We’re looking at Psalm 22. It’s a prophecy about Jesus  on the cross written by King David around 1000 years before Jesus lived on earth. (Please scroll down for the full text.)

It starts with the words ‘My God my God, why have you forsaken me?’ And those were the very words that Jesus said when he was on the cross.
Jesus was quoting these words to show the prophecy was referring to him.

How do we know it was a prophecy? Because later in the Psalm, it describes crucifixion at a time when crucifixion had not been invented. Remember this is around 1000 BC. In amongst a horrific description of suffering it says ‘They pierced my hands and my feet.’ And that has to describe crucifixion.

But let’s just look a little bit more at what it says to show how accurately it describes Jesus’s death.

Jesus is on the cross and, because he is carrying our sin, God the father has to turn away from his own Son. So he says ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ He says ‘Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?' A bit later the Psalm gives the reply ‘Because You are Holy’. Even though Jesus had never sinned, when he went to the cross, he was carrying our sin, so God the Father in His holiness had to turn away.

But it talks about other things about Jesus and the cross.

Number 1. It describes those who see him mocking him.
It says ‘I am a reproach of men and despised by the people. All those who see me ridicule me. They shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him."’
And this is what happened to Jesus.

Number 2. It talks about the fact that he trusted God from birth.
‘I was cast upon you from birth. From my mother’s womb you have been my God.’

Number 3. He says, 'There is none to help.' That was certainly true for Jesus on the cross.

Number 4. A real description of crucifixion. He says:
I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
My strength is dried up like a piece of clay
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
 
When he was on the cross, Jesus said, 'I thirst.'

As people were crucified their bones became disjointed as the weight of their body hanging pulled them apart.
 
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
 
You may know when Jesus was crucified he had been wearing a special piece of clothing that had been made by being woven in one piece rather than sewn together like most clothes. Because of this, the soldiers who took his possessions didn’t tear it into bits and share it but they drew lots to decide who would have it. This also was prophesied here:
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
 
Now as you know after being crucified, Jesus rose from the dead. And so the Psalm ends on a positive note, showing that God the Father heard him:
He says
Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
 
Then he says
 
You have answered Me.
I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
 
So there you have an amazing prophecy about Jesus that came true. And you might say, well that’s not conclusive proof in itself. But if you put it alongside all the other prophecies about Jesus, they make such a complete picture that it’s hard to deny.
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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?
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
“He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
You have been My God.
Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog.
Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.
I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.
All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
All those who go down to the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.
A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.