Psalms 22

My God, why have you forsaken me

y God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?a ²Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.b ³Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.c

⁴Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. ⁵They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. ⁶But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all!d

⁷Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying,e 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!”f ⁹Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.g

¹⁰I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born.h ¹¹Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.i ¹²My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!j

¹³Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. ¹⁴My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me.k ¹⁵My 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.l

¹⁶My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.m ¹⁷I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat.n ¹⁸They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.o

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

²²I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.q ²³Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! ²⁴For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.r

²⁵I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. ²⁶The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.s ²⁷The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him.t

²⁸For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. ²⁹Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. ³⁰Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

³¹His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.u

Commentary

Psalms 22 is one of the most haunting and hope-filled chapters in the Psalter. It begins with a cry of dereliction — “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” — that Jesus would later utter from the cross. The psalm moves from raw lament to confident trust, from isolation to corpo

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Bible Dictionary· Psalms 22(16)

Bashan Bow End Feast Herd Honor Israel Strength Sword The Way Tongue Voice Water Wax Why Worship

Bible Characters· Psalms 22(1)

Jacob

References· Psalms 22

a: v.1 — Helpless because of the sins of others: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34; Mark 15:34, Matthew 27:46, Hebrews 5:7, Psalms 22:16, Job 3:24, Luke 24:44, Psalms 43:1-5, Psalms 10:1, Psalms 31:14-16, Hebrews 13:5
b: v.2 — Darkness over Calvary for three hours: Matthew 27:45, Matthew 26:38; Psalms 42:3, Luke 18:7, Psalms 88:1, Luke 22:41-46, Psalms 55:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 3:10, Luke 6:12, Lamentations 3:44, Lamentations 3:8, 2 Timothy 1:3
c: v.3 — Psalms 50:23, Deuteronomy 10:21, Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8, Psalms 99:9, Psalms 65:1, Psalms 145:17
d: v.6 — Despised: Luke 23:21; Isaiah 53:3, Job 25:6, Isaiah 49:7, Isaiah 41:14, Psalms 69:7-12, Psalms 69:19-20, Matthew 11:19, Psalms 31:11, Matthew 27:20-23, Revelation 15:3
e: v.7 — They shake their heads: Matthew 27:39; Mark 15:29, Matthew 27:39-40, Psalms 109:25, Luke 23:11, Mark 15:20, Matthew 27:29, Matthew 26:66-68, Psalms 44:14, Isaiah 53:3, Job 16:4
f: v.8 — He trusted in God; deliver him now: Matthew 27:41; Matthew 27:42-43, Mark 15:30-32, Psalms 91:14, Psalms 18:19, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, Psalms 37:5, Isaiah 42:1, Psalms 55:22, Proverbs 16:3
g: v.9 — Born the Savior: Luke 2:7, Luke 2:40; Psalms 71:6, Isaiah 49:1-2, Psalms 71:17, Psalms 139:15-16, Matthew 2:13-15, Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 12:4-5, Isaiah 7:14-15
h: v.10 — Called to the service of God from the womb: Luke 1:30; Jeremiah 1:5, Galatians 1:15, Isaiah 49:1, Isaiah 46:3-4, Luke 2:40, John 20:17, Luke 2:52
i: v.11 — Abandoned by the disciples: Mark 14:50; Psalms 71:12, Psalms 10:1, Psalms 72:12, John 16:32, Hebrews 5:7, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 142:4-6, Psalms 69:1-2, Psalms 35:22, Psalms 13:1-3
j: v.12 — They seek their death: John 19:6, Colossians 2:15; Amos 4:1-3, Acts 4:27, Psalms 68:30, Matthew 27:1, Deuteronomy 32:14-15, Ezekiel 39:18, Jeremiah 50:11, Isaiah 34:7
k: v.14 — Blood spilled when they pierced his side: John 19:34, Matthew 27:35; He suffered agony on Calvary: Mark 15:34; Psalms 31:10, Job 30:16, Psalms 22:17, Daniel 5:6, Job 23:16, Joshua 7:5, John 12:27, Mark 14:33-34, Luke 22:44, Matthew 26:38
l: v.15 — Was thirsty: John 19:28, John 19:30; John 19:28, Psalms 69:3, Psalms 69:21, Isaiah 53:12, Psalms 104:29, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 32:3-4, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Proverbs 17:22, Matthew 27:50
m: v.16 — They pierced his hands and feet: John 19:34, John 20:27, Matthew 27:38, Luke 23:36; John 19:37, Zechariah 12:10, Matthew 27:35, John 20:25, John 19:23, John 19:34, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:33, John 20:27, Isaiah 53:5
n: v.17 — Naked before the gazes of men: Luke 23:34; Luke 23:35, Job 33:21, Luke 23:27, Matthew 27:39-41, Isaiah 52:14, Mark 15:29-32, Psalms 102:3-5, Matthew 27:36
o: v.18 — They divided their garments: John 19:23, Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:34, Mark 15:24, John 19:23-24
p: v.20 — He/She surrendered to God: Luke 23:46, Hebrews 2:14; Psalms 35:17, Zechariah 13:7, Psalms 17:13
q: v.22 — His resurrection declared: Hebrews 2:10, John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11-12, Romans 8:29, Matthew 28:10, Matthew 12:48-49, Psalms 40:9-10, Psalms 71:18-19, Matthew 25:40, Psalms 22:25, John 20:17, John 7:25-26
r: v.24 — Hebrews 5:7, Isaiah 50:6-9, Psalms 118:5, Psalms 116:3-6, Luke 23:46, Psalms 69:29-34, Psalms 34:6, Psalms 22:6, Psalms 69:17, Psalms 22:2
s: v.26 — Psalms 69:32, Isaiah 65:13, Psalms 40:16, Psalms 105:3-4, John 6:48-58, Psalms 107:9, Isaiah 25:6, John 4:14, Leviticus 7:11-17
t: v.27 — He will be the governor of the nations: Colossians 1:16; Psalms 86:9, Isaiah 45:22, Revelation 7:9-12, Psalms 2:8, Isaiah 49:6, Revelation 15:4, Psalms 72:11, Psalms 96:7, Romans 16:26, Psalms 72:8
u: v.31 — It is finished: John 19:30, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:18; Psalms 78:6, Psalms 86:9, Romans 1:17, Psalms 102:18, Isaiah 44:3-5, Psalms 40:9, Psalms 145:4-7, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 54:1, Romans 3:21-25

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