Psalm 23: What is it?
Psalm 22, its text, along with other powerful Psalms, is included in the book of Psalms. The Psalter, as you know, is part of the Old (Old) Testament. The author of Psalm 22, as well as the author of 90 Living in Help (such a protective psalm is often called the prayer of Living Help) and many other texts from the Psalter is the Jewish king David.
Historians associate the appearance of Psalm 23 with a difficult period in the life of King David himself. David wrote the ancient lyrics of the song in difficult moments of his life, when he suffered disrespectful attitude towards himself from his own son Absalom.
The text of David's song appeared when David, expelled by his son who was encroaching on the royal throne, was in the desert without water or food, experiencing unbearable hunger and thirst. It was at such a difficult moment that three strangers approached him - Mahir, Sovi and Verziliy. Three men offered help to the king and brought food and drink. In fact, strangers sent by God showed mercy and saved David from death.
What is the Psalter and Psalms
A widely known book of the Old Testament is the Psalter. It consists of separate chants - psalms. The author of most of the psalms is the king and prophet David (1035-965 BC). The features of these hymns dedicated to God are the personal experiences of the psalmist. He is like a child, striving to share his joy, anxiety, fears with his Father, asking for forgiveness, help and intercession.
“The Book of Psalms... is a common treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. She also heals old wounds of the soul, and gives quick healing to the recently wounded. He restores what is painful and supports what is not damaged. In general, as much as possible, he destroys the passions that dominate souls in human life under different forms.
The psalm is the silence of the soul, the dispenser of peace. It softens the irritability of the soul and disciplines intemperance. It calms rebellious and disturbing thoughts. The psalm is a mediator of friendship, unity between distant people and reconciliation of those at war. For who can
Psalm 23: Meaning
David, after he was fed, watered and had mercy on him, began to reflect on the mercy of God and the kindness of God. The king came to the conviction that God tests a person until the mortal has enough strength to endure the tests sent by Him. But God does not leave anyone in difficult moments of life, does not send anyone more trials than a person can bear.
As a reward to the Lord for his salvation, David wrote beautiful and sonorous words of a Christian psalm-prayer. In the text, David compares God to a shepherd, a caring and kind protector and provider.
King David, as you know, was born into a simple family and before being anointed as king was an ordinary shepherd. Caring for his father's sheep was close to his heart. Now let's figure out in what cases when you need to read the Psalm.
Psalm 22: why is it read, when and how many times
Psalm 22 refers to the texts of the psalms of the Psalter, suitable for reading for all occasions. The text can be read and listened to in any language. Such a psalm helps a righteous person cope with difficulties in any circumstances. The main help from reading the sacred text lies in the protection and help of the Lord, His love.
Through the Psalm of David, God points the person who has turned to reading to the right path in life and gives the most correct hint for a way out of a critical situation. With the help of such a psalm prayer, you can painlessly overcome material difficulties, find peace in your soul or restore good luck and fortune, and find a place for love in your heart.
Psalm 22 helps those who doubt to strengthen their faith in the Lord, believe in the power of the Holy Cross, become strong to fight illness, loneliness, help in finding a job, passing exams. With the help of a psalm you can ask the Almighty to fulfill your desire; a person can determine the reason for reading Psalm 23 on their own and read the text at home if necessary.
Before reading Psalm 22, set yourself a time limit for reading the text. How many times should I read Psalm 22? You can read it once every day or several times in one day. They say the words of the prayer text from 1.7 to 33 times a day. It is not uncommon to read Psalm 23 for 40 days without missing a single day.
When to read the text of David (or listen) to the Orthodox:
- In the Orthodox Church, Psalm 22 is read, as a rule, at the beginning of the Follow-up to Communion.
- You can read for a successful road before leaving home.
- In mental turmoil.
- Before making an important decision, on the eve of a significant meeting.
- For successful business.
- In a dangerous situation for protection and help.
- To strengthen faith in a happy future.
- During various life trials.
- The Monk Arseny of Cappadocia advises parents whose children show disrespect and rudeness to read the text.
- Read a prayer for happiness in family life.
- To find a job.
- To calm the children.
In Judaism, the psalm is sung on Saturday afternoon during meals and in funeral prayer. The Sephardim and Hasidim read it in their Saturday evening prayers.
