A psalm of the cross

Psalm 22 is familiar to many readers not so much for the psalm itself, but for how Christ and the New Testament writers used this psalm.  Spurgeon calls it “The Psalm of the Cross,” writing,

“It is the photograph of our Lord’s saddest hours, the record of his dying words, the lachrymatory of his last tears, the memorial of his expiring joys.…Before us we have a description both of the darkness and of the glory of the cross, the sufferings of Christ and the glory which shall follow.”

The direct New Testament references are obvious.  Verse 1 is quoted by Christ on the cross as He experiences the outpouring of God’s wrath for sin: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34).

Verses 6-7 are a reference to the derision experienced by Christ (Lk. 23:35; Mt. 27:39; Mk. 15:29-30) and verse 8 is unwittingly quoted by the mockers of Christ:  “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Mt. 27:43).

Verse 15 seems to be a reference to Jesus’ declaration of thirst on the cross (Jn. 19:28) and verses 16-17 likewise appear to be an allusion to the crucifixion of Christ (Lk. 23:33; Jn. 20:27).

Verse 18 is also referenced by Matthew:  “And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots” (Mt. 27:35).

And finally, verse 22 is quoted by the writer to the Hebrews:  “saying, ‘I will proclaim your name to My brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise’” (2:12).

There are further allusions in the psalm as well.  Some suggest that the final verse of the psalm, “They will come and will declare His righteousness To a people who will be born, that He has performed it” (v. 31), is in Christ’s mind when He utters His final words, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30).

And not all of the allusions refer only to the suffering of Christ.  Some also refer to His glorification.  Read verses 27-29 and see if they do not echo the words of Paul:

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’S
And He rules over the nations.
All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. (Ps. 22:27-29)

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11)

This seems to anticipate the exaltation of Christ in the final age when every individual — in heaven, on earth, and in hell — will bow the knee in acknowledgement of the supremacy of Christ.  But David’s words also anticipate the enfolding of the Gentiles into the saving plan of Christ — “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD” (v. 27) is more than just the nation of Israel.

It has also been suggested that there may be as many as a half-dozen more allusions to this Psalm in the New Testament, which led to the early church labeling it, “the fifth gospel.”

In total, this psalm envisions the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ in His redemptive work.  Whatever David suffered, Jesus Christ and the New Testament writers used the words of this psalm to indicate His own infinitely greater suffering and glory.