What is the meaning of Psalm 22?
Introduction to Psalm 22
Psalm 22 stands as one of the most prophetically significant psalms in the Hebrew Scriptures, providing an extraordinarily detailed portrayal of the crucifixion of the Messiah written approximately 1,000 years before the event. The psalm begins with the haunting cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – words that would later be uttered by Yeshua Himself on the cross (Matthew 27:46). This profound composition moves from the depths of abandonment and suffering to a triumphant declaration of God’s faithfulness and ultimate victory.
What makes this psalm particularly remarkable is its dual nature – it serves both as David’s personal lament and as a prophetic window into the Messiah’s suffering. The vivid imagery and specific details of suffering described in this psalm align so precisely with the crucifixion account that it has been called “the Crucifixion Psalm” throughout church history.
Context of Psalm 22
Within the Psalter, Psalm 22 belongs to Book I (Psalms 1-41), which primarily contains individual laments and prayers of David. This particular psalm follows the pattern of many lament psalms, beginning with a cry of distress and concluding with praise and thanksgiving. However, its prophetic dimension sets it apart from typical lament psalms.
The immediate context shows David in extreme distress, possibly during his persecution by Saul or during Absalom’s rebellion. Yet the Spirit of God moved him to write words that transcended his personal experience, pointing to a greater suffering that would come through the Messiah. This psalm forms part of a messianic trilogy with Psalms 22, 23, and 24, which together paint a complete picture of the Messiah as the Suffering Servant (Psalm 22), the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23), and the King of Glory (Psalm 24).
In the broader biblical narrative, Psalm 22 serves as a crucial bridge between the Suffering Servant prophecies of Isaiah 53 and their fulfillment in Yeshua’s crucifixion. It provides the most detailed prophecy of the crucifixion in the Hebrew Scriptures, written centuries before crucifixion was even invented as a method of execution.
Ancient Key Word Study
- אֵלִי (Eli) – “My God” – This intimate form of address emphasizes personal relationship even in the midst of feeling forsaken. The use of the possessive pronoun “my” is significant, showing that even in abandonment, the speaker maintains his trust in God as his personal deity.
- עֲזַבְתָּנִי (azavtani) – “forsaken me” – This verb carries the weight of total abandonment. In ancient Hebrew culture, to be “forsaken” meant more than simply being left alone; it implied being cut off from all support and protection. The same word is used in Isaiah 54:7 where God promises never to ultimately forsake His people.
- רָחוֹק (rachoq) – “far” – This term in verse 1 describes both physical and spiritual distance. In ancient Hebrew thought, distance from God was the ultimate tragedy, making this cry particularly poignant.
- תּוֹלַעַת (tolaat) – “worm” – This self-description in verse 6 carries deep significance. The specific Hebrew word refers to the coccus ilicis, a worm used to make scarlet dye. The process of making the dye required crushing the worm, creating a powerful metaphor for the Messiah’s suffering.
- כָּאֲרִי (ka’ari) – “like a lion” – Used in verse 16, this phrase has been the subject of much scholarly debate. While the Masoretic text reads “like a lion my hands and feet,” ancient versions including the Septuagint read “they pierced,” pointing to crucifixion.
- יְחִידָתִי (yechidati) – “my only one” or “my soul” – This term in verse 20 carries the concept of uniqueness and preciousness, often used to describe an only child. It emphasizes the speaker’s complete vulnerability and dependence on God.
- יְסַפֵּר (yesapper) – “will declare” – This verb in verse 31 implies more than simple telling; it suggests a detailed recounting that will be passed down through generations, prophetically pointing to the proclamation of the gospel.
- זֶרַע (zera) – “seed” or “offspring” – Used in verse 30, this term carries messianic significance throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, connecting to the promised seed of Abraham and David.
- יַעֲבֹד (yaavod) – “will serve” – This term in verse 30 implies worship and service, pointing to the universal worship of God that would come through the Messiah’s work.
Compare & Contrast
- Verse 1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” uses the personal “my God” (אֵלִי) twice rather than the more formal “Elohim” or “Adonai.” This repetition emphasizes the intimate relationship being tested, making the sense of abandonment even more acute. The choice of “forsaken” (עזב) over other Hebrew words for leaving or abandoning (like נטש or שׁכח) emphasizes complete desertion.
- Verse 6: “But I am a worm and not a man” employs תּוֹלַעַת (tolaat) specifically rather than the more common רִמָּה (rimmah). This choice is significant because tolaat refers to the crimson worm, which when crushed produces scarlet dye – a powerful metaphor for sacrificial death.
- Verse 12: “Many bulls surround me” uses פָּרִים (parim) rather than שׁוֹרִים (shorim). Parim specifically refers to young, strong bulls, emphasizing the aggressive nature of the attackers.
- Verse 16: The phrase “they pierced” comes from a textual variant of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ari, “like a lion”). The Dead Sea Scrolls and ancient versions support reading כָּאֲרוּ (ka’aru, “they pierced”), providing a startling prophecy of crucifixion.
- Verse 18: “They divide my garments” uses בְגָדַי (begaday) rather than שַׂלְמֹתַי (salmotai). Begaday refers to personal clothing rather than general garments, making the violation more intimate.
- Verse 21: “Save me from the lion’s mouth” employs אַרְיֵה (aryeh) rather than other Hebrew words for lion like לָבִיא (lavi) or שַׁחַל (shachal), suggesting a mature, powerful lion at the height of its strength.
- Verse 26: “The poor shall eat and be satisfied” uses עֲנָוִים (anavim) rather than עֲנִיִּים (aniyim). Anavim implies those who are humble in spirit rather than merely economically poor.