Psalm instead of prayer
Reverend Arseny of Cappadocia (1840 - 1924), a Greek who lived in Turkey, compiled an explanation of the Psalter. He indicated in what everyday situations one or another psalm could be read. This was mainly due to the lack of special prayers in Orthodoxy for various needs and needs. For example, Psalm 22 is recommended to be read to pacify disobedient children. In Orthodox church practice, it is customary to read all psalms in Church Slavonic. However, for most modern people the meaning of prayers remains unclear. Natural questions arise. Is it possible to read Psalm 23 in Russian? Why read Psalm 23 at all? Is there an accessible and intelligible interpretation of the psalm?
Opened Psalter
Psalm 22 in Russian: Synodal translation
The Lord is my Shepherd; I won't need anything:
He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters,
Strengthens my soul, guides me on the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff - they calm me.
Thou hast prepared a table before me in the sight of my enemies; anointed my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.
So may [Thy] goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life, and I will abide in the house of the Lord many days.
In prayers, the Lord is often addressed as the Shepherd, while Christians in such prayer act as the flock. The Lord is my Shepherd - the words of the text expressing the main content of Psalm 22.
Psalm 22: why they read it
Listen or read online the text of the prayer Psalm 22 in Russian. Why do they read Psalm 23, what is its interpretation and spiritual meaning, how does prayer help? Read more about everything in this article!
Psalm of David: text in Russian
1. The Lord shepherds me and will not let me need anything2. in a place where greenery is abundant - there He settled me, raised me by calm waters, 3. converted my soul, directed me on the path of righteousness for His name's sake.4.
After all, even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff - they have encouraged me.5.
Thou hast prepared a table before my face in front of those who oppress me; Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup intoxicates me like the strongest.
6. And Your mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for many days!
Both our desires and actions are subject to the Almighty, but at the same time, we are free in our choice. A person turns to the Holy Scriptures, reads Psalm 23, when he matures to perceive God. David, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, poured out the experiences of his soul onto paper and revealed its contents. We, led by the same Spirit, strive to understand holy thinking. Try on clothes that shine with cleanliness.
Recommendation: For beginners, it is better to comprehend the Scripture translated into modern Russian. The text will be clearer, more interesting and easier to read. If you decide to learn a Psalm by heart (usually 90 and 26), use the Slavic translation. This form of presentation is more melodic, livelier, more accurate, and easier to remember.
Why are interpretations of the Psalms needed?
Depending on the “volume” of grace present in us, the words of Psalm 23 (and any other) will either touch the soul or not find a free, clean corner in it.
When reading ancient prayers, one cannot rely on one’s own mind, the fabrications of the heart, if it is not cleansed of passions. For this purpose, interpretations are given by the holy fathers, who had a common opinion on the subject.
We saw the true essence of the words laid down by the prophet of God.
But even without knowing them, the grace emanating from prayers teaches, invisibly instructs, and heals a person’s soul. Therefore, it is recommended to read even when the meaning is not entirely clear. Over time, you will develop a desire to study the topic more deeply.
Important: Psalm 22 is included in the Follow-up to the Communion of the Blood and Body of Christ. One prepares for the Sacrament not only physically, but also spiritually. The words of the song tune a person to the desired “wave”. The place is cleared for the Grace given by God. It is advisable to understand prayer, because it contributes to the deification of the communicant.
How to understand Psalm 22
In the Orthodox Church, it is customary to consider the 22nd Song of David a prophecy about Christ, Who is often compared to a Shepherd (shepherd), carefully protecting His flock.
This image is close to the king; he himself tended sheep in his father’s house.
The psalmist admires the Lord, who offered the Great Table - Blood and Body, which, like fire, scorch human passions and unite our nature with the Divine.
Therefore, prayer is included in the Follow-up to Communion. Reading Psalm 23, we learn, like pagans, to appreciate the gracious attitude of Christ towards us, who laid down his life for His sheep. What did the Spirit of Prophecy tell David about the Son of God? What a grateful heart will see behind the words of the verse.
Brief explanation:
- The believer who accepts Christ entrusts himself into His hands, surrenders to His care. When this is the case, then a person does not need anything, he has everything, for the Shepherd knows what His sheep need.
- A hot spot is an abundance of grain (ears) and food. You won't go hungry with this. In the Spiritual plan - the teaching of the Lord, His church, where the bread of eternal life is served.
