The Meaning of Psalms 22:1 Explained

Psalms 22:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.} My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

YLT: To the Overseer, on 'The Hind of the Morning.' -- A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation, The words of my roaring?

Darby: {To the chief Musician. Upon Aijeleth-Shahar. A Psalm of David.} My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou far from my salvation, from the words of my groaning?

ASV: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician  upon Aijeleth  Shahar,  A Psalm  of David.  }} My God,  my God,  why hast thou forsaken  me? [why art thou so] far  from helping  me, [and from] the words  of my roaring? 

What does Psalms 22:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Aijeleth Shahar
Or, Ay-ys-leth Shachar, "hind of the morning," a title, not a musical instrument.
My God, My God
Psalms 22, 23, , 24. form a trilogy. In Psalms 22, the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep John 10:11 , in Psalms 23 the great Shepherd, "brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant." Hebrews 13:20 tenderly cares for the sheep; in Psalms 24, the chief Shepherd appears as King of glory to own and reward the sheep 1 Peter 5:4 .
My God, My God
Psalms 22, 23, , 24. form a trilogy. In Psalms 22, the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep John 10:11 , in Psalms 23 the great Shepherd, "brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant." Hebrews 13:20 tenderly cares for the sheep; in Psalms 24, the chief Shepherd appears as King of glory to own and reward the sheep 1 Peter 5:4 .

Context Summary

Psalm 22:1-15 - The Cry Of The Forsaken
The Hebrew inscription of this exquisite ode is, "The hind of the morning." The hind is the emblem of loveliness; see Song of Solomon 2:7; Song of Solomon 2:9. The cruel persecutors are designated as bulls, lions, and dogs. Perhaps the allusion to the morning refers to the daybreak of resurrection-hope.
Of course our blessed Lord is in every syllable. Indeed, the psalm reads more as history than as prophecy. The divine Sufferer seems to have recited it to Himself when on the Cross; for it begins with "My God, my God," etc., and ends, according to some, with a word in the Hebrew, meaning "It is finished." The psalm is indeed a photograph of Calvary, a memorial of the heartbreak of Jesus.
Sometimes to the soul in agony God seems not to hear; but through those hours of darkness the Easter day is hastening to break in resplendent glory. He will not suffer His holy one to see corruption, Psalms 16:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 22

1  David complains in great discouragement
9  He prays in great distress
23  He praises God

What do the individual words in Psalms 22:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician Set to the Deer of the Dawn a Psalm of David My God My God why have You forsaken Me [Why are You] so far from helping Me [And from] the words of My groaning
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל־ אַיֶּ֥לֶת הַשַּׁ֗חַר מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי רָח֥וֹק מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י דִּבְרֵ֥י ؟ שַׁאֲגָתִֽי

לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
עַל־  Set  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: 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.
אַיֶּ֥לֶת  the  Deer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַיָּלָה  
Sense: doe, deer, hind.
הַשַּׁ֗חַר  of  the  Dawn 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁחַר  
Sense: dawn.
מִזְמ֥וֹר  a  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
לְדָוִֽד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אֵלִ֣י  My  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
אֵ֭לִי  My  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
לָמָ֣ה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי  have  You  forsaken  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
רָח֥וֹק  [Why  are  You]  so  far 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י  from  helping  Me 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  [And  from]  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
؟ שַׁאֲגָתִֽי  of  My  groaning 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שְׁאָגָה  
Sense: roaring.