Psalms 22:13 · Bible study
Psalms 22:13 Commentary: Study: Lions Tearing Prey and Roaring
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Psalm 22:13's vivid imagery of enemies as roaring lions. Discover its meaning as both David's lament and a prophecy of Christ's suffering.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The enemies of the sufferer are like roaring lions, mouths open to tear and devour, representing extreme hostility and threat.
- Key words: “Open their mouths wide”, a gesture of derision and intent to destroy; “lions tearing prey and roaring”, metaphor for violent, predatory enemies.
- Main debate: Whether this is purely David’s personal lament or a direct prophecy of Christ. Most commentators see it as both, with David as a type of the Messiah.
- Theological theme: The righteous sufferer cries out to God amid seemingly overwhelming opposition; God hears and delivers, prefiguring Christ’s death and resurrection.
- Best use: Comfort for those who feel attacked or abandoned; a lens for reading the passion narratives; a model for honest lament that turns to trust.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
KJV King James Version 1769
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
They gape upon me with their mouth, Asa ravening and a roaring lion.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
They gape upon me with their mouth, [as] a ravening and a roaring lion.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Abrieron sobre mí su boca, como león rapante y rugiente.
Abriram contra mim suas bocas, como leão que despedaça e ruge.
De nombreux taureaux sont autour de moi,
Ihren Rachen sperren sie auf gegen mich wie ein brüllender und reißender Löwe.
Vele varren hebben mij omsingeld, sterke stieren van Basan hebben mij omringd.
apron la loro gola contro a me, come un leone rapace e ruggente.
Obtoczyło mię mnóstwo cielców; byki z Basan obległy mię.
牠們向我 張 口，好像抓撕 吼叫 的獅子。
I saw their mouths wide open, like lions crying after food.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse depicts the enemies of the sufferer as ravenous lions, opening their mouths wide to devour. Adam Clarke describes them as being “fiercely and madly bent on my destruction.” Barnes connects the image to the lion tearing its prey and applies it directly to the enemies of the Redeemer. Calvin and Matthew Henry both read the verse as a prophecy of Christ, with Henry insisting that “many particulars here … were never true of David, and therefore must be appropriated to Christ in the depth of his humiliation.” Gill similarly sees the enemies as those who cried “Crucify him” in the passion narratives. The consensus is that David’s vivid metaphor functions as a type pointing to the hostility Christ faced, especially during his trial and crucifixion.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- David's personal lament only: Reads the psalm as a historical expression of David's own suffering from enemies like Saul or Absalom, with no intention of future prophecy.
- Direct messianic prophecy: Points to New Testament citations and details unique to the crucifixion (pierced hands/feet, casting lots) as evidence the psalmist consciously predicted Christ.
- Typological interpretation (both/and): Holds that David's experience was a God-ordained pattern that foreshadowed Christ, so the psalm works on two levels without requiring David to understand the full future referent.
What is clear: The verse describes enemies as predators opening their mouths to devour, a metaphor for extreme hostility that leaves the sufferer feeling helpless and alone.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of Psalm 22: whether it is David's personal lament or a prophecy of Christ | Christians of all traditions agree that Psalm 22 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, as confirmed by New Testament citations (Matthew 27:46, John 19:24). | Some emphasize a direct, predictive prophecy (the psalmist consciously foresees the crucifixion), while others see a typological reading where David's experience becomes a pattern that Christ fulfills. Both views acknowledge a messianic layer, but the degree of authorial intent differs. |
| Literal vs. figurative interpretation of the animal imagery | All readers agree that the lion, bulls, and dogs symbolize hostile people or nations, not actual animals. | Some interpret the imagery as describing the specific actions of the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers at the crucifixion (e.g., Gill), while others keep the metaphor general, applying to any oppressive situation. |
| Theological meaning of the sufferer's abandonment | The verse depicts a moment of extreme vulnerability where the sufferer feels alone and about to be destroyed, yet still cries out to God. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions often highlight the solidarity of Christ with all suffering humanity; Reformed traditions emphasize the substitutionary atonement; Evangelical focus is on the personal application of lament and hope. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 22 is a lament of David, but its language reaches beyond one man’s experience. The opening cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, is quoted by Jesus from the cross (Matthew 27:46), marking the psalm as a messianic prophecy from the earliest Christian reading. By verse 13 the psalmist has already compared his enemies to “strong bulls of Bashan” (v.12), a region known for its fertile pastures and powerful herds. Now the image shifts to lions, the most fearsome predator in ancient Israel.
Lions were not only a real danger to shepherds and travellers but also a stock figure in Hebrew poetry for ruthless, devouring enemies (Psalm 7:2, 17:12). To “open the mouth wide” against someone was a gesture of derision and threat, as seen in Lamentations 2:16: “All your enemies have opened their mouth wide against you.” The pairing of “tearing prey” (ravening) and “roaring” heightens the sense of imminent, violent death. The lion’s roar signals the attack is about to begin.
Within the psalm’s structure, verses 12, 18 form the darkest section, describing the sufferer’s complete abandonment and physical torment. The animal metaphors build intensity: bulls, then lions, then dogs in verse 16. This progression leads to the piercing of hands and feet (v.16), a detail that the Gospel accounts weave into the crucifixion. The historical setting of David’s own persecution, likely during Absalom’s rebellion or Saul’s pursuit, does not cancel the prophetic layer; rather, it allows the psalm to carry both an immediate and a future meaning.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 22:13. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the English translations consulted (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby) show only minor differences in phrasing, for example, “gaped” vs. “open their jaws,” and “ravening” vs. “tearing prey.” These reflect translation choices rather than manuscript variations.