- Calm water is clean, settled, transparent, without any admixture of debris. This is an image of Baptism, when, through Water and the Holy Spirit, a person’s soul is cleansed and healed from ancestral sin.
- Without a Shepherd, the flock does not know where it is going. He turns them onto a safe path so that everyone is safe. The Lord is Truth. He who follows His paths approaches the Truth, will not go astray, will not fall into the abyss.
- “For His name’s sake...” – David asks for enlightenment, since a Christian either discredits or glorifies Christ with his untruth or righteousness. Lord, raise me in such a way that Your Name will be sanctified in me.
- The shadow of death is pitch darkness, when you go without knowing where, fearing an attack from enemies. In the Spiritual understanding: the “rod” of the Shepherd is the Cross; "club" - Jesus Prayer. Whoever uses them will walk safely in the “darkness” both through this life and after death. He passes the ordeal, having a weapon against demonic claims.
- “Thou hast prepared...” is David’s prophecy about the Sacrament of the Eucharist. If we begin Communion with repentance, faith, humility, leaving behind grudges, then the enemy (demons) will not be able to approach us. Also mentioned: “eleom” (oil) - the Sacrament of Confirmation and Blessing of Unction; “my head” - a change of thoughts, a change leading to the Heavenly abodes. We become deified, becoming capable of understanding the secrets of Eternal Life.
- “And mercy...” – the Lover of mankind, saves His sheep, looks after, preserves, to bring everyone to His house, where they will abide forever.
Note: According to Arsenius of Cappadocia - the mentor of the Athonite elder Paisios, Psalm 22 is read by parents who are offended by their own children. The Lord admonishes the children, and they change their attitude towards their loved ones and find mutual understanding.
Why should the laity read the psalms?
It is difficult to express the essence of the Psalms in simple words. Each line contains many images that are understandable to people of different levels of knowledge. The monks learn the Psalter by heart, use prayers constantly, and know what Great Power they contain. Lay people are advised to read regularly, as every day enriches the soul with something. Ancient verses:
- the wise will be made wise;
- faithful - blessed (happy);
- he who weeps will be rejoiced;
- the mourner will be healed of sadness;
- the weak will be strengthened;
- the rebellious will be calmed down;
- those who are angry will be softened;
- those at war will be reconciled.
Conclusion: Man is in the stage of improvement, developing, and the Psalms are some steps that help to go up the Mountain.
Each time, reading the same lines, we catch ourselves in the fact that the familiar text has revealed a new facet of previously unknown knowledge. David's poems have no bottom.
No matter how deeply we penetrate into the essence of words, we will not comprehend the whole secret. This is the property of the Holy Spirit - He has no boundaries.
Other Interpretations of Psalm 22
1. The Lord is my Shepherd; I will not need anything:2. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters, 3. strengthens my soul, guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.4.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff - they calm me.5.
Thou hast prepared a table before me in the sight of my enemies; anointed my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.
6. Thus may [Thy] goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life, and I will abide in the house of the Lord many days.
Psalm 22 in Church Slavonic
1. The Lord shepherds me and will deprive me of nothing.2. In the green place, there they settled me, in the calm water they brought me up.3. Convert my soul, guide me on the paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake.4.
Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your club, they comfort me.5.
Thou hast prepared a table before me to resist those who are cold, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty one.
6. And Thy mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and make me dwell in the house of the Lord for the length of days.
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Interpretation: Psalm 22 in Russian
- The Lord is my Shepherd; I won't need anything. The Lord is my shepherd. Like a shepherd, the Lord protects and feeds David.
- He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters. Green pastures are meadows with lush grass. Shepherds drive their flocks to such green meadows. Quiet waters - water that flows quietly, appearing after heavy rains.
- Strengthens my soul, guides me on the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Strengthens my soul - with his care for David, the Lord strengthens his soul. Guides me to the paths of righteousness - The Lord points to the true path of life if a believer is in confusion and has deviated from the right path.
- Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff - they calm me. The Valley of the Shadow of Death is a valley full of danger to life from the proximity of enemies. David believes that the Lord will save him from death. The Rod and Your Staff are the tools with which shepherds, as a rule, protect their flocks from predators.
