impossible to move or speak.
• to my jaws (מַלְקוֹחָ֑י - malqōḥāy): From מַלְקָחַיִם (malqakhayim), which means "jaws" or "palate." This specifies the extreme internal dryness in the mouth. It indicates such profound thirst that the tongue cannot be separated from the roof or sides of the mouth.
• You lay me (תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי - tišpəṯēnî): From the verb שָׁפַת (shafath), meaning "to set, place, put, lay." The prefix תִּ (ti) indicates the second person singular, meaning "You" (referring to God), and the suffix נִי (ni) means "me." This active verb profoundly states that the psalmist views his dire condition and proximity to death not as random chance, but as an act or allowance of divine sovereignty.
• in the dust of death (לַעֲפַר מָ֖וֶת - la‘ap̄ar māweṯ): לַ (la) means "to" or "in," עָפָר (aphar) is "dust, earth, ground," and מָוֶת (maveth) means "death." "Dust" often symbolizes human mortality (origin from dust, returning to dust upon death). "Dust of death" refers to the grave, or the ultimate state of demise, emphasizing the extreme closeness to total annihilation.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "My strength is dried up like a potsherd": This vivid simile immediately conveys extreme physical weakness and desiccation. The image of a broken piece of pottery, useless and parched, graphically represents the utter draining of vital life forces and the onset of complete fragility.
• "and my tongue sticks to my jaws": This phrase directly paints a picture of intense suffering from thirst. The complete loss of saliva and the subsequent adhesion of the tongue underscore agonizing physical torment and the inability to articulate or cry out, enhancing the sense of utter helplessness.
• "You lay me in the dust of death": This is a critical theological statement. It is not "I am in the dust of death," or "my enemies laid me there," but "You (God) lay me." It reveals a recognition of divine agency even in extreme suffering and proximity to death, acknowledging God's ultimate sovereignty over life and death. This belief is paramount to understanding how Christ submitted to the Father's will even unto death on the cross.

Psalm 22 15 Bonus Section

This verse represents one of the lowest points in the Psalm's lament, immediately preceding details about enemies encircling and piercing. It highlights the Messianic pattern where the Savior had to fully taste the bitter cup of human suffering and death (Heb 2:9) in order to provide salvation. The use of the personal "You" directly addressing God emphasizes an intimate, albeit agonizing, relationship between the sufferer and the Divine orchestrator of events, underscoring that the cross was not an accident but part of a sovereign plan. The extreme nature of the physical pain described also implies the intensity of the spiritual anguish experienced by the one who takes on the sins of humanity.

Psalm 22 15 Commentary

Psalm 22:15 provides a stark portrait of intense physical and emotional suffering, articulating profound weakness and life-threatening dehydration. The similes employed are meticulously chosen: "dried up like a potsherd" conveys not only utter dryness but also fragility and worthlessness in the moment of extreme duress, signifying the complete evaporation of vital strength. The image of the "tongue sticks to my jaws" vividly depicts an unendurable thirst that paralyzes speech and compounds the physical agony. This level of distress points beyond mere discomfort to an imminent demise.

The verse's impactful declaration, "You lay me in the dust of death," shifts the focus from the psalmist's self-perception of suffering to the sovereign hand of God. This is a profound theological point: even at the brink of death, seemingly abandoned and powerless, the psalmist recognizes God's overarching purpose and control. This attribution of agency to God is crucial for understanding its Messianic fulfillment. Jesus, on the cross, experienced such a profound state of dehydration that He cried, "I thirst" (Jn 19:28), a direct echo of this verse. His ultimate yielding of His spirit ("into your hands I commit my spirit," Lk 23:46) fulfills the sense that His life was given by divine design, even amidst horrific human cruelty.

Thus, Psalm 22:15 is not just a cry of human anguish, but a prophetic foreshadowing of the unquantifiable physical and spiritual suffering endured by the Messiah. His suffering was total: physical exhaustion and thirst to the point of collapse, accompanied by a profound sense of God's presence in the suffering, rather than His absence. The ultimate meaning lies in how the divine Son subjected Himself fully to this experience, traversing the path to the "dust of death" under His Father's will, ensuring salvation through His sacrificial act. This verse underscores the cost of redemption, paid by one who knew utter desolation.