Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Psalms Chapter 22 mean?

Descriptions in this psalm indicate a painful execution—something David did not suffer. This implies that the terminology used here is symbolic of David’s feelings. At the same time, it serves as a prophetic explanation of what would happen to the Promised One. These events would be fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus, who will reference this text from the cross (Matthew 27:46).

This passage opens with a statement of pain and suffering, commonly expressed by those who are suffering. In essence, this is the cry of someone asking, “Where are you, God?” That’s a natural reaction to hardship, seen elsewhere in Scripture (Habakkuk 1:2–4). As in other places in Scripture, the eventual answer is always proven to be the same: God is there, and He is in control—there is hope (Psalm 22:1–2).

David immediately shifts to an expression of confidence in the Lord. The Bible defines faith as a trust based on experience. Hebrews chapter 11, for instance, notes that God’s work in the lives of others is the basis of our trust in His promises (Hebrews 11:13–16). Even in what seems like a hopeless moment, David is confident that God is still in control (Psalm 22:3–5).

After expressing confidence, David then returns to describe the depths of his pain. This includes phrasing comparing the attacks of his enemies to those of dogs, lions, and wild oxen. The suffering one is depicted as emaciated, naked, humiliated, mocked, and battered. Despite skeptical claims, the most reliable manuscripts of these verses make it clear that this person is “pierced,” further supporting this as a messianic prophecy (Psalm 22:6–21).

The last verses of the psalm shift to a hopeful tone. David anticipates that He will be delivered, one way or another, from this situation. He expects, at that time, to give God praise in a public setting. The imagery of these final verses is also prophetic. It looks ahead to the time when Christ will reign over the earth and all Israel will be reconciled to God (Psalm 22:22–31).

It is interesting to note that Jesus referred to the first words of this psalm during the crucifixion (Matthew 27:46) and also echoed the last words of this psalm at the moment of His death. Both Psalm 22 and Jesus’ suffering on the cross ended with an expression of accomplishment and finality (Psalm 22:31; John 19:30).

Chapter Context
This psalm of David should be understood in association with Psalms 23 and 24. Psalm 22 describes the sufferings of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, for His sheep. Psalm 23 describes His care for His sheep. Psalm 24 describes His return in glory to reward His sheep. Psalm 22 includes prophetic sayings which Jesus uttered from the cross. It also predicts the afflictions he endured there (Matthew 27:27–56; Luke 22:63–65; 23:18–49). Isaiah 53 also prophesies the sufferings that Jesus suffered on the cross.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Some Psalms, such as Psalm 3, can be connected to specific events in the life of David. Psalm 22 does not match any exact incident in David’s history. The language used is more like an execution than a time of trouble. It seems David uses those figures of speech to highlight how troubled he is. This also implies this portion of Scripture is prophetic. The suffering depicted here closely matches that of Jesus during His crucifixion. Both Christ (Matthew 27:46) and later writers (Hebrews 2:12; Psalm 22:22) made this same connection.

David feels abandoned by the Lord, but he still acknowledges that the Lord is his God. We do not know what circumstances caused David to feel this way, but we do know Jesus spoke these same words from the cross (Matthew 27:46). The Father did not rescue Jesus by taking Him off the cross, because He had sent Jesus into the world as His Lamb to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). When Jesus died on the cross, God “made him to be sin” for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) and a curse (Galatians 3:13). Rather than rescue Jesus “from” death, God rescued Him “out of” death (Psalm 22:24).

Because God is “of purer eyes than to see evil” (Habakkuk 1:13), He looked away from His Son when His Son was bearing our sin on the cross. Many feel the only answer to Jesus’ question, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is this: God forsook Jesus at Calvary so He would not have to forsake us eternally. Because Jesus died for our sins and conquered death, we can live forever in the constant presence of God. At the same time, as part of the Trinity, Jesus can never be entirely separated from God.

Another explanation for Jesus’ use of these words is the method of naming Scriptures used in Jewish tradition. Books or other writings were often known by their starting words or phrases. Reciting the first statement of this Psalm, then, might have been Jesus pointing to this passage as both encouragement and explanation during His crucifixion.

Context Summary
Psalm 22:1–21 depicts David’s questioning of God’s silence and estrangement from him in his desperate situation. The structure of this prayer, and the images it evokes, are prophecies of Messiah’s sufferings. Isaiah 53:3–8 likewise predicts these experiences and explains that Messiah endured them for us sinners. Matthew 27:46 reports that Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 when he was suffering on the cross. First Peter 2:24 –25 refers to the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah and calls Jesus ”the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.’

Verse 2. O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,and by night, but I find no rest.

