Why Have You Forsaken Me?

On the cross, Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (See Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34.) To be sure, Jesus was feeling the weight of our sin thrust upon Him, and the resulting break in relationship with God the Father. But there is another dimension to this cry: this is a quote of the first line of Psalm 22.  


Before I explore this further, I want to ask you a question: have you ever had times when someone quoted a lyric from a song and your mind suddenly filled with the whole song? That happens to me frequently - for songs I love as well as songs I'd rather forget.


To the Jews who heard Jesus' cry from the cross, they would have thought of the lyrics to a well-known Davidic Psalm, Psalm 22. If we read the words of the Psalm, we will soon realize it is filled with Messianic prophecy. Consider these other verses:
* Verses 7-9 - All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"
* Verses 16-18 - For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet - I can count all my bones - they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.


Many of those who heard Jesus' cry of "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" would have immediately begun singing this Psalm in their heads, and would have realized that even from the cross, Jesus was proving to them that He was and is the Messiah, and that His crucifixion was the fulfillment of prophecy from centuries earlier.  


Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Who You are and for all You have done!