Read & explore together
The Psalm of the Cross
Psalm 22 is a song that begins with deep anguish and urgent prayer, then moves toward praise and confidence. It helps readers notice how the speaker brings pain, memory, trust and public worship before God.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
In this psalm, the speaker cries out to God, describes mockery and severe suffering, asks for rescue, then promises praise in the assembly. The closing verses widen from one afflicted person to Israel, the nations and future generations who will hear about the Lord.
Psalms 22:1–31Main takeaway
Psalm 22 shows that a cry of abandonment can still be spoken to God, and that the psalm moves from distress toward praise because God hears the afflicted.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A cry that still speaks to GodThe psalm opens with painful questions: “Why have you forsaken me?” and “Why are you so far from helping me?”
Explanation
The psalm opens with painful questions: “Why have you forsaken me?” and “Why are you so far from helping me?” Yet the speaker still says, “My God”. He prays day and night, then remembers that God is holy and that earlier generations trusted God and were delivered.
02Mocked, weak and surroundedThe middle of the lament describes shame and danger in poetic pictures. People mock the speaker and challenge his trust in Yahweh.
Explanation
The middle of the lament describes shame and danger in poetic pictures. People mock the speaker and challenge his trust in Yahweh. He remembers depending on God from birth, then pleads for God to be near because trouble is close. Enemies are compared to bulls, lions and dogs.
03Urgent rescue and a turning pointThe suffering is described with strong bodily language: poured out like water, dried strength, thirst, exposed bones and divided clothing.
Explanation
The suffering is described with strong bodily language: poured out like water, dried strength, thirst, exposed bones and divided clothing. The speaker asks Yahweh to hurry and save his life. Then the wording turns: “you have rescued me”, leading into a promise to praise God among the assembly.
04From one sufferer to worldwide praiseThe final section calls those who fear Yahweh to praise him because he has not hidden his face from the afflicted but has heard.
Explanation
The final section calls those who fear Yahweh to praise him because he has not hidden his face from the afflicted but has heard. Praise spreads outward: the humble, all the ends of the earth, the nations, the rich, those going down to the dust and future generations will hear and declare his righteousness.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the psalm show both pain and trust in its opening lines?
Notice that the speaker asks why God seems far away, but still addresses him as “My God” and recalls that earlier generations trusted and were delivered.
02What images does the psalm use to describe enemies and suffering?
Look for the animal pictures and bodily descriptions rather than treating them as a new story outside the poem.
03What reason is given for the call to praise Yahweh near the end?
The psalm itself answers this by saying God did not despise the afflicted and heard when he cried.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 22:1–31
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8“He trusts in Yahweh. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
9But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
10I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help.
12Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
17I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help. Hurry to help me!
20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
23You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28For the kingdom is Yahweh’s. He is the ruler over the nations.
29All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive.
30Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.