Book of Psalms · Chapter 22 of 150
31 verses · 9 video commentaries from 5 courses · Berean Standard Bible
1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
2I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.
3Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.
5They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.
6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
8“He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”
9Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.
10From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.
11Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul.
14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.
16For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
17I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me.
18They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
19But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of wild dogs.
21Save me from the mouth of the lion; at the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me!
22I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.
23You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!
24For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
25My praise for You resounds in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.
26The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!
27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
28For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.
29All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—even those unable to preserve their lives.
30Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.
31They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn—all that He has done.
Ps 22:1
In Matthew's account of the crucifixion, Jesus cries out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' This direct quotation from the Psalms highlights Jesus' profound suffering and sense of abandonment by God during his brutal execution. It frames his experience as one of intense pain and divine forsaking.
Summarized by AI · Holy Pain: Why Early Christians Embraced Suffering · Lecture 1: The Language and Experience of Suffering · watch the clip
At the moment of Jesus' death, after crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22), the curtain in the temple is torn from top to bottom, symbolizing direct access to God through Jesus' sacrifice. Immediately following this, a Roman Centurion, witnessing Jesus' death, confesses, "Truly this man was God's Son." This is the first clear confession of Jesus' true identity in Mark, made by a Gentile, highlighting the universal impact of his death.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah · Lecture 5: The Passion Narrative in Mark | Oddities at the End · watch the clip
Mark 15:34 records Jesus' cry from the cross, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' This is a quotation from Psalm 22:1. However, one important ancient manuscript translates the Aramaic as 'My God, my God, why have you mocked me?' While 'mocked' fits the context of Jesus being mocked by others, scholars generally maintain 'forsaken' as the original reading, aligning with Psalm 22 and the theological understanding of Jesus' abandonment.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah · Lecture 7: Intriguing Textual Variants in Mark’s Story · watch the clip
Both Matthew and Mark record Jesus' cry from the cross, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Mark 15:34, Matthew 27:46). This Aramaic phrase, a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1, is omitted by Luke and John, possibly because it could be seen as theologically problematic or embarrassing, suggesting God abandoned Jesus. The crowd's confusion, thinking Jesus was calling for Elijah, adds to the enigmatic nature of this moment.
Summarized by AI · The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke · Lecture 9: Why Are the Synoptic Crucifixion Narratives So Different? · watch the clip
In Mark's Gospel, Jesus' death is directly linked to atonement through the tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom immediately after he dies. This event symbolizes open access to God, previously restricted to the high priest's annual atonement sacrifice, and is recognized by the centurion as proof of Jesus' divine sonship.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The Surprising Reason Luke Removed Atonement from His Gospel · watch the clip
Early Christians, particularly after Jesus' death, sought Old Testament passages to explain how the Messiah could die, as this was contrary to Jewish expectations. Key passages included Isaiah 53, describing the suffering servant, and Psalm 22, which begins with 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.' These were interpreted as referring to Jesus' suffering and sacrifice.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Says Mary Was a Virgin? · watch the clip
The Gospels present different last words of Jesus on the cross, each reflecting the author's portrayal of Jesus. Matthew and Mark record Jesus crying out from Psalm 22, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?', conveying a sense of anguish. Luke's Jesus, portrayed as noble and in control, says, 'Into your hands I commend my spirit.' John's Jesus, aware of his mission from the start, declares, 'It is finished.'
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Gospel contradictions terrified me. Now I love them. · watch the clip
Ps 22:3
Biblical poetry, even famous passages like Psalm 22:3, can often read like straightforward prose if not typeset as poetry. This demonstrates that the formal appearance of poetry in modern Bibles is an editorial choice, and the inherent poetic qualities are not always immediately obvious without such formatting.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 21: Psalms | The Poetry of the People (?) · watch the clip
Ps 22:7
Beyond Jesus' cry of abandonment, other elements of Psalm 22 appear in the Synoptic Passion narratives. For instance, the mocking of Jesus by those who see him and shake their heads (Psalm 22:7) is mirrored in Mark 15:29-31. The soldiers dividing Jesus' clothes and casting lots for them (Psalm 22:18) is also directly reflected in Mark 15:24. These parallels suggest a deep scriptural influence on the narrative.
Summarized by AI · The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke · Lecture 9: Why Are the Synoptic Crucifixion Narratives So Different? · watch the clip
Ps 22:18
Beyond Jesus' cry of abandonment, other elements of Psalm 22 appear in the Synoptic Passion narratives. For instance, the mocking of Jesus by those who see him and shake their heads (Psalm 22:7) is mirrored in Mark 15:29-31. The soldiers dividing Jesus' clothes and casting lots for them (Psalm 22:18) is also directly reflected in Mark 15:24. These parallels suggest a deep scriptural influence on the narrative.
Summarized by AI · The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke · Lecture 9: Why Are the Synoptic Crucifixion Narratives So Different? · watch the clip