Psalms 22:7
All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 22:7
All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The text doesn't just say people are mocking; it describes specific physical gestures—"shooting out the lip" and "wagging their heads." These aren't just random insults, but common, ancient expressions of utter contempt and derision, painting a vivid picture of profound public humiliation.
The Psalmist, feeling utterly abandoned and despised, describes the utter humiliation he faces. People not only witness his suffering but actively mock and ridicule him, making faces and shaking their heads in contempt. This passage is famously applied to Jesus on the cross, where bystanders reviled him with these very gestures and words.
Imagine standing before a crowd, not just hearing insults, but seeing them physically expressed. What does that feel like?
The verse describes specific actions: 'making mouths' (literally, opening wide the mouth, sometimes with the tongue protruded) and 'wagging heads.' These weren't subtle jabs; they were public displays of intense scorn and mockery.
These physical actions amplified the verbal taunts, creating a suffocating atmosphere of humiliation.
This ancient psalm speaks of suffering, but who does it point to most powerfully? And how did His enemies act out these very words?
While David penned these words out of his own deep distress, the New Testament shows us how Psalm 22 is a profound prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
This psalm, often seen as a profound prophecy of the suffering Messiah, captures the deep anguish of someone utterly forsaken. The surrounding historical events, from David's own troubled reign to the nation's exiles and the ultimate suffering of Christ, all echo this cry of abandonment and the desperate hope for divine intervention.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign as King of Israel
Psalms are traditionally attributed to David, the second king of Israel. This period was marked by both military successes and periods of intense personal suffering and opposition.
c. 970 BC
Solomon's Temple Construction Begins
David's son Solomon began building the First Temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship and national identity for Israel. This psalm reflects deep personal anguish, contrasting with the worship celebrated there.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of many Israelites. This event heightened the sense of vulnerability and divine abandonment for the remaining kingdom of Judah.
609 BC
Josiah's Reforms and Death
King Josiah enacted religious reforms based on rediscovered Law, but was killed in battle. This period saw a brief renewal of faith followed by political instability and foreshadowed future judgment.
This passage directly quotes and applies the imagery of Psalm 22:7 to the mockery Jesus endured on the cross, showing the prophetic fulfillment.
Luke 23:35Luke's account of Jesus on the cross uses the same Greek word found in the Septuagint translation of Psalm 22:7 to describe the rulers mocking Him, highlighting the shared theme of derision.
Psalm 35:21This verse echoes the imagery of enemies mocking the psalmist by 'opening their mouths wide' against him, presenting a similar depiction of scornful opposition.
Job 16:10Job describes similar outward expressions of mockery from his adversaries, using the image of them 'gaping' or 'shooting out the lip' in derision, showing this is a common human expression of contempt.
Isaiah 53:3This prophecy describes the suffering servant as 'despised and rejected by mankind,' a thematic parallel to the intense public scorn depicted in Psalm 22:7.
pulpitPsalms 22:7: "All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,"
Verse 7. - All they that see me laugh me to scorn; ἐξεμυκτήρισάν με, LXX. (comp. Luke 23:35, "The people stood beholding;and the rulers also with them derided him (ἐξεμυκτήριζον)"). They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying (see Matthew 27:39; Mark 15:29: "They that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads," where the expression of the Septuagint is again used).
poolePsalms 22:7: "All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,"
Laugh me to scorn; instead of pitying or helping, deride me, and insult over me; such is their inhumanity. They shoot out the lip; they gape with their mouths, and put forth their tongues, in mockery. See Job 16:10 Isaiah 57:4 . They shake the head; another posture of scoffers. See Job 16:4 Psalm 44:14 Isaiah 37:22 . This and the next verse are applied to Christ, Matthew 27:39,43 . Saying…
The text doesn't just say people are mocking; it describes specific physical gestures—"shooting out the lip" and "wagging their heads." These aren't just random insults, but common, ancient expressions of utter contempt and derision, painting a vivid picture of profound public humiliation.
The Psalmist, feeling utterly abandoned and despised, describes the utter humiliation he faces. People not only witness his suffering but actively mock and ridicule him, making faces and shaking their heads in contempt. This passage is famously applied to Jesus on the cross, where bystanders reviled him with these very gestures and words.
The Psalmist, feeling utterly abandoned and despised, describes the utter humiliation he faces. People not only witness his suffering but actively mock and ridicule him, making faces and shaking their heads in contempt. This passage is famously applied to Jesus on the cross, where bystanders reviled him with these very gestures and words.
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586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and First Temple
The Babylonian Empire destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling much of the population. This was a catastrophic national trauma, raising profound questions about God's faithfulness and presence.
c. 500 BC
Post-Exilic Period and Temple Reconstruction
Following the return from Babylonian exile, the Second Temple was built. This era was characterized by a renewed emphasis on the Law and a deep longing for messianic deliverance.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The New Testament explicitly connects Jesus' suffering with this psalm, viewing his mockery and abandonment on the cross as a direct fulfillment of the prophetic lament.
"All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;" — The text doesn't just say people are mocking; it describes specific physical gestures—"shooting out the lip" and "wagging their heads." These aren't just random insults, but common, ancient expressio…