Psalms 22’s author is generally accepted to be David, the shepherd who became king of Israel. Although David is described as “a man after God’s own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22), David was not perfect. He experienced many difficult circumstances in his life such as persecution from King Saul (1 Samuel 18, for example) and later, persecution and trials originating from his own son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15, for example). Despite his failings and difficult experiences though, David’s heart and thoughts always returned to God. Psalm 22 is a particularly poignant example of a time when David’s heart was full of suffering, causing him to cry out to God.

Although David lived many centuries before Jesus, Psalms 22 is widely viewed as a prophetic psalm referring to Jesus. Although many individual people over the centuries wrote the words that became the Bible, God is the ultimate “author,” in that He worked through people’s hearts and minds such that His intended message was delivered. David almost certainly did not understand that the words he wrote would have a future application to Jesus. It serves as an example of how God can use someone to fulfil His intentions in a way that is not understood by the person, or even the larger population, until the proper time according to His plan.

Psalms 22 starts off with a heartbreaking cry to God (Psalms 22:1-2). As the psalm continues, God’s salvation to others who have trusted in Him is cited (Psalms 22:3-5). The people who persecute the author are then referred to, scoffing at the author’s trust in God for salvation (Psalms 22:6-8). The author then pleads to God for salvation, describing the persecutions he is enduring (Psalms 22:9-21). The author ends the psalm with praise to God proclaiming the time when all mankind will return to God (Psalms 22:22-31). 

As he slowly died on the cross, Jesus is recorded as repeating Psalms 22:1 (Matthew 27:46). It is likely that he repeated the rest of the psalm to himself as a way to comfort himself and cry out to God. Many of the verses of Psalm 22 are also seen to have been fulfilled during the time of Jesus’ death. For example, Psalms 22:18 prophesizes how Jesus’ garments were sold off in lots (Matthew 27:35). The religious leadership also mocked him as he died (Matthew 27:39-43) as prophesied in Psalms 22:7-8. 

Jesus willingly gave his life to redeem mankind from the condition of sin it had fallen into (1 Corinthians 15:22, 1 Timothy 2:5-6). As Jesus died on the cross, aware of his role in the fulfillment of God’s plan for mankind, he may have taken comfort from the words of Psalms 22:26-31 as being a prophecy of the time when God’s kingdom will finally be established, and all mankind will return to the righteous worship of God.

As summarized in an examination of Jesus’ words as he died on the cross: 

“These words [of Psalm 22] reveal not only great suffering but amid the suffering the strength of Jesus’ faith. Jesus took great comfort that even unborn generations would hear of God’s righteousness.

In this amazing prophetic Psalm, Jesus left a legacy of how faith deals with adversity. In his own great struggle, he went to the Father. He asked for help and claimed the promises. He drew courage in knowing of the coming kingdom and that there would be a seed to proclaim God’s name. His prime concern was that God should be honored. With that perspective, he was focused on higher and nobler principles, well worth the physical sufferings he endured.”

Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1276: “When Jesus Said, ‘It is Finished,’ What Did He Begin?”
Absorbing the crucifixion through the eyes of bible prophecy
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes

PDF Article: “Behold the Man! Psalm 22”
PDF Article: “Honoring Memorial Principles”