Psalms 22:24For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~1000 BC. David reflecting after deliverance from near-death experience, possibly after fleeing from Saul or during Absalom's rebellion. Jerusalem area, Israel.
The emotion here: overwhelmed relief after feeling completely abandoned
The original word
sha'ah (שָׁעָה) — to gaze upon with attention, not just casual looking
Why it matters
This psalm was so well-known that Jesus only needed to quote verse 1 for listeners to recall the entire progression from suffering to victory
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 22:24
The Hebrew 'afflicted' appears twice - God doesn't despise the affliction OR the afflicted person
Common misconceptionPeople think this means God prevents suffering, but David is saying God doesn't turn away FROM people IN their suffering - He stays present through it.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 22:24
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 22:24 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 22:24 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 90% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include God's faithfulness, answered prayer, divine compassion. Notable phrases: has not despised; when he cried to him, he heard.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Psalms 22:24 mean to you, today?
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