Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross to express the depth of His suffering and to fulfill prophecy. As He hung in agony, He cried out:
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
This is the opening line of Psalm 22, a messianic psalm written by David. By quoting it, Jesus pointed to the entire psalm, which describes in vivid detail the suffering and eventual triumph of the Messiah.
Psalm 22 includes descriptions that directly parallel the crucifixion:
“They pierced My hands and My feet… They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:16, 18)
Jesus’ cry was not a loss of faith but a declaration of Scripture being fulfilled. It reflected the real experience of suffering on the cross for sin. In that moment, The psalm also shifts from suffering to hope and victory:
“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord.” (Psalm 22:27)
By invoking Psalm 22, Jesus declared that His death was not the end. It was part of God’s redemptive plan, leading to the salvation of many.
In quoting this psalm, Jesus affirmed His identity as the suffering Messiah foretold in Scripture. His words call us to see the cross not as a tragedy, but as the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem through the sacrifice of His Son.
