He Cried Out and Pointed Us to Scripture

One of the most heart-wrenching moments in the Bible is when Jesus, hanging on the cross, cried out: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

At first glance, it sounds like a cry of complete despair. And in a way, it was. Jesus was bearing the full weight of our sin, separated from the Father so we would not have to be. But there is something much deeper happening here, and I just learned about it. It is absolutely amazing!

Jesus wasn't begging His Father to help Him; He was quoting the very first verse of Psalm 22, a psalm written by King David around 1,000 years before the crucifixion. And the moment you start reading Psalm 22, you begin to realize: Jesus wasn’t just expressing His suffering…He was preaching from the cross.

Back then, people did not have Bibles in their homes. Scripture was memorized. So if someone quoted the first line of a psalm, it was like saying, “Go think about the whole thing.” 

In crying out the first verse of Psalm 22, Jesus was pointing the crowd, religious leaders included, straight to a passage that describes His suffering in eerie detail:

“They pierce my hands and my feet.” Psalm 22:16. “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” Psalm 22:18. “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults.” Psalm 22:7

Sound familiar? This psalm described Christ's crucifixion centuries before crucifixion was even invented! This part of the story has been lost on me for my entire life. Crucifixion was invented by the Persians around the 6th century BC. Romans later adopted and perfected this brutal form of execution. And yet there it was, playing out in real time, on that hill outside of Jerusalem. But here is the best part: Psalm 22 does not end in defeat!!

It moves from pain to praise. It shifts from “Why have You forsaken me?” to: “Future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, for He has done it.”  Psalm 22:30–31

Did you catch that? “He has done it.” That sounds a lot like Jesus’ final words: “It is finished.”

From start to finish, Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He was not a victim of circumstances; He was fulfilling prophecy, offering Himself as the sacrifice, and leaving behind breadcrumb trails of truth for anyone willing to follow.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, this Friday will be Good Friday. Jesus rested in the tomb on Sabbath. Sunday will be Easter Sunday. The next time you hear that cry from the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”, remember this: it was not just a cry of anguish. It was also an invitation.

"they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it." Psalm 22:31.

Read Psalm 22, and prepare to be amazed. 

by Jeanette Stark - Monday, April 14, 2025