Psalms 22:20 Meaning and Explanation
“Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The psalmist pleads for rescue from weapons and oppressors.
The Context of Psalms 22:20
Specific pleas to rescue the psalmist's life from sword and from enemies.
What Does Psalms 22:20 Mean?
The petition becomes specific: deliver the soul (the living self, the life) from the sword—from death by violence. 'My darling' (the only one or beloved self) from the power of the dog—from the grasp of those who hunt like scavengers. The psalmist uses familial language ('my darling,' an epithet of intimacy) to emphasize the preciousness and vulnerability of the one crying out.
The prayer assumes that God has the power to rescue and that petition will move Him to act. It is not a prayer of acceptance of fate but a demand for God to intervene in history, to act as He has for the ancestors, and to save the sufferer from what seems inevitable.
Psalms 22:20 in the Original Language
nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ), 'soul' — the living self, vital essence; here it means the psalmist's life itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 22:20
What does Psalms 22:20 mean?
The psalmist pleads for rescue from weapons and oppressors.
What is the context of Psalms 22:20?
Specific pleas to rescue the psalmist's life from sword and from enemies.