תהלים, פרק כ״ב, פסוק ב׳

A profound cry echoes from the depths of isolation, capturing the despair of a hunted individual who feels entirely abandoned by God. In this moment of deep distress, the sufferer feels as though his prayers are no longer worthy of an answer [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that King David offers this prayer regarding the future, speaking from the perspective of the exiled nation of Israel. Although the thoughts are framed in the singular, they voice the collective pain of the entire nation, which suffers through exile as a single entity with one heart [רש״י, רד״ק, מאירי]. In contrast, rabbinic tradition attributes these words to Queen Esther. As she entered the inner courtyard of the king and approached the house of idols, the Divine Presence suddenly left her. In that terrifying moment, she cried out, questioning her abandonment. She wondered if God was judging her for actions she was forced to commit as though she had done them willingly, or if she was being punished for previously referring to the king as a dog [תורה תמימה]. She expressed her deep anguish that God, who had remained with her even amidst the impurity of the palace, chose to leave her at the exact, fateful moment when the salvation of the Israelites depended on her. She feared that she would perish and that deliverance would have to arise from another source [אלשיך].

The desperate repetition of calling out to God is characteristic of someone in immense trouble crying for help [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מאירי]. This repetition highlights the painful contrast between the past and the present, asking why God, who has always been a reliable rock and fortress, has suddenly turned away [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

This feeling of abandonment goes beyond a mere lack of rescue; it represents a profound concealment of God's presence. The sufferer laments that God has distanced Himself so much that He is not only too far to save, but seemingly too far to even hear the desperate cries, as if He is completely unaware of the trouble [מלבי״ם]. Commentators offer different perspectives on the nature of these cries. Some explain that the desperate roaring is simply the prayer itself, asking why God remains so distant from bringing salvation [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Others suggest that the prayers themselves are far from being heard, reflecting the agonizingly long duration of the exile [מאירי, רש״י]. Ultimately, the description of these prayers as a roar captures the raw humanity of the speaker, who channels a wild, bursting, animalistic pain through human speech [אבן עזרא].