I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes the complete dissolution of the speaker's physical and emotional being, not just through external attack but through an internal breakdown. The phrase "all my bones are out of joint" suggests a feeling of utter powerlessness and a sense that his very frame is coming apart, mirroring an intense internal collapse beyond mere physical suffering.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist describes an overwhelming sense of physical and emotional breakdown, moving from the external threat of enemies to the internal collapse of his own body. He feels utterly weakened, as if his very frame is falling apart and his heart is dissolving from fear and grief, facing a crushing despair. This imagery paints a picture of extreme vulnerability, anticipating severe suffering.
Ever felt like you're coming apart at the seams? This verse paints a vivid picture of complete physical and emotional breakdown.
The psalmist uses intense imagery to describe a state of total prostration and exhaustion. He's not just sad; he feels like he's physically dissolving.
Why would someone describe their suffering in such extreme, almost surreal, terms? This verse points to a deeper, divine purpose.
While the language is incredibly personal and visceral, Psalm 22 is a prophetic cry that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The psalmist's experience, and Christ's suffering, wasn't random or meaningless.
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Understand the original words
shaphak · Hebrew Verb
A metaphor for complete loss of physical strength, stability, or control; suggesting a state of total vulnerability or death.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The vital organ representing the center of human intellect, will, emotions, and moral character; in Scripture, it is the seat of the soul's inner life.
This psalm vividly describes intense physical suffering and emotional despair. While David may have penned it from his own trials, Christians have long seen in its detailed anguish a prophetic picture of the suffering of Jesus Christ during His crucifixion.
c. 1000 BC
David's Reign as King of Israel
The psalms are traditionally attributed to King David, a period of significant political and religious development in ancient Israel.
c. 1000-930 BC
Northern Kingdom (Israel) and Southern Kingdom (Judah)
Following David's reign and Solomon's death, the united kingdom split, leading to ongoing conflict and alliances with surrounding empires.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Kingdom
The powerful Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many inhabitants and scattering the ten tribes.
c. 605 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II began its conquest of Judah, leading to the first deportation of Judeans, including Daniel.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling the majority of the population to Babylon.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, allowing the Judean exiles to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple.
c. 30 BC - AD 33— this verse
First Century AD Judea
This period saw Roman occupation of Judea, a time of intense religious and political expectation, and the life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus.
This passage echoes the profound distress and physical weakening described in Psalms 22, speaking of the 'bowels' being poured out like water and strength failing.
John 19:34While not a direct quote, the piercing of Jesus' side after his death, leading to the flowing of blood and water, can be seen as a fulfillment of the 'poured out like water' imagery, signifying the total outpouring of his life.
Mark 14:33-34Jesus' own words in the Garden of Gethsemane, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,' reflect a similar internal melting and distress described by the Psalmist, indicating a shared experience of profound anguish.
Hebrews 5:7This verse directly references Jesus' prayers 'with loud cries and tears' and his 'fear,' which aligns with the intense emotional and physical breakdown depicted in Psalms 22, showing the human depth of his suffering.
ellicottPsalms 22:14: "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels."
(14) The state of hopeless prostration into which the victim of these terrible foes is brought could not be more powerfully described. It is a state of entire dissolution. Again Lamentations 2:2 offers a close parallel. Out of joint.—Perhaps, better, stand out as in a state of emaciation. (Comp. Psalm 22:17.) Literally, separate themselves. In other places…
pulpitPsalms 22:14: "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels."
Verse 14. - I am poured out like water (comp. Psalm 58:7; 2 Samuel 14:14). The exact meaning is uncertain; but extreme' weakness and exhaustion, something like utter prostration, seems to be indicated. And all my bones are out of joint. The strain of the body suspended on the cross would all but dislocate the joints of the arms, and would be felt in every…
The verse emphasizes the complete dissolution of the speaker's physical and emotional being, not just through external attack but through an internal breakdown. The phrase "all my bones are out of joint" suggests a feeling of utter powerlessness and a sense that his very frame is coming apart, mirroring an intense internal collapse beyond mere physical suffering.
The psalmist describes an overwhelming sense of physical and emotional breakdown, moving from the external threat of enemies to the internal collapse of his own body. He feels utterly weakened, as if his very frame is falling apart and his heart is dissolving from fear and grief, facing a crushing despair. This imagery paints a picture of extreme vulnerability, anticipating severe suffering.
The psalmist describes an overwhelming sense of physical and emotional breakdown, moving from the external threat of enemies to the internal collapse of his own body. He feels utterly weakened, as if his very frame is falling apart and his heart is dissolving from fear and grief, facing a crushing despair. This imagery paints a picture of extreme vulnerability, anticipating severe suffering.
"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;" — The verse emphasizes the complete dissolution of the speaker's physical and emotional being, not just through external attack but through an internal breakdown. The phrase "all my bones are out of jo…
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Last reviewed October 2026