Exegesis of Psalm 22:1-5 and Mark 15:34 on Suffering

Introduction

My passion happens to be helping survivors of domestic violence. The context that led me to engage in this project — connecting survivors of domestic violence with Psalm 22:1–5 and Mark 15:34 — is the fact that domestic violence is a common problem in our community and in society at large. My project centers on a model of ministry aimed at equipping clergy and lay leaders with tools to help survivors of domestic violence. The foundational Old Testament text is Psalm 22:1–5, and the New Testament text is Mark 15:34.

The book of Psalms is full of praises to God for His wonderful deeds. This paper specifically focuses on Psalm 22:1–5 and Mark 15:34, whereby both texts capture the cries of people who felt abandoned at their time of deepest despair. Psalm 22:1 records how David cried to God, asking why He had abandoned him. In the same way, we hear the same cry of abandonment at the cross when Jesus was being crucified. In verses 3–4 of the psalm, David praises God for His holiness and for the fact that He was able to deliver David's fathers.

I chose to connect the Old Testament book of Psalms with the New Testament book of Mark because Jesus alluded to the very words of David, yet He ultimately became the Savior of the world. In Mark 16, there is victory, as Jesus is raised from the dead after dying for sinners. The purpose of this paper is to determine the intent of these two texts and to assess their significance in helping survivors of domestic violence today. The psalm in Psalm 22:1–5 is a cry of David; at the end of the passage, David refers to God as the Holy One who was capable of delivering his fathers. In Mark 15:34, Jesus refers to the same psalm as He is crucified on the cross.

That psalm can signify victory because the death of Jesus led to the salvation of humankind. For this reason, survivors of domestic violence can link the suffering of Christ as seen in Mark 15:34 with Psalm 22:1–2, finding comfort and hope that there is victory after violence for those who trust in God. The paper is primarily based on Psalm 22:1–5 while drawing on the victory revealed in the life of Jesus in Mark.

Literary Elements of the Text

An exegesis would not be complete without an explanation of the literary features of the two biblical passages. According to Patterson (2004), a biblical text can only be judged authoritatively once its history, theology, forms, and genres have been explained. To understand the text more fully, it is therefore necessary to begin by identifying its genres. In terms of context, the book of Psalms was composed as song. David included rich literary elements in that song. The literary element used in Psalm 22:1–5 takes the form of biblical poetry inclined toward a lament. According to McCabe (2012), the genre of poetry is the most dominant feature throughout the whole text. The psalmist is struggling with a problem and is trying to express his disappointment with God in that time of distress (Ps 22:1–2). That lament then shifts from disappointment to an expression of trust, causing the end of the song to function as a praise song. In Psalm 22:4–5, David praises God for delivering his fathers when they cried to Him, grounding his praise in the declaration that God is holy (v. 3). White (2021) suggests that this text is a song of lament in which the author describes a situation that is unbearable.

As a literary text, the book of Psalms is written mostly in poetic form. Poetry includes the use of parallelism, as is clearly the case in the psalms attributed to David. Verses 1, 2, 4, and 5 are written following the conventions of Hebrew poetry. The first part of the poem constitutes a cry of abandonment, and the verses are arranged in lines. Through this poem, David shares experiences that Christians can connect to as they read. According to Easton (1996), Psalm 22:1–5 is a Hebrew poem that he describes as "the measured language of emotion" (par. 1). He further argues that Hebrew poetry deals exclusively with the question of the relationship between God and humanity. Hebrew poetry features parallelism — the structural correspondence of sentences and lines.

In the first verse, we observe cognate parallelism, whereby words are repeated (Easton, 1996). Specifically, Psalm 22:1 opens with "My God, My God," repeating the words to create emphasis. In Mark 15:34, the word Eloi is likewise repeated for emphasis. The phrase "in you" is also repeated in verses 3–5 of Psalm 22. The Hebrew poem further exhibits features of proverbial poetry, where each subsequent sentence either answers or reinforces the first. In this case, the controlling idea is the cry: David cried out to God, and his fathers also cried out to God. The thought of verse 1 is resumed in verse 5. These verses alternate thematically — verse 1 presents the negative theme of abandonment while verse 5 presents the positive theme of deliverance. According to Patterson (2004), verses 1–5 consist of two strophes built around these two themes. The text also contains both lament and praise, functioning as a form of symbolism: the cry symbolizes the humiliation of the king, while the praise symbolizes the king's restoration (Patterson, 2004).