- Thou hast prepared a table before me in the sight of my enemies; anointed my head with oil; my cup is overflowing. The meal in the form of enemies means that when the enemies go to war against David, the Lord will help David to resist them. Anointed the head with oil - anointing the head with oil in the East was considered to send happiness and joy. My cup is full - it means that the blessings given by the Lord are given in full.
- The meaning of the words in the sixth line of the psalm is clear even without interpretation. At the time of writing Psalm 22, David was apparently away from the house of the Lord, and in Ps. 22:6 the king expresses a strong desire to return to the Sanctuary so that he could enjoy fellowship with the Lord there all the days of his life.
Contents of Psalm 22
The psalm does not indicate the time or reasons for its writing. According to the interpretation of Professor Alexander Pavlovich Lopukhin (1852-1904), this psalm can be dated back to the time of King David’s flight from Jerusalem from his son Absalom. Then David was in the Mahanaim desert and experienced hunger and need. Three men, Sobi, Machir and Barzillai, brought him food in the form of flour, honey, cheese, sheep and grains (2 Samuel 17:27-29). This is indirectly indicated by verse 5 of the psalm.
The main idea of the psalm is “The Lord is my shepherd.” King David called the Lord a shepherd: He protected him from his enemies and provided him with food. Through the words of psalmody, David expressed his consent to follow the Creator, showing an example of complete trust and hope in Him. The Prophet admitted that if he deviates from the true path, the Lord will always guide him to salvation through various life events and direct revelations through other people.
This was the case, for example, when David took Bathsheba as his wife. The king specifically sent her husband to death. At that time, the Lord convicted the king through the prophet Nathan.
Being in a place full of dangers, David retained faith in salvation from God, in protection from enemies. Just as a shepherd protects his sheep from wolves with his staff, so the Lord, by His power, can save a person who trusts in Him. Understanding this brought great joy to the psalmist, which, according to Eastern traditions, was expressed in anointing the hair on his head with vegetable oil.
Psalm in Church Slavonic: text
The Lord shepherds me and will deprive me of nothing.
In a green place, there they settled me, on the calm water they raised me.
Convert my soul, guide me on the paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake.
Even if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your club will comfort me.
Thou hast prepared a table before me to resist those who are cold, Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup makes me drunken, like a mighty one.
And Thy mercy will marry me all the days of my life, and make me dwell in the house of the Lord for the length of days.
Christian understanding of Psalm 23
Psalm 22 in Russian has a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ. That is, the Good Shepherd, ready to sacrifice His life to save the sheep - all those who believe in Him - from destruction.
“Everyone who feels the watchful and protective Providence of the good Shepherd Christ over him remains calm and comforted, in the confidence that the rod and club of this Shepherd constitute the most reliable means for protecting him from all enemies: Thy rod and Thy club, they comfort me. According to the explanation of the Fathers of the Church, the rod and club here represent the Cross of Christ, which serves for believers as the best means of salvation for protection from all their enemies, visible and invisible” (Archpriest Grigory Razumovsky, 1883-1967).
Psalm 22 in Russian: text modern translation
Song of David. My shepherd is the Lord. I won't need anything.
He lays me down on a green meadow and leads me to quiet water.
He gives strength to my soul, He leads me along the path of righteousness in His name.
I am not afraid of danger, even when I pass through the dark valley of death, because, Lord, You are with me. Your staff and rod are my strength.
In the face of my enemy, You set the table for me. My cup is full to the brim, You have anointed my head with oil.
Until the end of my days, kindness and love will be with me, Lord, I will settle in Your house forever
Text of Psalm 22 in Ukrainian
The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not lack for him
Settle me on the green pastures, send me away to quiet water!
He vigilates my soul, to send me off for the sake of His Name according to the lines of justice.
If I go and want to walk through the valley of death and darkness, then I will not be afraid of evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff will extinguish the stench for me!
You prepared a meal in front of me in front of my gates, You anointed my head with olive oil, and my cup drank over the world!
Only kindness and mercy will accompany me all the days of my life, and I will spend many hours in the house of the Lord!
Psalm 22 in Aramaic (translation from the original Aramaic)
I am your Shepherd. You will never need anything that I want to give you.
If you trust in Me and actually allow Me to be the Shepherd of your life, then I will give you such great peace of mind that it will be like resting in the cool green grass of a spring meadow. And while you learn deeper love and trust, peace will descend on your soul, like a serene, quiet lake. It will be a great refreshment for your inner man.
