3 Reasons Jesus Quoted Psalm 22

When Jesus cries out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”, he is not solely crying in lament, he is also pointing to his messianic identity. On the cross, Jesus announces to all who before him that he is the suffering one of Psalm 22. Any priest, pharisee, or devout Jew conversant with the psalms would recognize the psalm Jesus was quoting. They would know the verses, Thus, as they watched the description of Psalm 22 being played out before them, they would come to recognise that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

The cross is not just an instance of defeat, it is also a triumph. Thus, it stands to reason that all that Jesus declares from the cross contains a victorious undertone. This is certainly true of his quote from Psalm 22. As much as Psalm 22 begins with a cry of lament, it ends with words of hope and salvation.

Following the description of the afflicted one’s piercing, the psalm makes clear that the place of suffering is the place where God’s love and power are most fully revealed. The psalm reads, “God has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry” (vs. 24). The afflicted one is not actually despised by God, ignored, and rejected. As it happens, the place of suffering is the place of God’s mightiest work.

With a shout of victory, the psalmist declares that the death of the afflicted one amounts to salvation for all. The afflicted one is even understood to be the Lord himself. The Psalm concludes: “All who go down to the dust will kneel before him…Future Generations will be told about the Lord, they will proclaim his righteousness, to a people yet unborn, for He has done it” (vs 31). In the end, the death of the afflicted one is a mighty act of salvation brought about by the very hand of the Lord. The afflicted one’s suffering accomplishes the work of redemption.

This is exactly what we believe about the cross. Jesus dies on the cross as an act of salvation, not punishment. Jesus dies because the work is complete. He has done it, it is finished (John 19:30). Redemption is secured not by our works but by his. Thus, his death marks the defeat of all the spiritual forces of sin and curse that threaten our lives. Christ’s death is the death knell for all that would keep us separated from him. 

We cannot understand Jesus’ cry on the cross without understanding the entire arc of the Psalm. We must hear the quotation “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” in such a way that it leads us through the description of his piercing to the final proclamation that “he has done it.” Jesus’ death on the cross is the pathway to life; it is an act of redemption. Thus, his cry from the cross testifies that he accomplished all he set out to do.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Dario Hayashi

The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.