The Forsaken King

Psalm 22 shows David as a sufferer crying out to God in what he believes is deep abandonment, yet ultimately being heard and delivered—turning despair into praise and personal rescue into grateful worship. In David’s day, this psalm described his own anguish as God’s anointed king, surrounded by enemies and seemingly forsaken. But the Holy Spirit carried David’s words far beyond his own life—painting a prophetic picture of Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David, whose cry of forsakenness on the cross (Matt. 27:46) brought about the world’s redemption and the gathering of all nations in praise (Phil. 2:9–11; Rev. 7:9–10). In David’s suffering, we see a shadow of the cross; and in Christ’s cross, we see the fulfillment of David’s song. Today, it becomes the believer’s assurance—He was forsaken so that we never will be.