This verse depicts someone mourning over what seems like an unanswered prayer. In fact, the voice speaking here feels abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1). David has begged God to help, but he did not receive the answer he was expecting. This is not an uncommon complaint in the Old Testament. Prophets like Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:2–4) and other psalmists (Psalm 44:23–24) voiced that frustration at times.

Since this psalm matches no known incident in David’s life, the description here is both symbolic and prophetic. Jesus referred to this psalm during His crucifixion (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). A later verse in this passage (Psalm 22:22) is also quoted in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 2:12).

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed through the night fervently and urgently for deliverance from death (Matthew 26:39). Hebrews 5:7 tells us that “in the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”

God did not deliver Jesus from dying on the cross for our sins, but He delivered Him out of the clutches of death by raising Him from the dead. The word “from” in Hebrews 5:7 is ek, literally meaning out of. God didn’t prevent Christ from dying, but He did rescue Jesus out of death. It may seem at times that God is not listening to our prayers, but often He answers in unexpected ways. During times of what seems to be unanswered prayer, we should keep on trusting God and wait for Him to answer in a way that is for our ultimate good and His glory.

Verse 3. Yet you are holy,enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Despite the angst of what appears to be unanswered prayer (Psalm 22:1–2), this psalm takes an immediate step back into faith. Although David wonders why God did not answer him, he knows God is holy and is enthroned on the praises of His people. This is the essence of biblical faith: trust, based on prior experience, proven in the face of uncertainty or struggle (Hebrews 11:13–16).

Asking God, even in frustration, is not the same as defying Him. Other Old Testament passages, such as Habakkuk 1:2–4 and Psalm 44:23–24 express similar emotions. Instead of accusing God, David takes the high ground. He recognizes there is no unrighteousness with God. God never commits a wrong deed. Nor does He act capriciously. He is completely separate from evil and totally deserving of praise.

When Isaiah entered the temple after the death of Israel’s King Uzziah, he caught a glimpse of Israel’s eternal King, the Lord. He saw the Lord high and lifted up and heard the cherubim call, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). Psalm 99:2–3 calls upon everyone to praise the Lord who is holy. These verses say, “The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” When trouble strikes and the heavens are silent, instead of wallowing in self-pity, we should praise the Lord.

Verse 4. In you our fathers trusted;they trusted, and you delivered them.

Faith, as defined in the Bible, involves trust based on prior experience (Hebrews 11:13–16). That includes the results seen when earlier generations chose to honor God and His Word. David recalls how his ancestors trusted in God and He delivered them. Three times, in this verse and the next, David invokes the concept of trust.

In other words, David’s ancestors, including the patriarchs like Abraham and Moses, kept on faithfully following the Lord without giving up, even when times were unsure. David could draw encouragement from the past. Perhaps he was recalling the Lord’s deliverance of the Hebrews from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Trusting in the Lord, their leader Moses told the Hebrews: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13–14).

Verse 5. To you they cried and were rescued;in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Scripture indicates that “faith” involves trust based on experience (Hebrews 11:13–16). Between verses 4 and 5, David mentions trust three times. Not only does David’s own personal experience strengthen his faith (1 Samuel 17:37), he also can look back on the example of his Jewish ancestors.

Those patriarchs cried out to the Lord and were rescued. They trusted in the Lord and did not experience the shame of being subdued by their enemies and circumstances. Examples of such episodes may be drawn from Israel’s wilderness wanderings. The strong forces of the Canaanites could not subdue the Israelites, nor could dire circumstances overwhelm them. Israel’s God did not turn a deaf ear to His people. Psalm 107:4–6 relates: “Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

Exodus 17 provides the historical account of how the Lord delivered His people from extreme thirst by providing water from a rock and by defeating the Amalekites. Also, the book of Judges is full of stories of how the Lord delivered the people of Israel from their oppressors when they turned to Him. Such accounts of the Lord’s past deliverance would encourage David to trust and not despair.

Verse 6. But I am a worm and not a man,scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

The situation in which David felt abandoned by God made him feel as inglorious, humiliated, and inhuman as a worm. He writes that he was “scorned by mankind and despised by the people.” This entire psalm depicts an execution, not merely a persecution. Since it matches no events in the life of David, the images used here are symbolic of some unknown trouble. That lack of a literal occurrence in David’s life also makes this psalm a potent prophecy about the Messiah (Matthew 27:46; Hebrews 2:12).

