Christian commentary on Psalm 22 differs from the Jewish commentary.
While the Jewish commentary sees Psalm 22 as applying only to David, the sufferings
described clearly exceed what David suffered during his life. For example,
David's hands and feet were never "pierced" (Psalm 22:16), and nobody
"cast
lots" (Psalm 22:18) for David's clothes. A commentary that
takes into consideration the entire Bible recognizes in Psalm 22 precise
details of how Jesus dies on the cross (see
John 3:16), including those highlighted below and
explained further below (also see
Isaiah 53
commentary).
PSALM 22:1-31 1
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping
Me, and from the words of My groaning? 2
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night
season, and am not silent. 3
But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in
You; they trusted, and You delivered them. 5
They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not
ashamed. 6 But I
am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me
ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the
Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He
who took Me out of the womb; you made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast
upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have
surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with
their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like
water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has
melted within Me. 15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16
For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet; 17
I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My
garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do
not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the
sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the
lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.
22 I will declare
Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear
the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear
Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor
has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.
25 My praise shall be of
You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall
eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your
heart live forever! 27
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the
families of the nations shall worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is
the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and
worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who
cannot keep himself alive. 30
A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next
generation, 31
They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
that He has done this."
When were Jesus' hands and feet "pierced" (Psalm 22:16)?
When He was nailed to the cross (see
Crucify Him).
When were Jesus' bones "out of joint" (Psalm 22:14)?
When the Roman cross was raised vertical, gravity pulled Jesus' body downward and dislocated
his shoulders out of joint (see
Broken Legs).
Who divided Jesus' "garments" and "cast lots" for them
(Psalm 22:18)?
The Roman soldiers who carried out the crucifixion: Then
the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four
parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without
seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves,
“Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be...”
(John 19:23-24 - see
King of the Jews)
What "congregation of the wicked" (Psalm 22:16) enclosed
Jesus?
The "chief priests ... scribes and elders"
(Matthew 27:41) of Israel who stood around Jesus' cross after having
manipulated Pilate to order His crucifixion (see
Praetorium).
Who said, “He trusted in the Lord, ... let Him deliver
Him” (Psalm 22:8)?
They did: "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him ..."
(Matthew 27:43)
When did Jesus' "tongue cling..." to His "jaw..." (Psalm
22:15)?
Just before He said on the cross, “I thirst!” (John
19:28, see
Father, Forgive Them)
When did Jesus cry out, "My God, My God, why have You
forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22:1)?
Just before dying on the cross: And about the ninth hour
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)
What is meant by "I can count all my bones" (Psalm
22:17)?
Because the Roman soldiers did not break Jesus' legs as they had intended (see
Broken Legs), Jesus' bone count remained the same before and after His
crucifixion.
When was Jesus "poured out like water" (Psalm 22:14)?
When one of the Roman soldiers speared Jesus' dead body on the cross to
confirm that He indeed had died: But one of the soldiers
pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
(John
19:34)