ScriptureDepth's study of Psalm 22
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
Psalms 22:1
The psalmist cries out 'My God' in distress, addressing Yahweh directly, which frames the entire chapter's plea for help amid deep suffering.
What Psalm 22 is about
The psalmist opens with a cry of abandonment, asking why God seems distant and unresponsive (vv. 1-2). He remembers God’s faithfulness to Israel’s ancestors, affirming their trust in God led to their deliverance (vv. 3-5). However, he feels mocked and isolated, comparing himself to a worm and facing scorn from onlookers (vv. 6-8). From birth, the psalmist has trusted God, recognizing God as his supporter since infancy (vv. 9-11). He describes his suffering in graphic terms, feeling surrounded by dangerous enemies (vv. 12-18). The psalmist pleads for deliverance, asking God not to be far away in his time of trouble (vv. 19-21). Finally, he envisions a future of praise, where he will proclaim God's name and the nations will worship Him (vv. 22-31).
The psalmist leaves the reader holding the assurance that future generations will declare God's righteousness.
Psalm 22 at a glance
- Psalm 22:1–2A Cry of Abandonment
- Psalm 22:3–5Remembering God's Faithfulness
- Psalm 22:6–8Mockery and Isolation
- Psalm 22:9–11Trust from Birth
- Psalm 22:12–18Descriptive Suffering
- Psalm 22:19–21A Plea for Deliverance
- Psalm 22:22–31A Vision of Praise
Key verse: Psalms 22:1
One thing to notice
The psalmist addresses God as 'my God' in verses 1-2 and as 'you' in verses 3-11. This movement includes a cry of abandonment and a remembrance of God's holiness and past deliverance. The text captures a deep lament and a call to God amidst suffering.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Psalm 22 (WEB)
A Cry of Abandonment Psalm 22:1–2
1Verse 1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?2Verse 2. My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;in the night season, and am not silent.
Remembering God's Faithfulness Psalm 22:3–5
3Verse 3. But you are holy,you who inhabit the praises of Israel.4Verse 4. Our fathers trusted in you.They trusted, and you delivered them.5Verse 5. They cried to you, and were delivered.They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
Mockery and Isolation Psalm 22:6–8
6Verse 6. But I am a worm, and no man;a reproach of men, and despised by the people.7Verse 7. All those who see me mock me.They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,8Verse 8. “He trusts in Yahweh.Let him deliver him.Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
Trust from Birth Psalm 22:9–11
9Verse 9. But you brought me out of the womb.You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.10Verse 10. I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.You are my God since my mother bore me.11Verse 11. Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.For there is no one to help.
Descriptive Suffering Psalm 22:12–18
12Verse 12. Many bulls have surrounded me.Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.13Verse 13. They open their mouths wide against me,lions tearing prey and roaring.14Verse 14. I am poured out like water.All my bones are out of joint.My heart is like wax;it is melted within me.15Verse 15. My 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.16Verse 16. For dogs have surrounded me.A company of evildoers have enclosed me.They have pierced my hands and feet.17Verse 17. I can count all of my bones.They look and stare at me.18Verse 18. They divide my garments among them.They cast lots for my clothing.
A Plea for Deliverance Psalm 22:19–21
19Verse 19. But don’t be far off, Yahweh.You are my help: hurry to help me.20Verse 20. Deliver my soul from the sword,my precious life from the power of the dog.21Verse 21. Save me from the lion’s mouth!Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
A Vision of Praise Psalm 22:22–31
22Verse 22. I will declare your name to my brothers.Among the assembly, I will praise you.23Verse 23. You who fear Yahweh, praise him!All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!24Verse 24. For 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.25Verse 25. Of you comes my praise in the great assembly.I will pay my vows before those who fear him.26Verse 26. The humble shall eat and be satisfied.They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him.Let your hearts live forever.27Verse 27. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh.All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.28Verse 28. For the kingdom is Yahweh’s.He is the ruler over the nations.29Verse 29. All 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.30Verse 30. Posterity shall serve him.Future generations shall be told about the Lord.31Verse 31. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born,for he has done it.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Psalm 22
lament
Lament is powerfully expressed in the opening verses, particularly in 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (v. 1). The psalmist cries out in distress, feeling abandoned and unheard, both day and night (vv. 1-2). This raw emotion continues through the psalm, as the speaker describes feelings of deep anguish and isolation, captured in phrases like 'I am a worm, and no man' (v. 6). The lamentation serves as a central aspect throughout the chapter.
