Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help.
- KJV Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
- NKJV Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.
- NASB ¶Do not be far from me, for trouble is near; For there is no one to help.
- NLT Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
He pleads, 'Don't be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.' In his isolation he begs God to draw close.
Overview
The sufferer turns from reflection to urgent petition: trouble presses in and no human help is available, so he asks God not to remain distant. This cry from utter isolation captures the loneliness of suffering. It foreshadows the Messiah, who in his passion was abandoned by all yet entrusted himself to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ps 71:12Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.
- Ps 10:1Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
- John 16:32“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
- Ps 72:12For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
- Heb 5:7During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
- Ps 38:21Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.
- Ps 142:4–6Look to my right and see; no one attends to me. There is no refuge for me; no one cares for my soul.
- Ps 35:22O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
- Ps 69:1–2For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Isa 63:5I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled that no one assisted. So My arm brought Me salvation, and My own wrath upheld Me.
- Matt 26:56But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
- Ps 13:1–3For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
- Ps 69:18Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.
- 2 Kgs 14:26For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel,
- Deut 32:36For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.
- Matt 26:74At that he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
- Matt 26:72And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 22:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.