“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The enemies' taunt, "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him," is more than just a mocking question; it's a dismissal of the sufferer's relationship with God. They twist his genuine trust, literally the act of "rolling his cares" onto God, into a boast that God's delight in him is now proven hollow.
“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes as the Psalmist is describing his intense suffering and feeling abandoned, even by God, contrasting his desperate state with God's faithfulness to Israel's ancestors. His enemies mockingly seize on his expressed trust in God, daring God to rescue him if He truly delights in him, a scene famously fulfilled at the cross where Jesus's accusers hurled these very words at Him.
The original Hebrew behind Psalm 22:8 has a rich meaning that goes beyond a simple statement of trust. It speaks to a deep, active reliance.
The verse begins with the enemies mocking the suffering individual's trust in God. The Hebrew word translated here as "He trusts" literally means "he rolls." This isn't a passive trust, but an active, intentional act of "rolling" one's burdens, cares, and entire life onto God. It's like taking a heavy load and deliberately handing it over, entrusting it completely to another's care.
Imagine trying to carry an impossibly heavy boulder. You can strain and struggle, or you can find a way to roll it down a hill, letting gravity and the terrain do the work. This is the picture the Hebrew paints – an active relinquishing of control and an active placement of trust.
The enemies twist this act of deep reliance into a foolish pretense. They mock the idea that someone would "roll" their troubles onto God, especially when they appear to be in such desperate straits. Their taunt is, "He acted like he handed everything over to God, let's see if God actually takes it!"
Those mocking the suffering servant in Psalm 22 were unknowingly speaking profound prophetic truth about the Messiah.
The enemies' words in Psalm 22:8 are laced with sarcasm and contempt. They scoff at the idea that God would intervene, repeating the taunt "let him deliver him, let him rescue him." Their intention is to highlight the apparent abandonment of the suffering person.
What they don't realize is that their mockery becomes a prophetic declaration fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The New Testament explicitly quotes this verse in the context of the crucifixion (Matthew 27:43). The religious leaders, looking at Jesus suffering on the cross, used these very words to deride Him.
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Their scorn was blind to the deeper reality: that Jesus' suffering and death were precisely God's way of delivering and rescuing humanity. The "delight" God had in His Son was not based on Jesus' ease, but on His obedience through suffering. The enemies saw only abandonment; God saw the fulfillment of His redemptive plan, a plan that involved His Son's complete trust and eventual rescue from death.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel, signifying His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithfulness to His people.
batach · Hebrew Verb
To rely completely upon God's character, promises, and power; it involves a relational commitment and firm confidence in the face of circumstances.
natsal · Hebrew Verb
To set free or preserve from danger, distress, or enemies; it frequently describes God’s intervention on behalf of those who are weak or oppressed.
chaphets · Hebrew Verb
To find great pleasure or favor in someone; in a theological sense, it often refers to God's sovereign choice and affectionate regard for His people.
While traditionally linked to King David's suffering, this verse gained immense prophetic weight when the taunts of Jesus' mockers at the cross directly echoed its words, revealing a deeper, messianic suffering.
c. 1000 BC
Reign of King David
Traditionally attributed author of Psalm 22, this period saw Israel consolidated as a kingdom, with David facing numerous personal and political trials.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile begins
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple led to a period of deep national distress and reflection for the Jewish people, a context for the Psalms' laments.
c. 3rd Century BC
Septuagint Translation
The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek, including Psalm 22. This translation influenced how the text was later quoted.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
The Gospel accounts record that onlookers at Jesus' crucifixion taunted him using words remarkably similar to Psalm 22:8, highlighting the verse's prophetic significance.
This passage directly quotes and applies Psalm 22:8 to Jesus on the cross, showing the enemies of God's Anointed mocking His trust in the Father during His suffering.
Psalm 37:5This verse uses the same Hebrew root translated as 'roll' or 'commit,' emphasizing the act of entrusting one's way and burdens to the Lord, a concept scornfully distorted by the enemies in Psalm 22:8.
Isaiah 53:7This prophecy describes the suffering Servant, like the psalmist, as being led to slaughter and not opening His mouth, a picture of silent endurance that aligns with the scornful accusations of abandonment in Psalm 22:8.
This passage mirrors the taunts directed at the righteous man by the ungodly, who mock his claim of divine sonship and challenge God to deliver him, paralleling the scorn faced by the psalmist and Christ.
pulpitPsalms 22:8: "He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."
Verse 8. - He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him. This is a translation of the Septuagint Version rather than of the Hebrew text, which runs, Trust in the Lord (literally, Roll [thy care] upon the Lord): let him deliver him. Let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. St. Matthew has put it on record that this text was actually cited by the scribes and elders who wit…
poolePsalms 22:8: "He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."
He trusted on the Lord; he rolled himself upon the Lord; where they seem to scoff not only at the thing, but at the expression. Their sense is, He pretended that he did wholly lean, and rest himself, and cast his cares upon God, and quietly and confidently commit all his affairs to his providence, assuring himself of a happy issue from him. That he would deliver him; or, without any…
The enemies' taunt, "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him," is more than just a mocking question; it's a dismissal of the sufferer's relationship with God. They twist his genuine trust, literally the act of "rolling his cares" onto God, into a boast that God's delight in him is now proven hollow.
This passage comes as the Psalmist is describing his intense suffering and feeling abandoned, even by God, contrasting his desperate state with God's faithfulness to Israel's ancestors. His enemies mockingly seize on his expressed trust in God, daring God to rescue him if He truly delights in him, a scene famously fulfilled at the cross where Jesus's accusers hurled these very words at Him.
This passage comes as the Psalmist is describing his intense suffering and feeling abandoned, even by God, contrasting his desperate state with God's faithfulness to Israel's ancestors. His enemies mockingly seize on his expressed trust in God, daring God to rescue him if He truly delights in him, a scene famously fulfilled at the cross where Jesus's accusers hurled these very words at Him.
"“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”" — The enemies' taunt, "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him," is more than just a mocking question; it's a dismissal of the sufferer's relationship with God. They twist his genuine trust, literal…
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Last reviewed October 2026