The historical account of what happened to Jesus bears this out. The Roman authorities and the Jewish religious leaders placed no value on Him. Even the nation of Israel failed to accept Him as the Messiah, and an angry crowd clamored for His crucifixion. Isaiah prophesied concerning Jesus the Messiah that He would be “deeply despised” and “abhorred by the nation” (Isaiah 49:7). Also, Isaiah 53:3 describes Him as “despised and rejected by men…he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

The apostle John described Jesus as the true light who came to His own people, the Jews, but was rejected by His own people (John 1:9–11). Although mankind at large placed no value on Jesus, believers recognize Him as God’s precious cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6).

Verse 7. All who see me mock me;they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

The treatment being endured here is not merely painful, it is humiliating. David describes the insulting treatment he received from his foes when he felt abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1–2, 6). This serves as insight into David’s angst, as well as a prediction about the suffering of the Promised One (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1).

These words describe precisely what Jesus would experience at the hands of those who despised Him. They would mock Him and part their lips to form a vicious grin (Psalm 35:21). They would also shake their heads to indicate His situation was hopeless. Matthew 27:39–42 reports the insults Jesus received when He hung on the cross. Those who passed by wagged their heads and ridiculed His claim that He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. They impudently called upon Him to support His claim to be the Son of God by coming down from the cross. The chief priests, scribes, and elders also mocked Him. They said He saved others but could not save Himself. Like the passersby, they challenged Him to prove His messianic claim by coming down from the cross.

Verse 8. “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

This statement is being spoken in sarcasm, by David’s taunting opponents. In a time where he feels abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1–2), part of his hardship is hearing others mock his pain (Psalm 22:6–7). Enemies laugh at his trust, suggesting it was unfounded. According to ungodly thinking, if David’s trust in the Lord was valid, he would not be in this situation. Their words are intended to be insulting. All the same, these are part of a prophetic look at the experience of the Messiah (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1).

As He died on the cross Jesus encountered the same sarcastic accusation from the religious leaders. They called out: “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:43). The two robbers who were crucified with Jesus also mocked Jesus’ trust in the Lord. Matthew 27:44 says they “also reviled him in the same way.”

Of course, Jesus’ heavenly Father delivered Him out of death by raising Him to life on the third day. The ultimate conclusion of this psalm is that God will not eternally abandon those He loves (Psalm 22:22). In his address to the Jews at Pentecost the apostle Peter proclaimed Jesus as having been delivered up for crucifixion by “the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” and raised up by God (Acts 2:23–24).

Verse 9. Yet you are he who took me from the womb;you made me trust you at my mother ‘s breasts.

David credits God with caring for him from birth and blessing David with a godly heart from a young age. This is the beginning of a response to the taunts of David’s enemies (Psalm 22:7–8). The ability to trust in God, based on what He has already done, is how Scripture explains the nature of true faith (Hebrews 11:13–16; Psalm 22:4–5).

God is the giver of life, and all life is precious to Him. In Psalm 139:13 David wrote: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Divine intervention in human history gave us the virgin-born Son of God. Galatians 4:4–5 declares, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

It may seem hard to believe that a weaning child can trust in God, but in Bible times, a child might not be weaned until he or she was three years old. Given spiritual training from birth, a three-year-old child can trust in the Lord. Surely, Jesus received such training from Mary and Joseph and developed a strong faith. Joseph, a descendant of David, being “a just man” (Matthew 1:19), would have taken seriously his responsibility for training the infant Jesus in the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:4–9).

Verse 10. On you was I cast from my birth,and from my mother ‘s womb you have been my God.

The most vulnerable time of a person’s life is when they are newborn. Here, David describes his personal relationship with God from birth, that weakest time of life (Psalm 22:9). It’s important to note that David has continued to trust God in adulthood, though it seemed that God had abandoned him (Psalm 22:1–2). This statement is part of David’s response to the sneers of his enemies (Psalm 22:6–8).

Jesus the Messiah had a lifelong relationship with God, His Father. When Gabriel foretold Jesus’ birth to Mary, he said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). When Jesus was just an infant, King Herod gave orders to kill all the male children from birth to two years old, but God rescued the infant Jesus by directing Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). The family stayed in Egypt until God informed them that Herod had died and it was now safe to return to Israel (Matthew 2:19–20). God never ceased to be Jesus’ Father God, even when Jesus was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1).

Verse 11. Be not far from me,for trouble is near,and there is none to help.

In this verse David calls upon the Lord to be near him. His enemies surrounded him and death seemed imminent. He sees the Lord as the only one who can help him. The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, faced death all alone. No one could help Him. The Roman officials, the Jewish leaders, and the frenzied crowd that called for His crucifixion certainly wouldn’t help Him. His disciples offered no help; they had fled when the soldiers arrested Jesus (Matthew 26:56). Nailed to a cross, there was nothing his loved ones could do but watch Him die (John 19:25–27). He alone experienced death as the one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). He alone was sinless and therefore could bear the punishment every sinner deserved.

