Psalm 22's dramatic shift from "forsaken" (v.1) to "finished" (v.31) mirrors Jesus's crucifixion journey, with both Hebrew verbs appearing in his final words.
Psalms 22
My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8“He trusts in the LORD. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
9But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
10I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help.
12Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
17I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19But don’t be far off, LORD. You are my help. Hurry to help me!
20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
23You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
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.
25My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the LORD who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28For the kingdom is the LORD’s. He is the ruler over the nations.
29All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive.
30Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.
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Theme
Psalm 22 begins with the psalmist's anguished cry of abandonment by God, expressing deep suffering through vivid imagery of physical torment and social rejection. The psalm dramatically shifts from despair to hope as the psalmist recalls God's faithfulness to previous generations and anticipates divine deliverance. It concludes with a vision of universal worship and praise, transforming personal lament into cosmic celebration of God's righteousness and kingdom.
Context
This individual lament psalm stands out in the Psalter for its dramatic movement from deepest despair to cosmic hope, prefiguring themes that resonate throughout biblical literature.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Cry of Abandonment The psalmist expresses feeling forsaken by God despite Israel's history of divine deliverance
- 6-11 Humiliation and Mockery Description of being despised and mocked, yet remembering God's care from birth
- 12-18 Physical Suffering Vivid imagery of enemies as wild animals and detailed description of bodily anguish
- 19-21 Urgent Plea for Help Desperate appeal for God's immediate intervention and rescue from mortal danger
- 22-26 Vow of Praise Promise to declare God's name and lead worship in the assembly after deliverance
- 27-31 Universal Worship Vision of all nations turning to worship the LORD and future generations proclaiming His righteousness
My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
22:1–22:31 poetry lament anguished
A lament psalm beginning with feelings of abandonment and suffering, but transitioning to trust and praise, prophetically describing crucifixion-like suffering.
quotation_chain
Psalm 22's dramatic shift from "forsaken" (v.1) to "finished" (v.31) mirrors Jesus's crucifixion journey, with both Hebrew verbs appearing in his final words.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture