[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":629},["ShallowReactive",2],{"content-/christian/psalm-22":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":620,"extension":621,"meta":622,"navigation":624,"path":625,"seo":626,"stem":627,"__hash__":628},"content/christian/psalm-22.md","Psalm 22: The Suffering and Glory of the Chosen One",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":594},"minimark",[9,13,23,26,29,34,39,54,58,71,82,86,91,103,107,122,129,133,136,156,159,180,183,186,197,200,211,215,218,231,234,237,274,277,290,293,296,311,362,386,389,403,424,437,448,459,463,466,477,480,493,514,517,520,531,534,541,545,551,587],[10,11,5],"h1",{"id":12},"psalm-22-the-suffering-and-glory-of-the-chosen-one",[14,15,16,22],"p",{},[17,18,21],"span",{"className":19,"dataReference":21},[20],"bible-ref","Psalm 22"," is a profound lament that begins in the depths of despair and concludes with a vision of worldwide worship. Historically attributed to King David, the psalm describes a righteous sufferer who feels abandoned by God while being surrounded by mocking enemies.",[14,24,25],{},"For Christians, this psalm provides a remarkably detailed prophetic blueprint of the crucifixion of Jesus, with specific phrases and events corresponding to the Gospel accounts.",[14,27,28],{},"Jewish tradition, however, understands the psalm as David's personal prayer during his own trials, reflecting the universal experience of the faithful during times of persecution.",[30,31,33],"h2",{"id":32},"forsakenness-and-the-cry-from-the-cross","Forsakenness and the Cry from the Cross",[35,36,38],"h3",{"id":37},"the-prophecy","The Prophecy",[40,41,42],"blockquote",{},[14,43,44,48,49,53],{},[45,46,47],"strong",{},"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"," Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. — ",[17,50,52],{"className":51,"dataReference":52},[20],"Psalm 22:1-2"," (ESV)",[35,55,57],{"id":56},"apostolic-witness","Apostolic Witness",[40,59,60],{},[14,61,62,63,66,67,53],{},"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, \"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?\" that is, ",[45,64,65],{},"\"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?\""," — ",[17,68,70],{"className":69,"dataReference":70},[20],"Matthew 27:46",[40,72,73],{},[14,74,75,76,66,78,53],{},"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, \"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?\" which means, ",[45,77,65],{},[17,79,81],{"className":80,"dataReference":81},[20],"Mark 15:34",[35,83,85],{"id":84},"interpretations","Interpretations",[87,88,90],"h4",{"id":89},"christian","Christian",[14,92,93,94,98,99,102],{},"Christians believe Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by quoting ",[17,95,97],{"className":96,"dataReference":97},[20],"Psalm 22:1"," exactly from the cross. They argue that ",[45,100,101],{},"Jesus quoted the verse word-for-word",", as documented by multiple Gospel writers. By quoting the opening line, Jesus drew attention to the entire psalm, which contains remarkable details about crucifixion that David could not have witnessed in his own time. This suggests prophetic intent. Furthermore, Jesus experienced the profound spiritual separation from God that David described, bearing the weight of humanity's sin.",[87,104,106],{"id":105},"jewish","Jewish",[14,108,109,110,113,114,117,118,121],{},"Jewish scholars view ",[17,111,21],{"className":112,"dataReference":21},[20]," as David's personal lament during persecution rather than messianic prophecy. The ",[45,115,116],{},"superscription identifies it as \"A Psalm of David\"",", and ",[45,119,120],{},"the content describes David's own suffering and deliverance",".",[14,123,124,125,128],{},"When someone quotes Scripture in a moment of trial, it does not necessarily mean that Scripture prophesied their specific situation. Jesus may have been ",[45,126,127],{},"using David's existing prayer to express his own anguish",". He was drawing on familiar liturgical language without claiming the psalm originally prophesied Him.",[30,130,132],{"id":131},"the-mockery-of-the-crowd","The Mockery of the Crowd",[35,134,38],{"id":135},"the-prophecy-1",[40,137,138],{},[14,139,140,141,144,145,148,149,66,152,53],{},"All who see me ",[45,142,143],{},"mock me","; they make mouths at me; they ",[45,146,147],{},"wag their heads","; ",[45,150,151],{},"\"He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!\"",[17,153,155],{"className":154,"dataReference":155},[20],"Psalm 22:7-8",[35,157,57],{"id":158},"apostolic-witness-1",[40,160,161],{},[14,162,163,164,167,168,171,172,175,176,53],{},"And ",[45,165,166],{},"those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads"," and saying, \"You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.\" So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, ",[45,169,170],{},"mocked him",", saying, \"He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ",[45,173,174],{},"He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him",". For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'\" And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. — ",[17,177,179],{"className":178,"dataReference":179},[20],"Matthew 27:39-44",[35,181,85],{"id":182},"interpretations-1",[87,184,90],{"id":185},"christian-1",[14,187,188,189,192,193,196],{},"Christians believe the mockers at the crucifixion unknowingly fulfilled ",[17,190,155],{"className":191,"dataReference":155},[20],". ",[45,194,195],{},"The religious leaders quoted the psalm almost word-for-word"," when they said, \"He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him.\" This represents precise verbal correspondence. Multiple matching details exist, including the mocking, the wagging of heads, and the specific taunt about trusting in God. This was beyond Jesus' control, as his opponents spontaneously spoke these words.",[87,198,106],{"id":199},"jewish-1",[14,201,202,203,206,207,210],{},"Jewish scholars view this as ",[45,204,205],{},"David's personal experience",". David himself experienced mockery from enemies who questioned why God would allow him to suffer. The taunt \"He trusts in God; let God deliver him\" represents a ",[45,208,209],{},"common form of mockery directed at any faithful sufferer",". This is not a unique prophetic detail but a universal pattern of how enemies mock the faithful. David likely experienced similar mockery when he fled from Saul or during Absalom's rebellion.",[30,212,214],{"id":213},"physical-agony-and-pierced-hands","Physical Agony and Pierced Hands",[35,216,38],{"id":217},"the-prophecy-2",[40,219,220],{},[14,221,222,223,226,227,53],{},"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; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; ",[45,224,225],{},"they have pierced my hands and feet","—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me. — ",[17,228,230],{"className":229,"dataReference":230},[20],"Psalm 22:14-17",[35,232,57],{"id":233},"apostolic-witness-2",[14,235,236],{},"John's account:",[40,238,239,253],{},[14,240,241,242,248,249,252],{},"So the other disciples told him ",[243,244,245],"em",{},[17,246,247],{},"Thomas",", “We have seen the Lord.”",[250,251],"br",{},"\nBut he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”",[14,254,255,256,258,259,117,262,265,266,269,270,53],{},"Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”",[250,257],{},"\nThen he said to Thomas, “",[45,260,261],{},"Put your finger here",[45,263,264],{},"see my hands","; and ",[45,267,268],{},"put out your hand, and place it in my side",". Do not disbelieve, but believe.” — ",[17,271,273],{"className":272,"dataReference":273},[20],"John 20:25-27",[14,275,276],{},"Luke's account:",[40,278,279],{},[14,280,281,282,285,286,53],{},"See ",[45,283,284],{},"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. — ",[17,287,289],{"className":288,"dataReference":289},[20],"Luke 24:39",[35,291,85],{"id":292},"interpretations-2",[87,294,90],{"id":295},"christian-2",[14,297,298,299,303,304,307,308,121],{},"Christians believe Jesus fulfilled this prophecy through His crucifixion wounds. The description in ",[17,300,302],{"className":301,"dataReference":302},[20],"Psalm 22:16"," ",[45,305,306],{},"matches crucifixion",", which was an ",[45,309,310],{},"execution method invented centuries after David wrote the psalm",[14,312,313,314,317,318,321,322,325,326,329,330,343,344,346,347,356,357,361],{},"They argue that the spelling difference between \"like a lion\" (",[243,315,316],{},"ka'ari",") and \"pierced\" (",[243,319,320],{},"ka'aru",") comes down to the final letter—a ",[243,323,324],{},"yod"," (י) versus a ",[243,327,328],{},"vav"," (ו). ",[331,332,336,337,339,340,342],"a",{"href":333,"rel":334},"https://jewsforjesus.org/answers/in-psalm-22-16-is-they-pierced-a-christian-mistranslation",[335],"nofollow","These letters look very similar, making it easy for a later scribe to miscopy a ",[243,338,328],{}," as a ",[243,341,324],{}," by drawing the line too short",". Regarding grammar, they argue that the word ",[243,345,320],{}," is an ",[331,348,351,352,355],{"href":349,"rel":350},"https://torahresource.com/article/psalm-2216-like-a-lion-or-they-pierced/",[335],"archaic spelling of the verb ",[243,353,354],{},"karah"," (to dig or pierce)",". Additionally, ancient Hebrew Masoretic notes point out that this specific spelling appears here and in ",[17,358,360],{"className":359,"dataReference":360},[20],"Isaiah 38:13",", but the notes indicate it carries two different meanings in these occurrences.",[14,363,364,365,368,369,373,374,192,382,121],{},"Ancient translations like the ",[45,366,367],{},"Septuagint rendered the phrase as \"pierced\""," (ὤρυξαν) around 250 BC. ",[331,370,372],{"href":333,"rel":371},[335],"This shows that ancient Jewish scholars understood the text this way before Christianity existed",". Furthermore, ",[331,375,378,379,381],{"href":376,"rel":377},"https://www.christian-thinktank.com/ps22cheat.html",[335],"some Dead Sea Scroll fragments (like the Nahal Hever fragment) clearly show the word ending in a ",[243,380,328],{},", supporting the \"pierced\" reading",[331,383,385],{"href":349,"rel":384},[335],"The context of enemy action also favors \"pierced\" over other translations",[87,387,106],{"id":388},"jewish-2",[14,390,391,392,395,396,121],{},"Jewish scholars reject this as messianic prophecy. The ",[45,393,394],{},"Hebrew Masoretic Text reads \"ka'ari\" (כָּאֲרִי), which means \"like a lion\", instead of \"pierced.\""," They argue that ",[331,397,400],{"href":398,"rel":399},"https://outreachjudaism.org/crucifixion-psalm/",[335],[243,401,402],{},"Christians rely on a Greek mistranslation",[14,404,405,406,117,412,419,420,423],{},"They dispute the Christian grammatical argument by pointing out that ",[45,407,408],{},[331,409,411],{"href":398,"rel":410},[335],"\"ka'aru\" does not exist in the Hebrew language",[45,413,414,415,418],{},"the ",[243,416,417],{},"aleph"," (א) would not be present"," if the root word was ",[243,421,422],{},"karu"," (\"to dig\").",[14,425,426,427,121],{},"They also argue that ",[45,428,429,430,432,433],{},"the ancient Nahal Hever scroll fragment containing the ",[243,431,328],{}," is ",[331,434,436],{"href":398,"rel":435},[335],"plagued by poor handwriting and spelling mistakes",[14,438,439,440,444,445,121],{},"Furthermore, they note that the original Septuagint translated by the 72 rabbis ",[331,441,443],{"href":398,"rel":442},[335],"only covered the Torah (Five Books of Moses)","; the translation of Psalms was added later, making it ",[45,446,447],{},"less authoritative",[14,449,426,450,453,454,121],{},[45,451,452],{},"crucifixion was unknown in David's time",". The passage likely describes being mauled by enemies metaphorically described as ",[331,455,458],{"href":456,"rel":457},"https://www.bibleref.com/Psalms/22/Psalm-22-21.html",[335],"lions and dogs",[30,460,462],{"id":461},"dividing-garments-and-casting-lots","Dividing Garments and Casting Lots",[35,464,38],{"id":465},"the-prophecy-3",[40,467,468],{},[14,469,470,66,473,53],{},[45,471,472],{},"They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.",[17,474,476],{"className":475,"dataReference":476},[20],"Psalm 22:18",[35,478,57],{"id":479},"apostolic-witness-3",[40,481,482],{},[14,483,484,485,488,489,53],{},"And when they had crucified him, ",[45,486,487],{},"they divided his garments among them by casting lots",". — ",[17,490,492],{"className":491,"dataReference":492},[20],"Matthew 27:35",[40,494,495],{},[14,496,497,498,501,502,505,506,509,510,53],{},"When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, ",[45,499,500],{},"they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom",", so they said to one another, \"Let us not tear it, but ",[45,503,504],{},"cast lots for it to see whose it shall be",".