The poem also functions as an oracle. It reveals that God is holy and able to deliver. In verse 3, David declares that God is holy, and in verses 4–5, he affirms that God delivered David's fathers when they cried to Him. It is also noteworthy that Psalm 22:1 contains the literary element of prophecy — David may be prophesying about the Messiah yet to come. Psalm 22:1–5 is therefore also allegorical. Beyond its historical meaning about David, it carries a hidden spiritual meaning: Jesus is the king (Hubbard, 2011). The surface meaning relates to King David's cry, while the spiritual meaning identifies Jesus as the king on Golgotha.

Historical Setting of the Text

After identifying the genres of the text, it is important to determine its historical context in order to establish its meaning for the original audience. Assigning a precise historical setting to these two texts is difficult because the relevant chapters are not explicit about the circumstances. However, it is possible to reconstruct the historical context by evaluating the events that precede and follow the passages in question. Some scholars argue that Psalm 22:1–5 was written in a specific historical period. David's reference in verse 4 to his fathers who trusted in God appears to reflect the experience of the Hebrew people in Egypt during the Passover. It may also have been the period when David was being persecuted by Saul. According to White (2021), David's enemies were mocking him at that time because of his trust in God. White (2021) further argues that David was sharing a vision of what was going to happen to Jesus — the anointed one who would rule for eternity and complete the work of saving the world.

Mark 15:34, on the other hand, is a narration of the passion of Jesus Christ during His trial before Pilate. His name is mentioned in the chapter, and the events following His death are recorded in chapter 16. The text records Jesus's cry from the cross at the moment of His crucifixion. This was the time when Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews. When Jesus was questioned, the Jewish leaders multiplied their charges against Him, and He was sentenced to crucifixion. Before Jesus uttered the words "My God, My God! Why have you abandoned me?" there was darkness from midday until three o'clock (Mark 15:34).

Others hold the view that the sufferings David wrote about were drawn from his own experiences while also predicting the sufferings of Jesus in the New Testament (Constable, 2021). David wrote Psalm 22 approximately 1,000 years before the birth of Christ. The text was about the feelings and thoughts of people who endured intense experiences and directed those feelings to God (Constable, 2021). Apart from people of faith generally, the text relates specifically to the Jewish people, or Israelites. The text takes place in the context of Hebron, a town in Jerusalem. They fulfilled their religious obligations through pilgrimages and gatherings in synagogues. The people of Israel believed that prayer was capable of replacing the sacrifices that had been denied to them. They did not concentrate on nationhood; rather, the law was their primary focus.

At the time David was writing Psalm 22, he was king of Israel, reigning between approximately 1000 and 961 BCE. It is important to note that there was oppression during his reign. David took the wife of Uriah after seeing her bathing; he sexually violated Bathsheba and made her pregnant. Later, David ordered that Uriah be placed at the front of a battle so that he would be killed, then married Bathsheba, who became Uriah's widow (Britannica, n.d.). As a consequence, the child born from the abuse died as a result of God's judgment on David.

Connections can be drawn between these ancient events and the forms of abuse and suffering that God's people endure today. Although these events happened many centuries ago, they are readily relatable to contemporary situations. It is easy to connect the lamentations of Bathsheba when she was sexually abused by David to domestic violence and abuse cases that are prevalent today, and God at times appears to be silent about these issues. Second Samuel 11:4 states that David sent for Bathsheba, took her, and lay with her. This text does not imply that Bathsheba was a willing participant. The sexual violence that Bathsheba endured cannot be attributed to her: when she was summoned, she did not realize she was being called for sex and was confused because she had to respect authority.

According to Garland and Garland (2007), "when someone who has power over us and whom we trust is manipulating us, even our ability to sort out right from wrong is confused" (p. 24). For this reason, the different types of domestic violence that God's people endure should not be blamed on the victims. Rather, blame belongs to those who commit the violence. When individuals are abused by people in positions of power, the sin does not affect only the perpetrator. It also affects those who are innocent (Garland & Garland, 2017). In the case of Bathsheba's abuse, both the child and Uriah were innocent, yet both died as a consequence of David's sin. It is therefore important to recognize that most survivors of domestic violence are innocent individuals who should not be victimized further.

When Nathan confronted David, he told him that his house would be full of trouble and that death would follow. David repented, and God forgave him, but there was still destruction and death in his household. Although David sought God's grace for his victims, the sin he had committed could not be undone (Garland & Garland, 2017). In the same way, Jesus had to die on the cross to bring victory to the world, even though He cried out to God to remove the cup of wrath from Him. It is also noteworthy that Bathsheba had the grace and strength to survive the abuse even while living in the same household as her abuser. Nathan served as a lamb who advocated for her by confronting David. In the same way, lay leaders and clergy can serve as advocates of peace for survivors of domestic violence. Bathsheba was perhaps unable to share her loss and grief with the wider community or her family. Survivors of violence need others to comfort them in their cry, which can be done by sharing their despair with church leaders who are equipped to help.