The apostle John wrote: “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Peter wrote: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Verse 12. Many bulls encompass me;strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

The description given in this psalm does not literally match any known incident in David’s life. Since it describes an execution, not merely persecution, it’s clear that David is using imagery to explain His angst. This lack of a literal occurrence in Davd’s life also makes these words a potent prediction of what Jesus, the Messiah, would experience during His crucifixion (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46).

Part of the comparison is to the “bulls of Bashan.” Bashan was an area east of the Sea of Galilee. It stretched from the Yarmuk River to Mount Hermon. Today, Bashan is known as the Golan Heights. The wild bulls of Bashan banded together to attack their victim. They surrounded their prey, and then ferociously pounced on the helpless victim. Jesus’ enemies—political authorities and religious leaders, like the bulls of Bashan, banded together and viciously attacked Jesus.

When the believers prayed after the Jewish council had released Peter and John, they quoted from another prophetic passage, Psalm 2, and said, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord against his Anointed” (Acts 4:26). They said further, “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever [God’s] hand and [God’s] plan had predestined to take place [the act of crucifying Jesus]” (Acts 4:27–28).

Verse 13. they open wide their mouths at me,like a ravening and roaring lion.

David describes his foes as a roaring lion that tears its prey into pieces. This continues his symbolic depiction of his struggle as if he is being mocked and executed (Psalm 22:1–7, 16–18). That symbolism becomes fulfilled prophecy when Jesus experiences those same events, in reality (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:22).

In Psalm 35:17 David prays: “How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!” Jesus’ foes, too, acted like wild lions. They could not wait to devour Him. Although they were motivated by jealousy to kill Jesus, the Messiah, undoubtedly Satan orchestrated Jesus’ arrest, fake trial, and crucifixion.

At the dawn of human history Satan tried to disrupt God’s rule in the lives of Adam and Eve by tempting them to throw off God’s rule. He also tried many times to destroy the race from which Messiah would be born. Peter describes Satan as the adversary who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). However, God is infinitely more powerful than Satan. He raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 4:24).

Verse 14. I am poured out like water,and all my bones are out of joint;my heart is like wax;it is melted within my breast;

This psalm depicts someone being executed by his enemies—a situation which David never experienced first-hand. Rather, he uses these descriptions as symbols to explain his angst (Psalm 22:1–2). Prior verses included references to his enemies as swarming bulls (Psalm 22:12) and roaring lions (Psalm 22:13). In this ordeal, David feels surrounded by his foes and abandoned by God. Depicting the depth of his angst, David says he has become dehydrated (Psalm 22:15), his bones are twisted in pain, and his heart has failed.

The description of suffering prophetically depicts what happened to Jesus during His crucifixion. On the cross He experienced extreme thirst. When He called out, “I thirst” (John 19:28), one of the soldiers held a sponge full of gall-laced sour wine to Jesus’ mouth (John 19:29), but He would not drink it (Matthew 27:34). He did, however, take wine later (Matthew 27:48). A rich man thirsted so much in the flames of Hades that he asked Abraham to send a poor man named Lazarus who was in Abraham’s bosom to dip his finger in water and cool his tongue (Luke 16:19–31). Minor as it might seem, this thirst again parallels Jesus taking on sufferings so that those who believe can escape them.

The weight of Jesus’ body on the cross would have dislocated His joints, but none of His bones were broken in fulfillment of God’s instructions concerning the Passover lamb (see Exodus 12:46; John 19:32–33). Further, the sac around Jesus’ heart was pierced after His death on the cross, causing blood and water to issue forth (John 19:34).

Verse 15. my strength is dried up like a potsherd,and my tongue sticks to my jaws;you lay me in the dust of death.

Symbolically, David writes about weakness and severe dehydration when his enemies surrounded him—his plight is so traumatic that he feels near death. This continues his dramatic prayer during a time he felt abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1–2), which also serves as a prediction of Messiah’s suffering (Matthew 27:46).

A “potsherd” is a fragment of broken clay. The emphasis here is on “dryness,” suggesting one whose strength has vanished like the water out of a piece of baked ceramic.

Jesus’ strength left Him during the ordeal of His arrest and crucifixion. He was brutalized by Pilate’s soldiers. They shoved a crown of thorns onto His head and beat Him with a reed (Matthew 27:27–30). This unusually brutal abuse left Jesus too weak to carry His cross all the way to Calvary. The soldiers compelled Simon, a man of Cyrene, to carry it (Matthew 27:32). In a severely weakened condition on the cross, Jesus died before the two robbers who were crucified alongside Him (John 19:31–33).