Preparations are underway to carry out the many tasks that I have set before you. And do not underestimate any tasks given to you by Me. For this is for My glory and honor, and not for yours.
There will be times when, because of My love for you, I will need to lead you into great darkness.
It will be so huge that you will feel as if you are standing on the very edge of the earth, and death is waiting for you below. But always remember that I am still your Shepherd.
In the darkness you may not be able to see Me, but you have My eternal promise that I will never leave or forsake you. If you continue to trust in Me, even through times of darkness, I will once again flood your heart with such peace that you will be able to sit even in the midst of your enemies.
Your joy will be so great that it will overflow into the lives of other people. And as your reward, I will give great and important things into your life. And when you have accomplished everything that I have planned for you to do, I want you to go and live with Me forever and ever!
The most powerful psalms in Latin
For an Orthodox true believer, the psalms are an integral part of his life. Church ministers pay great attention to the correct pronunciation of Old Church Slavonic texts and accents in words, since it is considered a sin if a person distorts the words of a prayer.
From the history of Orthodoxy it is known that the very first psalms were in Latin
. Ancient Latin texts did not use punctuation marks. The first punctuation marks in the prayer texts of the psalms appeared only at the beginning of the 15th century.
In the texts presented in Russian there were not even gaps in words or divisions into segments.
The placement of stress in the psalms also had its own peculiarity. The rules for placing punctuation marks for different language variants have their own differences and features.
There are no such rules in Latin. Both in the Vulgate in Latin and in the Centuagint in Greek, the texts of the psalms most often do not have punctuation marks.
Only modern versions of the psalms are endowed with punctuation symbols.
Features of the Psalms in Latin
Pronunciation of Latin words when reading the psalms does not cause difficulties and is well learned by ear. In the Psalms in Latin
There is a feature of the language that is attractive to both the performer and the listener - it is precision and firmness.
The Latin alphabet consists of 25 letters, but the pronunciation of many of them varies depending on the combination of vowels and consonants in the word. There are rules of Latin phonetics that make it possible to correctly pronounce canonical Latin texts. In Latin, the combination of the letters "ae" and "oe" is pronounced "e".
It should be borne in mind that in Latin words the stress on the last syllable in the psalm is
not installed.
When performing a canonical text, this must be taken into account, otherwise, the emphasis on the last syllable may be provoked by the fact that the ending of the word will fall on the strong beat of the bar. In order to comply with the norms of the phonetic features of Latin words when reading, different symbols are used for stress marks in the psalms, signs for the brevity of sounds when softening consonants.
Thus, the comma at the top right denotes a softening of the vowel “l”, the letter “x” at the top left denotes a slight aspiration when pronouncing the vowel at the beginning of a syllable that begins with “h”, and the designation with the rounding of the lips of the sound “e” forms the vowel combination “oe” .
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Orthodox text in Russian Psalm 14
God! who can dwell in Your habitation? who can dwell on Your holy mountain? He who walks uprightly and does righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not slander with his tongue, does not do evil to his sincere, and does not accept reproach against his neighbor4 is the one in whose eyes the outcast is despised, but who glorifies those who fear the Lord; who swears, even to an evil person, and does not change; who does not give his silver at interest and does not accept gifts against the innocent. He who does this will never be shaken.
Christian text in Russian - Psalm 15
Protect me, O God, for I trust in You. I said to the Lord: You are my Lord; You don't need my blessings. To the saints who are on earth, and to Your wondrous ones - all my desire is for them.
Let the sorrows of those who flow to a foreign god multiply; I will not pour out their bloody drink offerings, nor will I remember their names with my lips. The Lord is part of my inheritance and my cup. You hold my lot. My lands have passed through beautiful places, and my heritage is pleasant to me.
I will bless the Lord, who gave me understanding; even at night my insides teach me. I have always seen the Lord before me, for He is at my right hand; I will not hesitate.
Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad; even my flesh will rest in hope, for You will not leave my soul in hell and will not allow Your saint to see corruption. You will show me the path of life: fullness of joys before Your face, bliss at Your right hand forever.
