Psalm 22:13
New International Version
Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.

New Living Translation
Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey.

English Standard Version
they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

Berean Standard Bible
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.

King James Bible
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

New King James Version
They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.

New American Standard Bible
They open their mouths wide at me, As a ravening and roaring lion.

NASB 1995
They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

NASB 1977
They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

Legacy Standard Bible
They open wide their mouth at me, As a lion that tears and roars.

Amplified Bible
They open wide their mouths against me, Like a ravening and a roaring lion.

Christian Standard Bible
They open their mouths against me — lions, mauling and roaring.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They open their mouths against me— lions, mauling and roaring.

American Standard Version
They gape upon me with their mouth, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

Contemporary English Version
My enemies are like lions roaring and attacking with jaws open wide.

English Revised Version
They gape upon me with their mouth, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They have opened their mouths to attack me like ferocious, roaring lions.

Good News Translation
They open their mouths like lions, roaring and tearing at me.

International Standard Version
Their mouths are opened wide toward me, like roaring and attacking lions.

Majority Standard Bible
They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.

NET Bible
They open their mouths to devour me like a roaring lion that rips its prey.

New Heart English Bible
They open their mouths wide against me, like lions tearing prey and roaring.

Webster's Bible Translation
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

World English Bible
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They have opened their mouth against Me, "" A lion tearing and roaring.

Young's Literal Translation
They have opened against me their mouth, A lion tearing and roaring.

Smith's Literal Translation
They opened their mouth upon me, a lion rending and roaring.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They have opened their mouths over me, just like a lion seizing and roaring.

New American Bible
They open their mouths against me, lions that rend and roar.

New Revised Standard Version
they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Their mouths snarl against me, as a ravening and roaring lion.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They opened their mouths against me like a lion that roars and plunders.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They open wide their mouth against me, As a ravening and a roaring lion.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They have opened their mouth against me, as a ravening and roaring lion.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Psalm of the Cross
12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul. 14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.…

Cross References
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

Matthew 27:39-44
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ...

Mark 15:29-32
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, / come down from the cross and save Yourself!” / In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! ...

Luke 23:35-39
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” / The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” ...

John 19:28-30
After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” / A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth. / When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Revelation 12:15
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.

Job 16:9-10
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. / They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

Lamentations 3:46
All our enemies open their mouths against us.

Micah 5:1
Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

Isaiah 49:7
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”

Psalm 35:21
They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”

Psalm 57:4
My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

Psalm 58:6
O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.

Psalm 3:7
Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.


Treasury of Scripture

They gaped on me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

gaped.

Psalm 22:7
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

Job 16:10
They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

Lamentations 2:16
All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

as a

Psalm 22:21
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Psalm 7:2
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

Psalm 17:12
Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

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Psalm 22
1. David complains in great discouragement
9. He prays in great distress
23. He praises God














They open their jaws against me
This phrase vividly portrays the aggression and hostility faced by the psalmist. The Hebrew word for "open" (פָּעַר, pa'ar) suggests a wide, gaping action, indicating an overwhelming threat. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the image of an open mouth often symbolized impending danger or destruction. The psalmist feels surrounded by enemies who are ready to devour him, much like a predator with its prey. This imagery is prophetic, foreshadowing the suffering of Christ, who faced similar hostility from His adversaries.

like lions
Lions in biblical times were symbols of power and ferocity. The Hebrew word for "lion" (אַרְיֵה, aryeh) is often used in Scripture to depict strength and fearlessness. Lions were known to be the apex predators of the region, and their roar could instill fear in both man and beast. By comparing his enemies to lions, the psalmist emphasizes their strength and the terror they inspire. This metaphor also highlights the psalmist's vulnerability, as he stands defenseless against such formidable foes.

that roar
The roaring of a lion is a powerful auditory symbol of dominance and intimidation. The Hebrew verb for "roar" (שָׁאַג, sha'ag) conveys a sense of loud, fearsome noise. In the context of the psalm, this roar represents the verbal assaults and threats from the psalmist's enemies. Historically, roaring was a way for lions to communicate their presence and assert control over their territory. Similarly, the psalmist's adversaries use their voices to assert dominance and instill fear.

and maul
The act of mauling suggests a violent and brutal attack. The Hebrew word used here (טָרַף, taraph) means to tear apart or rend. This conveys not just physical violence but also the emotional and spiritual anguish experienced by the psalmist. In the broader biblical narrative, this mauling can be seen as a metaphor for the trials and tribulations faced by the righteous. It reflects the suffering of Christ, who was metaphorically "torn apart" by the sins of humanity and the cruelty of His persecutors.

(13) Ravening.--Literally, tearing in pieces. (Comp. Lamentations 2:15-16; Lamentations 3:10.)

Roaring.--Comp. Amos 3:4.

Verse 13. - They gaped upon me with their mouths. One metaphor is superseded by another. Fierce and threatening as bulls, the adversaries are ravenous as lions. They "gape with their mouths," eager to devour, ready to spring on the prey and crush it in their monstrous jaws. As a ravening and a roaring lion. The tumult and noise made by those who demanded our Lord's death are noted by the evangelist, περισσῶς ἔκραζον - θόρυβος γίνεται (Matthew 27:23, 24).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They open
פָּצ֣וּ (pā·ṣū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6475: To rend, open

their jaws
פִּיהֶ֑ם (pî·hem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

against me
עָלַ֣י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

like lions
אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה (’ar·yêh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 738: A lion

that roar
וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃ (wə·šō·’êḡ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7580: To rumble, moan

and maul.
טֹרֵ֥ף (ṭō·rêp̄)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2963: To pluck off, pull to pieces, to supply with food


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OT Poetry: Psalm 22:13 They open their mouths wide against me (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 22:12
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