abandonment
Abandonment is a key theme, particularly in the cry for help found in verses 1-2. The speaker feels forsaken, questioning God's distance in times of need. This sense of abandonment intensifies as the psalmist recalls past deliverances, stating, 'Our fathers trusted in you' (v. 4), contrasting their experiences with his own feelings of isolation and despair. The text deeply explores the pain of being forsaken while still clinging to a longing for divine presence.
faithfulness
In verses 4-5, the psalmist recalls how 'Our fathers trusted in you' and were delivered, establishing a connection between past generations who experienced God's faithfulness and the psalmist's current suffering. The speaker expresses trust in God from birth, stating 'you made me trust' (v. 9), which reveals a personal relationship with God. This relationship anchors the psalmist's plea for help amidst distress, drawing on the assurance found in God's past actions.
hope
Hope arises in the latter part of the psalm, particularly in verses 22-26, where the speaker expresses a desire to 'declare your name to my brothers' and praises God in the assembly. Anticipation of future generations praising God is present in verses 30-31, where those who seek the Lord 'shall praise Yahweh' (v. 26). This shift from despair to a vision of communal worship illustrates a turning point in the psalmist's experience.
Explore hope in the Bible →Chapter outline
How Psalm 22 unfolds
Psalm 22:1–2 A Cry of Abandonment
The speaker laments feeling abandoned by God, asking, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' while expressing distress over not receiving answers to his cries, both day and night (vv. 1-2).
Psalm 22:3–5 Remembering God's Faithfulness
The speaker acknowledges God's holiness, recalling that Israel's ancestors 'trusted in you' and were delivered, as he contrasts their faith with his own current sense of abandonment (vv. 3-5).
Psalm 22:6–8 Mockery and Isolation
The speaker describes being mocked and despised, stating, 'All those who see me mock me,' and expressing humiliation as others challenge his trust in God (vv. 6-8).
Psalm 22:9–11 Trust from Birth
The speaker recounts his lifelong trust in God, stating, 'You brought me out of the womb' and pleading for help, noting that trouble is near and there is no one to assist (vv. 9-11).
Psalm 22:12–18 Descriptive Suffering
The speaker vividly depicts his suffering, saying, 'Many bulls have surrounded me' and describing his physical pain, as well as the actions of those who divide his garments and pierce his hands and feet (vv. 12-18).
Psalm 22:19–21 A Plea for Deliverance
In this plea, the speaker urgently calls upon God to deliver him from danger, appealing for rescue from powerful adversaries, thereby intensifying the call for divine assistance (vv. 19-21).
Psalm 22:22–31 A Vision of Praise
The focus shifts to a future declaration of praise, where the speaker envisions a communal acknowledgment of God’s righteousness and reign, encouraging worship from all nations (vv. 22-31).
Key verses
Psalms 22:1The psalmist cries out 'My God' in distress, addressing Yahweh directly, which frames the entire chapter's plea for help amid deep suffering.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Psalm 22
- observeIn v1, what does the speaker express about their relationship with God?
- observeIn v18, what action do the people take regarding the speaker's garments?
- interpretThe phrase 'I am a worm, and no man' in v6: what does it suggest about the speaker's self-view?
- interpretIn v27, what implications arise from the statement that 'all the ends of the earth shall remember'?
- applyWhen have you felt like you were in 'the dust of death' (v15) and needed help?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Psalm 22
- Matthew 27Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46Both cry out: Psalm 22:1 says, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' while Matthew 27:46 records Jesus saying, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
- John 19Psalm 22:15 and John 19:28Both express thirst: Psalm 22:15 notes, 'My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth,' while John 19:28 records Jesus saying, 'I am thirsty.'
- Mark 15Psalm 22:1 and Mark 15:34Both cry out: Psalm 22:1 says, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' while Mark 15:34 records Jesus saying, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
- Luke 23Psalm 22:18 and Luke 23:34Both divide garments: Psalm 22:18 states, 'They divide my garments among them,' while Luke 23:34 says, 'dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.'
- Psalm 71Psalm 22:9 and Psalm 71:6Both speak of trust: Psalm 22:9 says, 'You made me trust,' while Psalm 71:6 states, 'I have relied on you from the womb.'
- Psalm 69Psalm 22:26 and Psalm 69:32Both encourage praise: Psalm 22:26 says, 'They shall praise Yahweh,' while Psalm 69:32 states, 'You who seek after God, let your heart live.'
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