Go to Related Reading
About this book

LXX Psalms

Septuagint

About this book
Psalm 21

1 For the end, concerning the morning aid, a Psalm of David. 2 God, my God, attend to me: why have you forsaken me? the account of my transgressions is far from my salvation.⁠ 3 my God, I will cry to you by day, but you will not hear: and by night, and it shall not be accounted for folly to me. 4 But you, the praise of Israel, dwell in a sanctuary. 5 Our fathers hoped in you; they hoped, and you delivered them. 6 They cried to you, and were saved: they hoped in you, and were not ashamed. 7 But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men, and scorn of the people.⁠ 8 All that saw me mocked me: they spoke with their lips, they shook the head, saying, 9 He hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him, let him save him, because he takes pleasure in him.⁠ 10 For you are he that drew me out of the womb; my hope from my mother's breasts. 11 I was cast on you from the womb: you are my God from my mother's belly. 12 Do not stand aloof from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper. 13 Many bullocks have surrounded me: fat bulls have beset me round. 14 They have opened their mouth against me, as a ravening and roaring lion. 15 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly has become like melting wax. 16 My strength is dried up, like a potsherd; and my tongue is glued to my throat; and you have brought me down to the dust of death. 17 For many dogs have surrounded me: the assembly of the wicked doers has beset me round: they pierced my hands and my feet.⁠ 18 I counted all my bones; and they observed and looked upon me. 19 They parted my garments among themselves, and cast lots upon my clothing. 20 But you, Lord, do not remove my help afar off: be ready for my aid. 21 Deliver my soul from the sword; my only-begotten one from the power of the dog. 22 Save me from the lion's mouth;⁠ and regard my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns. 23 I will declare your name to my brothers: in the midst of the church I will sing praise to you. 24 You that fear the Lord, praise him; all you seed of Jacob, glorify him: let all the seed of Israel fear him. 25 For he has not despised nor been angry at the plea of the poor; nor turned away his face from me; but when I cried to him, he heard me. 26 My praise is of you in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before those that fear him. 27 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their heart shall live for ever. 28 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord: and all the kindred of the nations shall worship before you. 29 For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he is the governor of the nations. 30 All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and worshiped: all that go down to the earth shall fall down before him: my soul also lives to him. 31 And my seed shall serve him: the generation that is coming shall be reported to the Lord. 32 And they shall report his righteousness to the people that shall be born, whom the Lord has made.

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Psalms 21:7 and Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 16:15

Septuagint · Early Christian

Share:

Summary

In 1 Clement, the author introduces a quotation from Psalm 22 in the Greek Septuagint translation as something Jesus himself says, treating the psalm as the voice of Jesus, who describes in his own person how he was mocked and humiliated.

Passages

LXX Psalms 21:7

Septuagint
5 Our fathers hoped in you; they hoped, and you delivered them. 6 They cried to you, and were saved: they hoped in you, and were not ashamed. 7 But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men, and scorn of the people. 8 All that saw me mocked me: they spoke with their lips, they shook the head, saying, 9 He hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him, let him save him, because he takes pleasure in him. 10 For you are he that drew me out of the womb; my hope from my mother's breasts.
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Psalms

Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 16:15

Early Christian · First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
14 “and He bore the sins of many, and for their sins He was delivered up.” 15 And again He Himself says; “But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and an outcast of the people.” 16 “All who saw me mocked me; they spoke with their lips, they wagged their heads, saying, ‘He hoped in the Lord; let Him deliver him, or let Him save him, for He desires him.’” 17 You see, dear friends, what the pattern is that has been given to us; for if the Lord was so humble, what should we do, who through Him have been brought under the yoke of His grace?
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Clement of Rome, 1 Clement

References

“... Christ is of supreme importance for Clement (1 Clem. 13.1-2). The OT speaks of Christ (e.g., Is 53 in 1 Clem. 16.2; cf. 1 Clem. 17.1 of other prophets and the passages quoted in 1 Clem. 36); and Christ himself speaks in the OT, especially the Psalms (1 Clem. 16.15-16, quoting Ps 21:7–9; and 1 Clem. 22.1, “He himself through the Holy Spirit exhorted us,” followed by Ps 33:12–18 and 31:10 LXX). ...”
Ralph P. Martin and Peter H. Davids, eds., Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1997), 1197.
“... Clement quotes all of Isaiah 53:1–12 and Psalm 22:6–8 to depict the humiliation of Christ (1 Clem. 16.16) and concludes with the question, If Christ was so humble in spirit what else could his followers be? (1 Clem. 16.17). Not content to end there, Clement launches into a long roll call of “pioneers in humility,” a list that includes Abraham, Job and Moses (1 Clem. 17), David (1 Clem. 18), Jacob (1 Clem. 31.4), and Esther (1 Clem. 55.6-7). ...”
Ralph P. Martin and Peter H. Davids, eds., Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1997), 1377.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Your feedback

LXX Psalms 21:7 and Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 16:15

Leave a comment

Your questions and comments are welcome!

Comments

Glossary

Search the Library