Psalm 22 2

Psalm 22:2 kjv

O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

Psalm 22:2 nkjv

O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.

Psalm 22:2 niv

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.

Psalm 22:2 esv

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

Psalm 22:2 nlt

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

Psalm 22 verses

Psalm 22 2 Meaning

Psalm 22:2 is a profound lament expressing an intense cry of distress and perceived divine silence. The speaker, in ceaseless agony, describes a constant appeal to God, both day and night, without receiving a direct answer. It portrays a deep personal suffering where the expected comfort and intervention from God are withheld, leading to an anguished state of uninterrupted spiritual struggle and vocal lamentation.

Psalm 22 2 Context

Psalm 22 begins with the anguished cry, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" (v. 1). Verse 2 amplifies this initial lament by detailing the persistence and unanswered nature of the psalmist's prayer. This psalm, often attributed to David, moves from deep despair to confident praise. While it reflects a personal crisis for David, its language and specifics profoundly resonate with the sufferings of the Messiah, particularly Jesus Christ's crucifixion, making it a pivotal Messianic psalm. The immediate context of verse 2 is the raw expression of profound abandonment and ceaseless affliction experienced by the one speaking, a state where relief is desperately sought but seemingly withheld by God, despite constant fervent prayer.

Psalm 22 2 Word analysis

• O my God (אֱלֹהַי, Elohai): This term, with the suffix "my," indicates a deeply personal, intimate relationship with the divine. Despite the intense feeling of abandonment, the speaker still addresses God as "my God," affirming a covenantal connection and deep-seated faith, rather than an angry rejection of God. This intimate address underscores the pain of the perceived separation.
• I cry (אֶקְרָא, eqraʾ): From the verb קָרָא (qara), meaning to call out, proclaim, read. Here, it denotes an urgent, loud, desperate appeal for help. It's not a quiet prayer but an impassioned shout for divine intervention.
• in the daytime (יוֹמָם, yomam): This adverb means "by day" or "daily, continually." It emphasizes the consistent and unrelenting nature of the psalmist's appeal. The suffering is not confined to brief moments but extends throughout the waking hours, a constant burden.
• but You do not hear (וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה, veloʾ taʿaneh): The phrase "do not hear" or "do not answer" (from עָנָה, ʿanah, to answer, respond, afflicted) highlights the core of the psalmist's anguish: God's perceived silence or inaction. This is the heart of the lament, an unfulfilled expectation of divine response despite the desperate cries. It's the most critical aspect of the suffering. This "no answer" isn't a statement of God's inability but of His choice or timing, which brings great distress.
• And in the night season (וְלַיְלָה, velaylah): Emphasizes the continuity of the lament. Night, often associated with darkness, fear, and vulnerability, provides no relief. The suffering persists without respite, highlighting the severity and oppressiveness of the distress. It also implies loneliness and a time of deeper reflection on one's woes.
• and am not silent (וְלֹא דֽוּמִיָּה לִֽי, veloʾ dumiyyah li): Literally, "and no silence for me" or "and I have no rest/stillness." Dumiyyah suggests stillness, quietness, rest, or silence. This phrase signifies the unceasing nature of the psalmist's outcry. There is no quiet for the speaker's soul, no peace, no cessation of the vocal lament or internal anguish. The suffering is perpetual and consuming.

Words-Group analysis:

• "O my God... do not hear": This opening phrase starkly contrasts the speaker's intimate appeal with God's perceived unresponsive nature. It underscores the profound theological tension of experiencing a seemingly absent God despite a trusting relationship. This personal address makes the "not hearing" even more painful.
• "I cry in the daytime... And in the night season": This temporal juxtaposition powerfully conveys the round-the-clock nature of the suffering and the continuous outpouring of desperate prayer. It demonstrates a persistence born of profound distress, an unyielding plea despite the lack of a perceived immediate divine answer. There is no hour of rest or reprieve for the speaker.
• "but You do not hear... and am not silent": These two clauses encapsulate the psalmist's despair and continued plea. God is silent, yet the psalmist is not. This highlights a critical tension: divine unresponsiveness (from the human perspective) contrasted with human perseverance in lament. The lack of divine answer compels unending vocal expression. It showcases the tenacity of faith even in abandonment.

Psalm 22 2 Bonus section

This verse exemplifies a crucial aspect of biblical lament: it is an honest, raw expression of pain and confusion directed to God, not away from Him. The psalmist does not abandon faith but wrestles with the paradox of a covenant-keeping God who seems to be withholding His response. This grappling within the covenant framework is healthy, ultimately leading to deepened trust as the Psalm progresses (though not explicitly in this verse). The experience of 'God's silence' described here is not always punitive but can be a period of profound testing, spiritual growth, or preparation, as seen in the Messianic fulfillment. For Jesus on the cross, His quoting of Ps 22:1 and this verse’s implicit extension reflects the ultimate vicarious suffering and sense of abandonment, making this not merely a human cry, but a divinely ordained aspect of salvation history, fully understood only through the cross.

Psalm 22 2 Commentary

Psalm 22:2 unpacks the agony of feeling forsaken by God, introduced in the first verse. It presents a vivid picture of unceasing, vocal supplication that appears to be met with divine silence. The speaker’s deep personal relationship with "my God" makes the perceived lack of response particularly excruciating, demonstrating faith grappling with incomprehensible suffering. This isn't a doubt in God's existence or power, but a desperate yearning for His active presence and intervention when it is most acutely needed. The continuous cry "day and night" with no cessation of lament (not silent) emphasizes the intense and prolonged nature of the affliction, where relief or rest is absent, and the spiritual burden weighs constantly upon the soul. It reflects a universal human experience of profound suffering and persistent prayer, where the answers or comfort sought from God are not immediately apparent, testing the limits of endurance within a framework of underlying trust.