Psalms 22:24 Meaning and Explanation
“For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Suffering can make God's silence feel like rejection. Earlier in this psalm, the speaker cries day and night and asks why God seems far away. Verse 24 answers that anguish from the far side of deliverance: the afflicted person's pain was seen, the cry was received, and God's face was not finally hidden.
God does not treat the suffering of the afflicted as worthless or turn away from their cry. The psalmist testifies that the Lord heard, and that hearing becomes the ground for public praise.
The Context of Psalms 22:24
Psalm 22 moves from desperate lament to thanksgiving and worldwide worship. In verses 1-21, the speaker describes abandonment, mockery, bodily weakness, enemies, and urgent prayer for help. Verse 21 marks a turning point: "thou hast heard me." The speaker then calls the congregation to praise the Lord and explains why in verse 24. Verses 25-31 widen the result of this answered cry: the meek are satisfied, nations worship, and future generations hear of God's righteousness. Verse 24 therefore gives the reason for the praise that follows.
What Does Psalms 22:24 Mean?
The verse uses three strong assurances. God has not "despised" the afflicted person's affliction, as though suffering made that person contemptible. He has not "abhorred" it, as though it were too shameful to approach. He has not permanently "hid his face," a biblical way of describing the withdrawal of favorable attention. The final clause supplies the central testimony: "when he cried unto him, he heard." The psalm does not deny that the speaker experienced terrible distress or felt forsaken. It declares that the Lord's true regard for the afflicted was deeper than that experience of darkness.
This statement changes the meaning of the congregation's praise in verses 22-23. They praise because God's holiness is joined with attentive mercy toward the afflicted. The psalmist's rescue is not presented as private relief alone. It becomes a witness for Israel, then for the meek, the nations, and generations yet unborn. Scripture often lets sufferers bring candid complaints before God while continuing to call upon him. Psalm 22 preserves both realities. The speaker's earlier questions are real, and so is the later confession that God heard. The chapter invites a faith that speaks honestly in trouble and remembers God's faithfulness in deliverance.
The opening cry of Psalm 22 is spoken by Jesus during his crucifixion. The Gospel accounts also draw attention to the mockery and casting of lots described in this psalm. Verse 24 should therefore be read with care alongside the whole movement of the psalm: suffering is brought before God, God hears, and praise rises among the brethren. Hebrews connects Psalm 22:22 with the risen Christ praising God among his people. The psalm does not explain every mystery of suffering, yet it gives a trustworthy pattern: the afflicted one is not beneath God's notice, and deliverance leads outward into worship and witness.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 22:24
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
- Psalm 34:17-18
“For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.”
- Psalm 69:33
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;”
- Hebrews 5:7
“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
- 1 Peter 3:12
How to Apply Psalms 22:24 Today
When pain, grief, illness, exclusion, or unanswered questions weigh on us, this verse gives words for prayer without pretending that the trouble is small. We may tell God what afflicts us and continue to cry unto him. It also shapes how we receive other people's suffering. Since the Lord does not despise the affliction of the afflicted, our speech and actions can show serious attention, patience, and practical care. When help comes, whether quickly or over time, gratitude need not remain private. Remembering God's mercies can strengthen a gathered community.
Reflection & Prayer
Where have we been tempted to treat distress, our own or another person's, as a reason to withdraw? Ask the Lord for honesty in prayer and tenderness toward the afflicted. Suggested prayer: "Lord, thou knowest our trouble. Hear our cry, keep us near thee, and teach us to remember thy mercy with praise."