Reception History
The early church read Psalm 22 as a unified prophecy of Christ’s passion. The Gospels explicitly connect verse 18 (casting lots for garments) and verse 1 (the cry of forsakenness) to Jesus. By the fourth century, Augustine used the psalm to explain how Christ represents the whole Body of Christ in suffering. Medieval commentators like Thomas Aquinas continued the messianic reading. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin both interpreted the psalm as David’s own experience that typified Christ. In modern times, some historical-critical scholars treat the psalm as a post-exilic royal lament later applied to Jesus, while conservative scholarship maintains Davidic authorship and predictive prophecy. Despite these differences, the verse remains central in Good Friday liturgies across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions, often sung or recited during the hours of the crucifixion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The threat of the enemy: The enemies are like roaring lions, mouths open to devour. This captures the feeling of being surrounded by hostile forces that want to destroy you, emotionally, physically, spiritually.
- Christ takes our place: Psalm 22 is quoted in the passion narratives. Jesus experienced the full weight of human rejection and violent opposition. He is the ultimate sufferer who enters into our pain.
- God hears the cry: The psalm does not end in despair. By verse 22 the sufferer declares, “I will declare your name to my brethren.” The same God who brought David through brings Christ through the grave, giving us hope in our own trials.
Five-point outline
- The scene: enemies like lions (v.13)
- The physical agony: like water poured out, bones out of joint (v.14)
- The mockery: enemies stare and gloat (v.17, 18)
- The cry for deliverance: “Be not far from me” (v.19)
- The response: God hears and rescues (v.21, 22)
Illustration hooks
- Think of a moment you felt cornered by criticism at work or in a relationship, as if everyone’s words were teeth tearing at you.
- Watch a nature video of a lion roaring at its prey. The sound alone creates terror. That is the emotional weight this verse carries.
- Consider a courtroom scene where the accused stands silent while accusers shout. That imagery echoes Jesus before Pilate and the Sanhedrin.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it right to read this poem as a prediction of Jesus, or was it only about David?
- How can I trust God when I feel like I am being devoured by my problems?
- What does it mean that Jesus quoted the first verse of this psalm from the cross?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 22 takes us into raw human pain. Verse 13 uses the image of a lion tearing its prey to describe the feeling of being attacked from every side. As you read this verse in context, notice how the psalmist does not hide his anguish but brings it honestly before God. That honesty is the first step toward hope.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 22:12, 18 aloud. What do you notice about the sequence of animal images, bulls, lions, dogs? Why do you think the writer uses so many?
- Verse 13 says the enemies open their mouths wide “against me.” What kinds of situations today make people feel as if others are “opening their mouths” to destroy them?
- The New Testament applies this psalm to Jesus. Read Matthew 27:35, 46; John 19:24, 28. Which details of the crucifixion match Psalm 22? Does this change how you understand the psalm?
- Psalm 22 moves from desperate complaint (v.1, 21) to praise and trust (v.22, 31). What does that shift teach us about prayer during suffering?
- Why might God allow a righteous person, like David or Jesus, to be surrounded by enemies? What purpose could that serve?
- Have you ever felt like someone was “preying” on you, through gossip, bullying, or injustice? How does this verse give you language for that experience?
- What difference does it make that Jesus, the Son of God, prayed this very psalm? How does that shape your view of God’s presence in suffering?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 16:10 | They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me. |
| Psalms 7:2 | lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver. |
| Psalms 17:12 | He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. |
| Psalms 22:7 | All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, |
| Psalms 22:21 | Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. |
| Psalms 35:17 | Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. |
| Psalms 35:21 | Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” |
| Lamentations 2:16 | All your enemies have opened their mouth wide against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up. Certainly this is the day that we looked for. We have found it. We have seen it.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets the phrase "gaped upon me" as a vivid picture of fierce, maddened hostility. He notes the enemies were not simply staring but were violently set on the speaker's complete destruction. Their raging intensity reveals the depth of their malice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes distinguishes two different kinds of mouth-opening in the same psalm: earlier it was for scorn, but here it is the gaping of wild beasts ready to devour. He stresses the image of a lion tearing its prey, showing how greedily Christ's enemies sought to destroy him.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads this psalm as David's personal complaint that serves as a prophetic type of Christ, showing the pattern of abasement before exaltation. He is notably dismissive of elaborate mystical interpretations of the title "hind of the morning," insisting interpreters have needlessly sought hidden meaning in a minor detail.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes the psalmist’s plea grows more desperate as his enemies become more vicious. His strength is gone, and he pictures them gaping at him like a lion roaring just before it springs on its prey. That image captures both their threatening posture and his utter helplessness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the vivid image of enemies with mouths wide open, comparing them to a lion that is both ravenous and roaring. The point is the sheer ferocity and terrifying appetite of the attackers, who are ready to devour.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the enemies' open mouths as the crowd's furious cry "Crucify him," comparing their vicious joy to a lion that has caught its prey. He uses this violent image to show how surrounded Christ was by hatred, which becomes one of his pleas for the Father to draw near.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees the enemies described as strong bulls from Bashan, a land of rich pastures, as a deliberate contrast: their power is brutish and animal-like, not properly human. The animal imagery runs deeper, reflecting the biblical view that since the fall, Satan and the animal realm both hold sway over fallen humanity.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that David speaks here both as a sufferer of his own time and as a prophet whose words point forward to Christ. He rejects purely historical or purely messianic readings, insisting instead that the Spirit led David to describe his own trials in terms that would be fully realized only in Christ's crucifixion.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry insists the graphic details of this passage—poured out like water, pierced hands and feet, enemies like roaring bulls and dogs—cannot describe David's own experience. They point uniquely to Christ's crucifixion, where he was deserted by every friend and surrounded by ferocious opponents, treading the winepress alone.