Prophecies Fulfilled: Psalm 22
During His darkest hours, Jesus could have said anything on the cross, and yet He chose to dwell on the Psalms. As He hung on the cross, He uttered four words: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). Those four words translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” are found directly in Psalm 22:1.
I love discovering that Jesus recited part of a Psalm as He cried out to God in His final moments. It’s particularly impactful to me as of late, because I’ve been reading and studying the Psalms with a group of friends. The Psalms give us such an amazing example of how we can pray: from lamenting, to praising, to thanksgiving, and more. This was exactly why I chose to study this book of the Bible further; I wanted to grow in my prayer life. Clearly, if Jesus uses the Psalms to help Him pray, so should I!
Clearly, if Jesus uses the Psalms to help Him pray, so should I!
Psalm 22 was written by David about one thousand years before Jesus was born, and prophetically describes what happened during His crucifixion. For instance, in Psalm 22:7, it says, “All who see me, mock me” relating directly to Matthew 27:41-42, “So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.” In verse 18, David describes casting lots for His clothing, which is then described in Matthew 27:35 as the Roman soldiers do this very thing to Jesus.
Then, in Psalm 22:14-16, we read how He is poured out like water, His bones are out of joint, and His heart is like wax. It even mentions piercing His hands and feet. This description accurately describes what a crucifixion puts the body through. The crazy part? David probably didn’t even know what a crucifixion was, as it had yet to be invented! David would have no idea what happens to a body hanging on a cross. It’s amazing to me that God chose to give such specific details to David.
The crazy part? David probably didn’t even know what a crucifixion was, as it had yet to be invented!
The Psalms take a turn, though, starting in verse 19. It isn’t just a lament of the agony of what Jesus went through. Instead, it turns to asking God for help and praising His name. In verses 22 and 23, it says, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!”
When Jesus recites the first verse of this Psalm on the cross, He did so in a way that would help believers recall the entire Psalm. Something I’ve been learning is oftentimes New Testament authors understood many of their readers knew and loved their Old Testament. They only had to quote a little piece of the Scripture to bring to mind the entire passage. Jesus did the same. When He cried out, asking God why He was forsaken, He was drawing the crowd into Psalm 22. He wanted them to recall all of the chapter. I like to think that as people sat in those few days after Christ’s death, scared and wondering what was to happen next, they read Psalm 22 and found hope. They could see the crucifixion prophecy had been fulfilled, which meant all the prophecies about His resurrection were also soon to come!
“We can grieve to the Lord. We are allowed to be raw and honest with God in the hardest of times, but we also need to remember who He is.”
This insight into what Christ was thinking and saying as He took on our sins and separation from God, so we could in turn have eternal life, is so encouraging to me. We can grieve to the Lord. We are allowed to be raw and honest with God in the hardest of times, but we also need to remember who He is. This Psalm shows me in the same breaths that we lament, we can also praise the One who took on death so we don’t have to. God has saved us. There is eternity with Him when we choose to follow Him. Hallelujah!
Jen Ward is the Written Content Contributor for DWITW. Jen wants to live in a world where chocolate croissants grow on trees, all babies automatically sleep through the night, and every woman feels empowered to study Scripture on her own. Connect with Jen via Instagram @JenieAnn.