\" This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, ",[45,507,508],{},"\"They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.\""," So the soldiers did these things. — ",[17,511,513],{"className":512,"dataReference":513},[20],"John 19:23-24",[35,515,85],{"id":516},"interpretations-3",[87,518,90],{"id":519},"christian-3",[14,521,522,523,526,527,530],{},"Christians argue that ",[45,524,525],{},"Roman soldiers unknowingly fulfilled this prophecy",". The Apostle John explicitly states that this fulfilled Scripture. The prophecy contains two distinct actions. ",[45,528,529],{},"Both dividing garments and casting lots occurred",". Soldiers divided Jesus' outer garments into four parts but cast lots specifically for the seamless tunic to avoid tearing it. This dual action matches the dual statement in the psalm. This was beyond Jesus' control, as Roman soldiers acted according to their standard practice.",[87,532,106],{"id":533},"jewish-3",[14,535,536,537,540],{},"Jewish scholars contend that ",[45,538,539],{},"dividing garments of executed criminals was standard practice",". Victors and executioners regularly plundered the possessions of the defeated. This was not a unique or unusual occurrence requiring prophetic explanation. David likely experienced his enemies dividing his possessions when he fled from Saul or during Absalom's rebellion. The psalm describes David's actual historical persecution rather than a prophecy about the distant future.",[30,542,544],{"id":543},"conclusion","Conclusion",[14,546,547,550],{},[17,548,21],{"className":549,"dataReference":21},[20]," remains one of the most debated and significant passages in the Bible regarding prophetic fulfillment.",[552,553,554,566,573,580],"ul",{},[555,556,557,561,562,565],"li",{},[331,558,560],{"href":559},"#forsakenness-and-the-cry-from-the-cross","Abandonment",": Jesus quoted the opening cry of ",[17,563,21],{"className":564,"dataReference":21},[20]," from the cross. This highlighted the theme of spiritual and physical forsakenness.",[555,567,568,572],{},[331,569,571],{"href":570},"#the-mockery-of-the-crowd","Public Mockery",": The specific taunts and gestures of the onlookers at the crucifixion mirror the descriptions of David's enemies.",[555,574,575,579],{},[331,576,578],{"href":577},"#physical-agony-and-pierced-hands","Physical Agony",": Despite textual disputes over the word \"pierced,\" the description of suffering matches the Roman method of crucifixion.",[555,581,582,586],{},[331,583,585],{"href":584},"#dividing-garments-and-casting-lots","Dividing Possessions",": The dual action of dividing garments and casting lots for a single item was documented by eyewitnesses as a fulfillment of the psalm.",[14,588,589,590,593],{},"Ultimately, the interpretation of these parallels depends on whether one views ",[17,591,21],{"className":592,"dataReference":21},[20]," as a historical lament of King David or as a divinely inspired prophetic blueprint of the Messiah's suffering.",{"title":595,"searchDepth":596,"depth":596,"links":597},"",2,[598,604,609,614,619],{"id":32,"depth":596,"text":33,"children":599},[600,602,603],{"id":37,"depth":601,"text":38},3,{"id":56,"depth":601,"text":57},{"id":84,"depth":601,"text":85},{"id":131,"depth":596,"text":132,"children":605},[606,607,608],{"id":135,"depth":601,"text":38},{"id":158,"depth":601,"text":57},{"id":182,"depth":601,"text":85},{"id":213,"depth":596,"text":214,"children":610},[611,612,613],{"id":217,"depth":601,"text":38},{"id":233,"depth":601,"text":57},{"id":292,"depth":601,"text":85},{"id":461,"depth":596,"text":462,"children":615},[616,617,618],{"id":465,"depth":601,"text":38},{"id":479,"depth":601,"text":57},{"id":516,"depth":601,"text":85},{"id":543,"depth":596,"text":544},"\u003Cspan class=\"bible-ref\" data-reference=\"Psalm 22\">Psalm 22\u003C/span> describes a sufferer's journey from absolute forsakenness to universal triumph, with details that Christians believe foretell Jesus' crucifixion.","md",{"keywords":623},"\u003Cspan class=\"bible-ref\" data-reference=\"Psalm 22\">Psalm 22\u003C/span>, messianic prophecy, crucifixion, Jesus, David, My God why have you forsaken me, pierced hands and feet, dividing garments, casting lots",true,"/christian/psalm-22",{"title":5,"description":620},"christian/psalm-22","5E1tlWg0QW3wE8B1PYAUhvYMegRyZkUn1cIt9rIHS80",1777698571089]