- Verse 31: “They will proclaim his righteousness” uses צִדְקָתוֹ (tzidkato) rather than מִשְׁפָּטוֹ (mishpato). Tzedakah emphasizes covenant faithfulness rather than merely legal righteousness.
Psalm 22 Unique Insights
The structure of Psalm 22 contains a fascinating chiastic pattern that reveals its messianic nature. The psalm can be divided into two main sections: verses 1-21 describing suffering and verses 22-31 describing triumph. This mirrors the death and resurrection of the Messiah, with verse 21 serving as the turning point. The phrase “You have answered me” in verse 21 marks the moment of divine intervention, paralleling the resurrection.
Ancient Jewish sources provide intriguing insights into this psalm’s messianic interpretation. The Midrash Tehillim, while not explicitly Christian, acknowledges this psalm’s connection to a suffering righteous one who would be vindicated by God. The Pesikta Rabbati, an 8th-century collection of midrashic teachings, contains passages describing a suffering Messiah who would bear the sins of Israel, drawing heavily from the imagery of Psalm 22.
The psalm contains several supernatural elements that transcend natural explanation. The description of physical suffering in verses 14-17 includes details that would be impossible for David to know from personal experience: the dislocation of bones, the pouring out like water, the piercing of hands and feet, and the casting of lots for clothing. These details align precisely with Roman crucifixion practices that wouldn’t exist for centuries after David’s time.
The theological depth of the psalm is particularly evident in its treatment of divine abandonment. The paradox of the righteous one being forsaken by God while maintaining perfect trust presents a profound mystery that finds its resolution only in the cross of the Messiah. This abandonment was necessary for our salvation, as Yeshua bore the full weight of our separation from God.
Psalm 22 Connections to Yeshua
The connections between Psalm 22 and Yeshua’s crucifixion are numerous and precise. The opening cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” was quoted by Yeshua on the cross (Matthew 27:46), establishing an unmistakable link between this psalm and His suffering. The physical details described in the psalm align perfectly with the crucifixion account: the piercing of hands and feet (verse 16), the casting of lots for clothing (verse 18), the intense thirst (verse 15), and the public mockery (verses 7-8).
More profoundly, the psalm reveals the spiritual significance of the crucifixion. The experience of divine abandonment described in verse 1 reflects the moment when Yeshua bore our sins and experienced separation from the Father. Yet the psalm doesn’t end in abandonment – it moves to victory and universal worship, foreshadowing the resurrection and the subsequent spread of the gospel to all nations. This progression from suffering to glory becomes the pattern for all believers who are united with the Messiah in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5).
Psalm 22 Scriptural Echoes
This psalm resonates throughout Scripture, forming connections that enrich our understanding of God’s redemptive plan. The suffering servant described in Isaiah 53 shares many parallels with Psalm 22, including being despised by others and bearing intense suffering. The mockery described in verses 7-8 is echoed in the gospels’ accounts of the crucifixion (Matthew 27:39-43).
The theme of divine abandonment connects to Lamentations 1:12, where Jerusalem personified asks if any sorrow compares to hers. This finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah’s suffering. The psalm’s movement from lament to praise anticipates Revelation 5, where the slain Lamb receives universal worship.
Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22 directly, applying it to Yeshua’s relationship with His followers. The promise that all the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord (verses 27-28) connects with the Great Commission and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Revelation 7:9.
Psalm 22 Devotional
This psalm teaches us profound lessons about faith in the midst of suffering. When we experience times of feeling abandoned by God, we can take comfort in knowing that even Yeshua experienced this – and yet remained faithful. The psalm shows us that feeling forsaken doesn’t mean we are actually forsaken; God’s seeming absence doesn’t negate His faithful presence.
Like the psalmist, we’re encouraged to bring our raw emotions to God while maintaining our trust in Him. Notice how the psalm moves from “Why have you forsaken me?” to “You have answered me.” This progression reminds us that our current feelings of abandonment are not the end of the story. Just as God vindicated His Son through the resurrection, He will also vindicate those who trust in Him.
The psalm also challenges us to view our suffering through a redemptive lens. Just as the Messiah’s suffering led to the salvation of many, our trials can become channels of blessing for others when we maintain our faith through them. The final section of the psalm, with its vision of universal worship, reminds us to lift our eyes beyond our immediate circumstances to see God’s larger purposes.
Did You Know
- The phrase “they have pierced my hands and my feet” in verse 16 appears in the Dead Sea Scrolls, predating the Masoretic Text by over a millennium and providing ancient support for this messianic reading.
- The “morning dawn” mentioned in the psalm’s superscription (אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר) was traditionally sung at the time of the morning sacrifice in the Temple, the same time of day when Yeshua was crucified.
- The word for “worm” (תּוֹלַעַת) in verse 6 refers specifically to the coccus ilicis, which was crushed to make scarlet dye for the Temple’s sacred garments.
- Ancient Jewish tradition held that this psalm would be fulfilled by King Messiah, as recorded in the Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of medieval midrash.
- The description of physical symptoms in verses 14-15 precisely matches what medical science now knows about the effects of crucifixion on the human body.
- The psalm contains 33 direct prophecies fulfilled during the crucifixion of Yeshua.
- The progression from “my God” (verse 1) to “my praise” (verse 25) shows a transformation from the language of lament to that of worship.
- The phrase “counting all my bones” in verse 17 correlates with the historical fact that none of Yeshua’s bones were broken during His crucifixion, fulfilling Exodus 12:46.
- The universal worship described in verses 27-31 uses language that parallels Isaiah 2:2-4, describing the messianic age.
- The term “assembly” (קָהָל) in verse 22 is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek ἐκκλησία (church), showing the connection between Israel and the New Testament church.
