“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of Jesus’ last words on the Cross. Why those words?

The answer lies in Psalm 22. Richaél Lucero gives a run through of this prophetic Psalm. Listen and hear how it parallels the Passion of Christ with eerie detail. You’ll also learn the answer to the pressing question: why did Jesus speak those words on the Cross? And was he communicating a bigger message?

SHOW NOTES

Scriptures referenced

• Psalm 22 as it is parallel in the Gospel accounts of the Passion of Christ.

	Psalm Verse		Gospel Verse
v.1	My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?	Mark 15:34	And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “E′lo-i, E′lo-i, la′ma sabach-tha′ni?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
2-6	O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you  our fathers trusted they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not disappointed. But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by the people.
7-8	All who see me mock at me, they make mouths at me, they wag their heads; “He committed his cause to the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”	Matthew 27:43	He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
9-13	Yet you took me from the womb; you kept me safe upon my mother’s breasts. Upon you was I cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast;	John 19:34	But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
15	my strength is dried up like a piece of pottery, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; You lay me in the dust of death.	John 19:28	After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.”
16	Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet—	John 20:25	From the Doubting Thomas story: So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
17	I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me;
18	they divide my garments among them, and for my remnants they cast lots.	John 19:23-24	When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be.” This was to fulfil the scripture, “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
19-22	But you, O Lord, are not far off!      O you my help, hasten to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion, my afflicted soul from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you :
23	You who fear the Lord, praise him! all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!		For the rest of the Psalm, the tone changes to praise. Words of someone who has been delivered.
24-25	For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.		Eager to make an offering to God and to give witness of his blessings.
26	The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!		Referencing the Eucharist sacrifice completed.
27-31	All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. Yea, to him will all the proud of the earth bow down; before him will bow all who go down to the dust, and he who cannot keep himself alive. Posterity will serve him; men will tell of the Lord to the coming generation, and proclaim his deliverance to people yet unborn, that he has made it.		All the world will worship.They will experience conversion and salvation will be open for all the nations! Jesus has not been defeated, but victorious.