Major Themes of the Text

The first theme is the theme of oppression. Both David and Jesus cry to God saying "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" — a cry that signals that what they are facing is felt to be deeply unjust. Jesus, the Son of God who knew no sin, was made to be sin. Some view this act as a form of oppression because it was fundamentally unjust for the sinless One to bear sin. Guzik (2018) argues that Jesus was made a substitute for human sin, experiencing not only the wrath of His Father but also the withdrawal of His Father's fellowship. David, similarly, felt that God had forsaken him and that his enemies were threatening him. According to Constable (2021), David felt that he was facing execution and that he was going to die from the threats of his enemies. He also felt that God was not hearing his prayers.

The second theme is the theme of collaboration. In Psalm 22:1–2, David cried to God asking why He had forsaken him, claiming that God was far from him. Even in that cry, David was sharing his sufferings with God, though perhaps without fully realizing it. Colossians 1:24 indicates that the sufferings of Christ are meant to be shared by all Christians. Mark 15:34 shows the suffering of Jesus on the cross. When David uttered those words, he was, in effect, sharing in the suffering that Jesus would one day endure. Though David felt helpless, he knew he depended on God. In verses 3–5 of Psalm 22, David points out that his fathers depended on God, showing that those who share their sufferings with God will be rescued. Psalm 22:4–5 also reveals the covenant relationship that the people of Israel had with God (Wolde, 2020). That covenant was characterized by loyalty and mutual trust. When the psalmist cries to God in the first two verses, he is invoking the memory of that covenant and calling on God to reaffirm His faithfulness (Wolde, 2020). The same collaborative dynamic is seen in the cry of Jesus: even feeling abandoned, He still addressed God as His Father and depended on Him. Although both David and Jesus felt forsaken, neither renounced God; instead, they called upon His name. This meant they were in a covenant relationship with God (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, 2005). Their petition was precisely the kind of beseeching that the covenant relationship invited.

The third theme is the theme of faith. In both Psalm 22:1–5 and Mark 15:34, the persons suffering face extreme distress, yet neither loses faith in God. Their cries are addressed specifically to "My God, my God," which reveals ongoing acknowledgment of relationship. When Jesus called upon God, His words demonstrated continuing trust. Godfrey (2019) observes that David did not stop recognizing God as his God even in agony, and that despite God's apparent silence, David maintained strong confidence in Him. The repeated phrases "in you" and "on you" in both texts affirm trust. Even though David and Jesus questioned God's apparent inaction, they never questioned His character. When the phrases "cried out" and "in you" are held together, they show that the cry was offered without ultimate doubt — with strong faith intact (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, 2005).

Furthermore, David remembers God's faithfulness in the past: "our fathers trusted in you; they trusted, and you delivered them, and they cried to you, and were delivered; they trusted in you, and were not put to shame" (Psalm 22:4–5). Recalling the character of God meant David knew what God was capable of. He was baffled that the God who had delivered his forefathers would allow him to pass through such suffering, yet the memory of those past deliverances comforted and strengthened his faith. That collection of remembered deeds supports the central assertion: those who cry out to God in distress and trust in Him will be delivered.

Conclusion

Many people die as a result of domestic violence. In addition, injuries endured during violence may require hospital care, which may be costly, and not all persons affected will be capable of meeting that cost. Most domestic violence cases are also accompanied by unemployment and other financial hardships. Domestic violence tends to have no boundaries, affecting persons from all genders, races, cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses (Huecker et al., 2021). It has an impact on the abused individual as well as on friends, other family members, and others within the social network of the abused person. According to Huecker et al. (2021), domestic violence affects nearly 10 million people per year. The authors further note that domestic violence may include psychological, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse, with victims including elders, adults, and children.

According to Huecker et al. (2021), domestic violence affects the abused and those in their social network in numerous ways. It may lead to decreased productivity, decreased quality of life, and worsened physical and psychological health and well-being. Children who witness domestic violence may be affected psychologically and may come to view violence as the only means of resolving conflict. Like children, women who witness domestic violence tend to have a higher probability of being victimized themselves. Males who witness violence, on the other hand, may come to believe that women do not deserve respect, increasing the likelihood that they will perpetrate abuse in adulthood (Huecker et al., 2021).

One of the most effective ways of helping victims of domestic violence is through education: sensitizing individuals on strategies to avoid victimization, on help-seeking approaches, and on available resources. According to Huecker et al. (2021), many victims of domestic violence remain silent and do not seek help, often because they are ashamed or fear stigmatization. In addition, many healthcare professionals in domestic violence care settings may mishandle abuse cases due to inadequate training or work-related factors such as overload.