Even so, it’s worth noting that Jesus died by an act of His will. He called out loudly and dismissed His spirit (Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). At one point in His earthly ministry Jesus affirmed: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:17–18). It was only after He had fulfilled His mission to provide redemption that Jesus cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30) and dismissed His spirit.

Verse 16. For dogs encompass me;a company of evildoers encircles me;they have pierced my hands and feet —

This verse contains a phrase which is often contested by those who reject Psalm 22 as messianic prophecy. The psalm itself matches no specific incident in David’s life; instead, it is a symbolic description of his anguish over what seems to be unanswered prayers for deliverance (Psalm 22:1–2). What follows closely matches the experience of Jesus during His final days, something that both Christ (Mathew 27:46) and New Testament writers noted (Psalm 22:22; Hebrews 2:12).

The controversial phrase here is translated in the ESV as “they have pierced my hands and feet.” Critics claim the term translated “pierced” was originally the word for “lion,” as these two are extremely similar in Hebrew. That would make the translation “like a lion, at my hands and feet.” This would make the phrase much less suggestive of Roman crucifixion (John 19:16–18; 20:26–27; Luke 24:39–40). It would also fit the pattern of someone being attacked by savage animals.

However, history and evidence do not support the replacement of “lion” for the term “pierced.” In the oldest known copies of Psalm 22, the term is clearly “pierced.” This is not only true of Jewish materials like the Dead Sea Scrolls, but also of the oldest Latin Vulgate and Arabic copies. It is also translated as “pierced” in the Septuagint: a Jewish translation of Scripture into Greek, completed centuries before Christ. “Lion” occurs more often than “pierced” only in Masoretic texts produced a thousand years after Christ. Literary and historical evidence strongly indicate “they have pierced my hands and feet” is the psalmist’s intended message.

That, in combination with other Scripture, makes Psalm 22 an even more potent prophecy about the suffering of Jesus, the Messiah. In the ancient middle east, dogs were almost always wild. They were despised as unclean scavengers. They roamed in packs, lived among garbage dumps, and attacked defenseless people when given the opportunity. Christ’s enemies descended on Him at His crucifixion like packs of wild dogs that had smelled blood. This statement, “they have pierced my hands and feet,” graphically explains what the Roman soldiers did to Jesus at the crucifixion. Like wild dogs that tear a victim’s limbs apart, the soldiers tore Jesus’ flesh apart by driving nails through His hands and feet.

Following the resurrection, when the disciples thought He was a spirit, Jesus said, “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39). Then He showed them His hands and His feet (Luke 24:40). The print of the nails was visible in His resurrection body (John 20:24–29). David described this piercing about 1,000 years before Jesus was crucified and long before the Romans practiced crucifixion. This fact is a strong testimonial to the divine inspiration of Scripture and to the accuracy of prophecy.

Verse 17. I can count all my bones —they stare and gloat over me;

This part of Psalm 22 continues to describe David’s anguish, using the imagery of someone being abused and executed by his enemies. This is not something which literally happened to David, so these words symbolize his pain, instead. At the same time, this passage is a vivid prediction of the suffering of Jesus, the Messiah (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46).

The reference to “counting bones” depicts someone emaciated and stripped naked. A jarring characteristic seen in photographs of concentration camp victims is the prominence of ribs, spine, and joints due to starvation. That level of abuse comes with intense pain and weakness, as well as the shame of being exposed.

David’s words in this verse, once again, apply to Jesus during His execution. The suffering Jesus experienced on the cross was excruciating. He did not deserve to suffer, but He did so voluntarily as our substitute. We deserve to die and bear the penalty of our sin. Romans 6:23 announces that “the wages of sin is death.” First Corinthians 15:3 says clearly, “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” Galatians 1:4 points out that He voluntarily gave Himself for our sins. Galatians 3:13 indicates He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us by dying on the cross.

Remembering how Jesus died on the cross, the apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:19 that He shed His blood to redeem us. Although Jesus could have summoned more than twelve legions of angels to rescue Him from the cross (Matthew 26:53), He chose to bear the agony of being a public spectacle on our behalf.

Verse 18. they divide my garments among them,and for my clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22 serves as a potent prophecy about the suffering of the Messiah. The imagery is of someone being executed—which is not what happened to David. Rather, this is David expressing his anguish over what seems to be an abandonment by God (Psalm 22:1–2). To do this, David symbolizes his pain using this description of someone being abused, pierced, and mocked (Psalm 22:12–17). This passage is one Jesus Himself mentioned during His crucifixion (Matthew 27:46).

