Psalm 22

1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2. O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8. He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
10. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
11. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19. But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21. Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.
29. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalm 22 is a deeply poignant and prophetic psalm that vividly depicts the suffering and eventual triumph of the Messiah. It begins with the cry of anguish familiar to Christians as the words Jesus uttered on the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This cry of abandonment underscores the intense suffering experienced by the speaker, yet it also points to the ultimate victory and redemption to come.

The psalmist expresses feelings of abandonment and despair, recounting the mockery and persecution they endure. Despite their distress, they acknowledge God’s holiness and past faithfulness to their ancestors. They cry out for deliverance, recalling God’s providential care from birth and pleading for rescue from their enemies.

The psalmist’s suffering is described vividly, with imagery of physical and emotional agony. They feel isolated and vulnerable, surrounded by enemies likened to bulls and lions. Yet, amidst their suffering, they maintain trust in God’s faithfulness and plead for His intervention.

As the psalm progresses, there is a shift from lament to confidence in God’s deliverance. The psalmist declares their intention to praise God publicly and encourages others to join in worship. They anticipate a future generation that will continue to proclaim God’s righteousness and sovereignty.

Ultimately, Psalm 22 foreshadows the redemptive work of Christ. Through His suffering and death, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies contained in this psalm, triumphing over sin and death to bring salvation to humanity. This psalm serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering and points forward to the hope found in Christ’s victory.