Psalter: Psalm 22 in Latin
Psalmus David Dominus reget me et nihil mihi deerit
In loco pascuae ibi me conlocavit super aquam refectionis educavit me
Animam meam convertit deduxit me super semitas iustitiae propter nomen suum
Nam et si ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt
Parasti in conspectu meo mensam adversus eos qui tribulant me inpinguasti in oleo caput meum et calix meus inebrians quam praeclarus est
Et misericordia tua subsequitur me omnibus diebus vitae meae et ut inhabitem in domo Domini in longitudinem dierum
English text: Psalm 23
A song of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He causes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even when I walk in the valley of darkness, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff - they comfort me.
You set a table before me in the presence of my advisors; You anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.
May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days.
Psalm 22 in Hebrew: text
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Is it possible to read a psalm as a prayer or listen
Psalm 22 from the Psalter can be read as the daily prayer Our Father, turning to the Lord, expressing by reading the verses prayers of thanksgiving to God for the good deeds.
You can listen to Psalm 22, but it is best to do it at home or in church in order to understand the full depth of the Holy words and grasp the meaning of the text of the prayer.
The number of times the prayer is said does not matter. God will hear the appeal the first time, will see the true soul of a person, his thoughts.
Using the text of Psalm 22
The verses of the psalm can often be heard in literary works; the words of a popular Christian text are used in computer games, music and cinema. Most popular films
- Van Helsing Frankenstein cries out a passage of prayer while escaping from the vampires.
- X-Men 2 aboard the X-Jet, Psalm 22 is read by Kurt Wagner at the moment of Jean Gray's death.
- In Lost, Mr. Eco reads a psalm in several episodes of the series.
- In the Titanic.
- In the Tree of Life.
- In the film Shepherd (directed by Scott Stewart).
- In Take My Soul. Penelope Bright recites a psalm before finding her classmate's corpse.
- In the famous TV series Ambulance.
- In the film The Book of Eli, the main character reads a fragment of a psalm to his companion Solara.
- In Sin City, a priest attempted to recite a psalm before Marv's execution.
- In Terminator. Let the savior come - the priest reads a psalm before the execution of Marcus.
The ancient Psalm 22 of King David of Judah is often quoted in the media. In music, prayer verses were used by F. Schubert, L. Bernstein, A. Dvorak.
Contents of Psalm 22, its main idea is a person’s plea for salvation from ridicule and torment coming from his enemies. In the last concluding verse, the person praying, as a rule, thanks the Lord for his salvation. Psalm 22 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I will not need anything” will definitely bring peace of mind, good luck to everyone who asks the Lord, and help in a difficult situation. Read, pray, and may God help you!
Using the Psalm in Worship
The psalms of King David and other authors served as the basis for church hymnography. This is a special form of conversation with the Lord. The words of the psalms, expressing gratitude and love for the Creator, still remain a prayer standard. It is impossible to imagine a single Orthodox service where psalms are not used. They are part of the life of Christians.
“The psalms of David are the songs of our soul; his prayerful voices and cries are the voices and cries of our spirit, suppressed by sin, oppressed by sorrows and misfortunes. Besides this, where will we find the best examples of prayers, supplications, thanksgivings, praises and glorifications of God, if not in the psalms of David? In the book of psalms, the whole human life, and spiritual dispositions and movements of thoughts are measured and described in words - and beyond what is depicted in it, nothing more can be found in a person” (St. Athanasius of Alexandria, 295-373).
Psalm 22 is included in the Follow-up to Holy Communion. Christians must prepare for this Sacrament not only physically (fasting, abstinence). Spiritual preparation is much more important. The words of the psalm help the believer to tune into the “spiritual wave.” This chant recalls the kind attitude of the Savior towards everyone, who laid down His life for the salvation of people.
“Stop here, sinful and despairing soul, stop, gather your fear-stricken spirit and strengthen yourself. You are a sinner, but the Lord “came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). You are weak, He is the doctor; you are darkness. He is light, and where should He shed His light, if not on those who sit “in darkness and the shadow of death” (Ps. 106:10)? You are dead. He is life; you are a prisoner of sin, He is your Redeemer. If you are subject to the wrath and condemnation of God, He is the sacrifice that propitiates justice; you are a lost sheep, He is the shepherd who left ninety-nine sheep and is looking for you” (Metropolitan of Moscow Platon Levshin, 1737-1812).