Verse 16 is disputed by critics specifically because it closely matches the eventual death of Jesus Christ (Psalm 22:16). This verse, as well, is a direct prediction of what happened when Jesus was killed. Matthew 27:35 reports what the soldiers did when they crucified Jesus. This verse tells us, “And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.” By casting lots for Jesus’ garments, the soldiers showed they attached a higher value to His clothing than they did to Him. This disdainful act is recorded not only in Matthew’s Gospel, but also in the other three Gospels (see Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; and John 19:23–24).

The practice of casting lots usually involved sticks or stones with markings or dice. The sticks or stones or dice were thrown into an area and read to determine the winner. The practice of rolling dice or flipping a coin is similar to the casting of lots in Bible times. When the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments, they left Him, quite literally, with no possessions. Truly, Jesus became poor so that we might become rich (Luke 9:58; 2 Corinthians 8:9).

Verse 19. But you, O Lord, do not be far off!O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

After expressing confusion and pain over what seems to be abandonment by God (Psalm 22:1–2), David has also stated his faith in God’s will (Psalm 22:3–5). He then described his anguish using the symbolism of a man being brutally abused and executed by his foes (Psalm 22:12–18). All of these serve as prophetic remarks fulfilled by Jesus’ experience on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Here, David turns his focus to a renewed plea for deliverance. In verse 1 he questioned why the Lord was far from him. In verse 11 he called upon the Lord not to be far from him because trouble was near. Now he looks to the Lord for help. David has compared his enemies to raging bulls, wild dogs, and a roaring, hungry lion (Psalm 22:12–16). Only the Lord could give him the strength he needed to overcome the threat.

On the cross, the Messiah, Jesus, faced an onslaught of evildoers intent on shedding His blood, but God came to His aid by raising Him from the dead. Believers may face treacherous circumstances, but God answers prayer. He may deliver us from whatever threatens us or give us the grace to endure and overcome (Romans 8:36–37; 2 Corinthians 12:7–9).

Verse 20. Deliver my soul from the sword,my precious life from the power of the dog!

Old Testament writing often uses a mirror image pattern known as chiasm. David earlier compared his enemies’ attacks to those of bulls (Psalm 22:12), lions (Psalm 22:13), and dogs (Psalm 22:16). In verses 20 and 21, he will complete the mirror-image by mentioning those same animals in the opposite order: dogs, lions, oxen.

This passage is symbolic of great pain in David’s life, but also literally describes the suffering of Jesus during His crucifixion. This is one reason Christ mentions part of this psalm from the cross (Matthew 27:46).

David’s foes carried swords, but in regards to Jesus the Messiah “sword” may refer to the power of the Roman government to execute a criminal. It was Pilate, the Roman governor, who authorized Jesus’ crucifixion.

“My precious life” in this verse translates a Hebrew phrase meaning “my only one.” The term was applied in Old Testament times to an only child. It appears in Genesis 22:2 where God summoned Abraham to take Isaac—his only son through his wife, Sarah—to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering. Here it refers to the only life David has, and prophetically to the life Jesus was offering for our sins on the cross. Jesus made His soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10, 12).

Mention of the power of the dog in Psalm 22:20 refers again to David’s foes and to those who crucified our Savior. In ancient times, dogs were seen as lowly pack scavengers who attacked the vulnerable. Similarly, Jesus’ enemies banded together to strike.

Verse 21. Save me from the mouth of the lion!You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

This verse finds David exulting in the Lord for delivering him. He prays to be delivered from the mouth of the lion, but then says the Lord has rescued him from the horns of wild oxen. This completes a pattern often seen in the Old Testament: chiasm, or a “mirror image.” David compared his enemies to bulls (Psalm 22:12), lions (Psalm 22:13) and dogs (Psalm 22:16). In this verse and the previous verse he reverses that order with prayers referring to dogs (Psalm 22:20), lions, and bulls.

All of this prophetically describes the suffering of Jesus during His crucifixion. These words express not only David’s gratitude to his personal God—”You”—but also Jesus’ delight at being raised from the dead. The Devil, a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), was unable to defeat Jesus. In fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 the old serpent, the Devil, would bruise Jesus the Messiah’s heel, but Jesus the Messiah, “the seed” of the woman, would bruise the serpent’s head.

David’s deliverance from his foes came from the Lord who answered his prayer. The deliverance was like that of being rescued from the horns of wild oxen. Similarly, Jesus’ crucifixion ended in a triumphant resurrection. Hebrews 12:2 refers to Jesus as “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” The agony of Calvary ended; the glory of resurrection and ascension followed.

