Psalm 22 – Prophecy of the Savior

Psalm 22 holds so much prophecy regarding the crucifixion. Verse one is one of the things that Jesus said as He hung on the cross, as the Father looked away from our sin piled upon Him. Verses six through eight speak of the mocking that Jesus endured, as the Roman soldiers spat upon Him and the people challenged Him to come down from the cross if He was really God. (I wonder if they realized their mocking was fulfilling prophecy? These were, after all, Jews who were familiar with the Psalms.)

Verses fourteen and sixteen detail the physical effects of crucifixion on the Savior, and the fact that He died before the Roman soldiers had to break His legs as they did with most crucified criminals. Verse fifteen was fulfilled when Jesus said, “I thirst” as He hung on the cross. And verse eighteen was fulfilled as the Roman soldiers cast lots for His clothing.

Psalm 22

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Doe of the Dawn.”

 ¹ My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
      Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
 ² Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
      Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

 ³ Yet you are holy,
      enthroned on the praises of Israel.
 ⁴ Our ancestors trusted in you,
      and you rescued them.
 ⁵ They cried out to you and were saved.
      They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

 ⁶ But I am a worm and not a man.
      I am scorned and despised by all!
 ⁷ Everyone who sees me mocks me.
      They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
 ⁸ “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
      Then let the Lord save him!
   If the Lord loves him so much,
      let the Lord rescue him!”

 ⁹ Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
      and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.
 ¹⁰ I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
      You have been my God from the moment I was born.

 ¹¹ Do not stay so far from me,
      for trouble is near,
      and no one else can help me.
 ¹² My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;
      fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!
 ¹³ Like lions they open their jaws against me,
      roaring and tearing into their prey.
 ¹⁴ My life is poured out like water,
      and all my bones are out of joint.
   My heart is like wax,
      melting within me.
 ¹⁵ My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
      My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
      You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
 ¹⁶ My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
      an evil gang closes in on me.
      They have pierced my hands and feet.
 ¹⁷ I can count all my bones.
      My enemies stare at me and gloat.
 ¹⁸ They divide my garments among themselves
      and throw dice for my clothing.

 ¹⁹ O Lord, do not stay far away!
      You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
 ²⁰ Save me from the sword;
      spare my precious life from these dogs.
 ²¹ Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
      and from the horns of these wild oxen.