Psalms 22:11
in Psalms 22Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help.
KJV
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
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This verse in Psalms 22
Commentary
16 notes on this verseIt is surely the very climax of affliction to have no helper. For Christ went for the salvation of the souls in hades that had so long awaited his arrival. He went down to shatter the gates of brass, and to break the iron bonds and to let them go free that before were prisoners in hades, which was indeed done, when many bodies of the saints that slept arose and entered with him into the true holy city of God.
This site's exposition
You brought me forth from the womb
on Psalms 22:9-11
Answering the taunt, the sufferer goes back to the womb, where God brought him out and held him safe at the breast. God has been his God from birth, before he could trust anyone. Verse 11 asks one thing, that God not stay far off.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"You are My God," "depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand" [Psalm 22:11]. You are, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is near unto Me; for it is in My body. "For there is none to help." For who helps, if Thou helpest not?
"You are My God," "depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand" [Psalm 22:11]. You are, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is near unto Me; for it is in My body. "For there is none to help." For who helps, if Thou helpest not?
He did well to focus his attention on providence in general, asking … "Who is the one who shaped me in the womb, who is the one who brought me from the womb, who is the one who nourished me at maternal breasts and brought …
The Medieval Church1 voice
"For." This, according to Jerome, is the beginning of the following verse; and therefore it can, as was said, be suitably read with the preceding text, and also with what follows. And as Jerome says, it is more suitably read with what follows. For the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He trod the wine-press alone; for all his disciples forsook him and fled. It is God's honour to help when all other helps and succours fail. He is here insulted and surrounded by his enemies, such as were of a higher rank, who for their strength and fury, are compared to bulls, strong bulls of Bashan (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
9 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), where David, as a type of Christ, complains of the very calamitous condition he was in upon many accounts. He complains, and mixes comforts with his complaints; he complains (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Be not far from me,....
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
"Be not far from me." This is the petition for which he has been using such varied and powerful pleas. His great woe was that God had forsaken him, his great prayer is that he would be near him. A lively sense of the divine presence is a mighty stay to the heart in times of distress. "For trouble is near; for there is none to help." There are two "fors," as though faith gave a double knock at mercy's gate; that is a powerful prayer which is full of holy reasons and thoughtful arguments.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
From this statement of reasons for the appeal, he renews it, pleading his double extremity, the nearness of trouble, and the absence of a helper. His enemies, with the vigor of bulls and rapacity of lions, surround him, eagerly seeking his ruin. The force of both figures is greater without the use of any particle denoting comparison.
The crucified Son of David continues to pour out his complaint and prayer. We need much grace that while reading we may have fellowship with his sufferings. May the blessed Spirit conduct us into a most clear and affecting sight of our Redeemer's woes.
"Be not far from me." This is the petition for which he has been using such varied and powerful pleas. His great woe was that God had forsaken him, his great prayer is that he would be near him. A lively sense of the divine presence is a mighty stay to the heart in times of distress. "For trouble is near; for there is none to help." There are two "fors," as though faith gave a double knock at mercy's gate; that is a powerful prayer which is full of holy reasons and thoughtful arguments. The nearness of trouble is a weighty motive for divine help; this moves our heavenly Father's heart, and brings down his helping hand. It is his glory to be our very present help in trouble. Our Substitute had trouble in his inmost heart, for he said, "the waters have come in, even unto my soul;" well might he cry, "be not far from me." The absence of all other helpers is another telling plea. In our Lord's case none either could or would help him, it was needful that he should tread the winepress alone; yet was it a sore aggravation to find that all his disciples had forsaken him, and lover and friend were put far from him. There is an awfulness about absolute friendlessness which is crushing to the human mind, for man was not made to be alone, and is like a dismembered limb when he has to endure heart-loneliness.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near - A present God is a present blessing. We always need the Divine help; but more especially when troubles and trials are at hand.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Be not far from me - Do not withdraw from me; do not leave or forsake me. For trouble is near - Near, in the sense that deep sorrow has come upon me; near, in the sense that I am approaching a dreadful death. For there is none to help - Margin, as in Hebrew, “not a helper.” There were those who would have helped, but they could not; there were those who could have helped, but they would not. His friends that stood around the cross were unable to aid him; his foes were unwilling to do it; and he was left to suffer unhelped.
Modern Voices1 voice
Psalm 22 reads as if it was dictated, first person singular, as He hung on the cross, even though it was written 700 years earlier.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Upon You, I was cast from birth I was cast from birth since You took me out of the womb, as Scripture states (in Isa.:3): “who are carried from birth.” From the time the tribes were born, He carried them and led them.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Be not far from me: – Now also in exile be not far from me; since Thou hast been nigh me from my mother's womb as I grew up, be not far from me in the time of my trouble;
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּרְחַ֣ק | tirchak | you be far | H7368 → | 57 times |
| מִ֭מֶּנִּי | mimeni | from me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| צָרָ֣ה | tzarah | trouble | H6869 → | 73 times |
| קְרוֹבָ֑ה | kerovah | [is] near | H7138 → | 77 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵ֥ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| עוֹזֵֽר׃ | ozer | [is] a helper | H5826 → | 81 times |
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּרְחַ֣קyou be far
tirchakH7368 →57 times
מִ֭מֶּנִּיfrom me
mimeniH4480 →1188 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
צָרָ֣הtrouble
tzarahH6869 →73 times
קְרוֹבָ֑ה[is] near
kerovahH7138 →77 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אֵ֥יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
עוֹזֵֽר׃[is] a helper
ozerH5826 →81 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 16:32“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father…
it leads to
- Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against…
- Matthew 26:31
Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be…
- Zechariah 13:7
Through
Hebrews 5:7During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His…
it leads to
- Luke 22:41–44
And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed,
- John 17:1
When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
- Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- Mark 14:32–39
Then they came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
- John 17:4–5
I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
- Luke 22:41–44
Through
Psalms 72:12For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
it leads to
- Job 29:12
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
- Job 29:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 22; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Chuck Missler, How Can We Be Sure? (article); Diodorus of Tarsus, COMMENTARY ON PSALM 22; Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.501; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.