Verse 22. I will tell of your name to my brothers;in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

Having been rescued from death at the hands of his enemies, David plans to testify to God’s goodness and praise Him in the assembly of Israel. This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2:12 and applied to Jesus. The writer of Hebrews leans on this verse’s connection to the idea of confidence: that God will be praised because He will—ultimately—deliver the one who is praying.

Whereas David’s congregation was composed of Israelites, Jesus’ congregation is much broader. It is the church, and it includes both Jewish and Gentile believers. Ephesians 2:12 reminds the Ephesians that at one time Gentiles were “separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise.” However, according to Ephesians 2:13, in Christ the Gentile believers are “brought near by the blood of Christ.” As a result, in Christ, believing Jews and believing Gentiles are one new man (Ephesians 2:14–16). Colossians 1:18 calls this new union “the church.”

David called his fellow Israelites, “my brothers,” and at His open tomb Jesus instructed Mary to go to His brothers and tell them: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

Context Summary
Psalm 22:22–31 focuses on David’s praise to God, whereas the earlier passage focused on his prayer to God. We read there that trouble took a heavy toll on David. Here we find David thanking the Lord for the triumph he gave David over his foes. We find a similar contrast in chapters 27 and 28 of Matthew. One records the awful death of Jesus, the other His amazing deliverance out of the grave.

Verse 23. 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!

This begins describing a prayer David is planning to pray, at the point of his expected deliverance by God (Psalm 22:22).

David’s poetry here summons the descendants of Jacob, which would be the twelve tribes of Israel. His call is for them to glorify God and stand in awe of Him. Every Israelite should have been familiar with the wonders the LORD had performed on behalf of the nation when He led His people through the wilderness. The pagan nations worshiped false gods that could do nothing for them, but Israel’s true and living God led His people by day and night through the wilderness, provided food and water miraculously for them, and kept their sandals from wearing out. He toppled the massive walls of Jericho and defeated the Amalekites.

In the times of the judges God delivered His people from their oppressors, and in David’s lifetime delivered David from his ferocious enemies. Therefore, all the people of Israel had good reasons to reverence the Lord, stand in awe of Him, and glorify Him. We, too, have many reasons to reverence the Lord, to stand in awe of Him, and to glorify Him. He has saved us; He keeps us; provides for us; and enables us to win over trials and temptation.

Verse 24. For he has not despised or abhorredthe affliction of the afflicted,and he has not hidden his face from him,but has heard, when he cried to him.

This continues a celebratory prayer to which David looks forward. He plans to pray this at the time he obtains the rescue he expects from God (Psalm 22:21–22). The psalm began by questioning why, from David’s perspective, it seemed as if God had forsaken him. However, it was clear He had not forsaken David forever. In due time David anticipates an answer to this prayer. God had not ignored David’s affliction, nor had He turned His back on David.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8–10 the apostle Paul relates an experience that was similar to David’s. He and his companions had been so severely afflicted that they despaired of life, but the experience taught them to rely on God instead of on themselves. In the end, God delivered them. Paul said that “on him [God] we have set our hope that he will deliver us again” (2 Corinthians 1:10). Then Paul called on the Corinthian believers to help them through prayer so that many would give thanks “for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11). Our afflictions may be hard to endure sometimes, but God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Verse 25. From you comes my praise in the great congregation;my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

The Lord is the ultimate source of praise, since He is the giver of all good things (1 Timothy 4:4; James 1:16–17). God has given David good reason to praise. He promises to fulfill the vows he made to the Lord. Apparently, when he was surrounded by his enemies and death loomed large, David made some vows to the Lord. He likely promised the Lord what service he would perform if the Lord delivered him. Now that he is delivered, he plans to perform those vows in the sight of those who reverence God.

In doing so, David would honor the exhortation of Numbers 30:2: “If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” In times of trouble a person may vow to serve God or to turn over a new leaf if the Lord rescues him or her. Unfortunately, the person may forget to honor the vow. Of course, we are in no position to bargain with God; we cannot make deals with Him as if to buy His blessings. However, we must be careful about making vows, so if we make them, we ought to keep them.

Verse 26. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;those who seek him shall praise the Lord!May your hearts live forever!

David assures the righteous that afflictions do not last forever. The afflicted who humble themselves and seek the Lord will eat until they feel full, and they will praise the Lord. The people of Israel were very familiar with feasts. The worshiper who brought a peace offering to the Lord kept part of it for himself and his family and invited friends (see Leviticus 3 and 7:11–18). Isaiah 25:6–9 anticipates a plentiful feast the Lord will provide for all people when Jesus reigns in His earthly kingdom. At that time, the Lord will comfort His afflicted people.

