Nearly a thousand years before Jesus ever walked the earth, Psalm 22 was written by King David, during a cry of deep anguish.
It sounds like the desperate prayer of a suffering man, but it was so much more! As you lean in, something unexplainable begins to unfold. The language becomes too specific, too vivid, too aligned with the crucifixion for us not to take note. This writing begins with words that most Christians find familiar, but may not understand the parallel: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Ok... so what’s the parallel? Well, to start, these are the exact words Jesus cried out on the cross (Matthew 27:46). And in that moment, all those years later, Jesus wasn’t just expressing agony, as it might seem in retrospect. Until this moment, none of scripture points to a breakdown, a display of weakness... no crying, no screaming...
And then, He cried out. And in doing so, fulfilled prophesy. In this act, He was pointing directly back to the specific Psalm of David, revealing to all that this was, in fact, what was happening at that very moment, right before their very eyes.
This very prophesy had been written long, long before. And all the Jewish audience who might have been within ear shot, knew exactly the point that Jesus was saying.
Back in the time of Jesus, believers didn’t have chapter and verse numbers like we do today. Those were added more recently (chapters around the 1200s, verses even later). So when people referenced Scripture, they didn't (couldn't) refer to “Psalm 22:1” ... instead, they would quote a recognizable line, usually the opening line, to point listeners to the remainder of the passage. Listeners would recognize these things, because this was the practice and most believers were very well versed in scripture.
Think of it like how someone today might say, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…”, it isn’t necessary to quote the entire song, if you are familiar with it, your mind fills in the rest.
So people knew immediately what Jesus was doing... what He was pointing toward. So in this one line alone, Jesus is doing two things at once:
Being authentic to the actual weight of what He was experiencing
Boldly declaring, “This is that event… this is the fulfillment.”
As the Psalm continues, the parallels between the two instances grow even more telling. David writes: “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.” (Psalm 22:7)
This also is unfolded exactly this way at the cross. The crowd mocked Jesus, the religious leaders sneered, and even those passing by hurled insults (Matthew 27:39–43). Then comes one of the most precise and revealing details of the Psalm... “They have pierced my hands and my feet.” (Psalm 22:16)
Here’s the kicker... crucifixion hadn’t even been invented in David’s time, no one even knew what it was, yet written there, by David, a clear description was provided. Jesus’ hands and feet were literally pierced as He was nailed to the cross. Then, the prophesy continues further still...“They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:18)
This exact detail played out beneath the cross as Roman soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothing (John 19:23–24). Coincidence? How could it be?? By all accounts, this was humanly impossible to fabricate or forecast; the ONLY explanation is divine orchestration.
The best news of Psalm 22 is that while it begins in suffering, abandonment, and darkness, it certainly doesn’t end there; it turns into victory: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord.” (Psalm 22:27) Redemption was foretold, and not just for Israel, but for all nations. For you. For me.
Even though it may not have been understood then, Psalm 22 gave us a glimpse at the plan of redemption long before Jesus had ever been revealed.
The suffering was seen.
The sacrifice was written.
The victory was coming.
And because of the cross, what was once a destined cry of despair, became a declaration of hope!
"...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” -Revelation 13:8
~ Devin
Devin Osborne