Psalms 22:15 (KJV)

What does Psalms 22:15 mean?

Psalms 22:15 describes a person who feels completely drained of strength and life, comparing himself to a broken piece of pottery and saying his tongue sticks to his mouth from thirst. The speaker believes God has allowed him to reach the very edge of death, feeling as low and powerless as dust.

King David is speaking in this psalm, expressing deep suffering and desperation. The verse uses vivid images to show just how weak and close to death he feels—his strength gone, his mouth dry, and his life seeming to slip away. This verse is part of a larger lament where David cries out to God in a time of intense distress.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 22:15

• "Strength" (כֹּחִי, kochi) refers to physical or inner power; here, David says even his basic vitality is gone.
• "Potsherd" (חֶרֶשׂ, cheres) means a broken piece of pottery, highlighting how fragile and dried out he feels—no longer whole or useful.
• "Cleaveth" (דָּבַק, davaq) means to stick or cling; David’s tongue is so parched it sticks to his jaws, a strong image of extreme thirst and helplessness.
• "Dust" (עָפָר, afar) is often used in Hebrew poetry to picture death or the grave, so being brought to the “dust of death” means feeling as close to dying as possible.

Why Psalms 22:15 matters

• This verse helps readers understand the depth of suffering described in Psalms 22, showing that the speaker is not just sad but feels physically and spiritually broken.
• The vivid images connect to the rest of the psalm, which many see as reflecting both David's own pain and pointing ahead to suffering in a wider sense.
• The language of being brought to the “dust of death” emphasizes how the speaker feels abandoned and at the very limit of human endurance, setting up the dramatic plea for help that follows.