When Jesus saw the faith of a centurion who asked for healing for his servant, He said: “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:10–11). When He ate the Last Supper with His disciples He told them: “I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). David’s wish for the righteous is a figure of speech: “May your hearts live forever!” This statement means, “Do not give up!”

Verse 27. All the ends of the earth shall rememberand turn to the Lord,and all the families of the nationsshall worship before you.

The Old Testament sometimes looks far ahead, beyond the coming of Christ, beyond the years after, and even past the end times. The words here foretell an eventual worldwide conversion to the Lord. At that time God’s promise to Abraham to bless all the families of the earth in him (Genesis 12:1–3) will be entirely and wholly fulfilled. Zechariah 12:10 declares: “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”

Zechariah 13:1 predicts: “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” Zechariah 13:9 foretells that the Lord will bring one third of the people of Israel through the fire—meaning the tribulation of the end times—and refine them. They will call on His name; God “will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God’” (Zechariah 13:9).

Zechariah 14:9 declares: “The LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.” Verse 16 pictures nations going to Jerusalem annually “to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths” (Zechariah 14:16).

Verse 28.For kingship belongs to the Lord,and he rules over the nations.

David pays tribute to God’s sovereignty. The Lord is above all kings and in control of the nations. Someday Jesus will rule the world with justice and righteousness, and peace will characterize the planet (Isaiah 9:7). When Jesus returns, He will destroy His enemies, His robe will display the inscription, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16).

Although the Lord chose to relate to Israel in a special way, He is also the God of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29). Revelation 1:5 describes the risen Lord Jesus as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” Someday He will rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5). Psalm 96:10 anticipates the Lord’s reign over planet Earth. This verse commands: “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.’” Verse 13 states, “He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.” The time of Jesus’ universal kingdom rule is still future, but it is certain.

Verse 29. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,even the one who could not keep himself alive.

This passage looks forward to the eventual worldwide reign of Christ over all people. This is often interpreted to mean that everyone who has been redeemed, regardless of status or rank, will partake of a sacrificial feast in honor of the Lord’s salvation. Certainly, David anticipates that all future generations will celebrate the Lord’s deliverance.

Even now, Christians of all walks of life celebrate the Lord’s resurrection. This is symbolized in the sacrament of communion. Paul explained the significance of communion to the Corinthians. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Christians experience a unity in Christ (Galatians 3:28) and share equally in communion, anticipating the return of their Lord and Savior.

The apostle James rebuked his readers for violating this ideal by showing partiality. They ushered the rich to favorable seating when they gathered for worship (James 2:1–4). He said plainly, “If you show partiality, you are committing sin” (James 2:9). When we gather for worship, we should remember that we are equals in the Lord’s sight.

Verse 30. Posterity shall serve him;it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

This verse anticipates each generation telling the next about the Lord’s salvation and sovereignty. Those qualities of God were explored in Psalm 22:24–29. In Deuteronomy 6, the Lord commanded the fathers of Israel to teach the words of His law diligently to their children and talk about them when sitting at home, when walking, when lying down, and when rising up (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).

In 2 Timothy 1:5 the apostle Paul remembers Timothy’s unadulterated faith. He notes how that faith was also found in Timothy’s grandmother and his mother. Obviously, the good news about God’s love and mercy passed from generation to generation. In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul commented that Timothy had been acquainted with Scripture from a young age. The Greek word used in that verse is brephos. This indicates a very young child, possibly even an unborn child. Luke 1:44 says that when Mary visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, the brephos jumped in Elizabeth’s womb.

It is never too early in a child’s life to hear about God from a parent.

Verse 31. they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,that he has done it.

In this verse David foretells that a generation will proclaim the Lord’s righteousness to a people yet unborn. The preceding generation will declare that the Lord has done it; that is, provided salvation. A thousand years after the life of David, the Messiah Jesus died on the cross to provide salvation by shedding His blood for us.

Jesus uttered the first words of this psalm from the cross (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46). Christ’s final words from the cross were similar to the last words of this same passage: “he has done it.” At the moment of death, Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Greek word for “it is finished” is tetelestai, which implies something has been completed, paid, fulfilled, or reconciled. In the first century when a painter put the final brush stroke on a canvas and was satisfied with what he saw, he might say “Tetelestai!” His painting was complete. Nothing needed to be added to it. Tetelestai was written on a loan when the last payment was made.

Jesus’ declaration of “Tetelestai!” means “nothing needs to be added to what I have done. Paid in full!” Salvation, then, is not a matter of what anyone can do to earn salvation, but a matter of what Jesus has already done.

End of Psalm 22

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