Psalms 22:15 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Dehydration and the approach of death: the psalmist is utterly drained and abandoned to death.
The Context of Psalms 22:15
Advanced physical deterioration and the nearness of death itself.
What Does Psalms 22:15 Mean?
Desiccation intensifies the picture: strength dried up like a broken piece of pottery, tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth, lips parched. The imagery evokes not only thirst but the final stages of life as vitality leaches away. The psalmist is approaching death, and God—somehow, in the psalmist's theology—has allowed or 'brought' them into this state.
The accusation 'thou hast brought me' resurfaces the lament from verse 1: God is somehow responsible for this abandonment to death. The psalmist does not claim innocence or accuse God of injustice, but does claim that this extremity is God's doing. It is a stark, anguished theology: even in destruction, God is the only agent worth addressing.
Psalms 22:15 in the Original Language
cheres (חֶרֶס), 'potsherd' — a broken piece of ceramic or clay, discarded and useless; symbol of complete degradation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 22:15
What does Psalms 22:15 mean?
Dehydration and the approach of death: the psalmist is utterly drained and abandoned to death.
What is the context of Psalms 22:15?
Advanced physical deterioration and the nearness of death itself.