There is a clear need to embrace diverse approaches to properly handle domestic abuse cases and ensure that victims receive the help needed to overcome the emotional and psychological suffering associated with exposure to violence. Biblical teachings on suffering and endurance may therefore prove helpful to survivors. In Psalm 22:1–2 and Mark 15:34, both Jesus and the Psalmist expressed the feeling that God had forsaken them because He did not hear their cries in their hour of need. This mirrors the experience of many individuals facing domestic violence, who may be suffering day and night and crying out to God yet not feeling rescued from their misery. Although these texts include cries of abandonment, they culminate in praise to God because of the victory ultimately brought forth. The texts are important because they encourage survivors of domestic violence to call upon God for intervention, to praise Him, and to never doubt His capabilities regardless of present circumstances.

David and Jesus were under oppression, yet neither questioned the goodness of God (Guzik, 2018). Survivors of domestic violence likewise need to perceive God as good — always — and to continue praying despite their frustrations. These verses are helpful to survivors because they show that even Jesus, the Son of God, cried out to His Father. Jesus was at the point of death when He cried out, yet God's plan required Him to bear sin on behalf of humanity. His obedience made Him the Savior of the universe. This teaches us that suffering does not mean God has forsaken the sufferer. Clergy and lay leaders can use these verses to assure survivors of domestic violence that there is hope for those who trust in God's deliverance. Such leaders can teach the affected individuals about the need to trust God, the relevance of obedience, and the importance of perseverance.

When survivors of domestic violence cry out to God, His silence does not mean He has forsaken them. Rather, He may be strengthening their faith in Him. David affirms in Psalm 22:4–5 that his fathers put their trust in God and were delivered; when they cried to God, He heard and saved them. In the same way, survivors of domestic violence should continue crying out to God, knowing that — as with their forefathers — He will not disappoint them but will save them from oppression, pain, and suffering. Bathsheba's lamentations led Nathan to advocate for her, prompting David's repentance. When those experiencing suffering put their trust in God, His grace is always sufficient: He saves them or gives them the strength to endure, because He knows what is best for them. The fact that Jesus was made to be sin even though He knew no sin reveals that survivors of domestic violence face violence not because they are sinners but because God has a plan and purpose for them. It does not mean that survivors are the enemies of God.

As it was on the cross, Jesus experienced disappointment as He felt He had been made to drink from a cup of God's fury. When Jesus cried out, it expressed a desire for God to remove that cup from Him. Yet, according to Isaiah 53:10, the bruises that Jesus endured were part of God's redemptive plan. Suffering is both an agony and a vehicle of victory. Although those bruises were horrific, they fulfilled God's purpose of redemption (Guzik, 2018). According to Godfrey (2019), prayer is important because it helps us remember God's promises while praising Him as we ought. Praising God increases our faith, making it possible to face challenges such as those posed by domestic violence. In the final analysis, God is faithful and will surely answer our prayers regardless of the situation and regardless of how long it takes for the answer to come. In Hebrews 13:5, God declares, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

References

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Bathsheba. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bathsheba-biblical-figure

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. (2005). When we feel forsaken — Psalm 22. https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/when-we-feel-forsaken-psalm-22/

Constable, T. L. (2021). Notes on Psalm. https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/psalms.pdf

Darvick, D. B. (2020). This Jewish life.

Easton, M. (1996, June 24). Poetry — Easton's Bible Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewtopic.cfm

Garland, D. E., & Garland, D. R. (2007). Flawed families of the Bible. Brazos Press.

Garland, D. E., & Garland, D. R. (2017). Flawed families of the Bible. Brazos Press.

Godfrey, W. R. (2019). Learning to love the psalms. Reformation Trust.

Guzik, D. (2018). Mark 15: The crucifixion of Jesus. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/mark-15/

H7121 — qara — Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7121/kjv/wlc/0-1/

H982 — batah — Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h982/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Hubbard, R. L. (2011). Psalms. Baker Books.

Huecker, R., King, K. C., Jordan, G. A., & Smock, W. (2021). Domestic violence. StatPearls Publishing.

Jones, A. R. (2021). The fulfillment of Psalm 22 in Holy Week. https://blog.cph.org/study/the-fulfillment-of-psalm-22-in-holy-week

McCabe, B. (2012). The genre of the Psalms. https://dbts.edu/2012/07/22/the-genre-of-the-psalms/

Patterson, R. D. (2004). Psalm 22: From trial to triumph. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 47(2), 213–233.

Smith, W. (2010). Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani — Smith's Bible Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewtopic.cfm

Teutsch, R. B. (2016). Attitudes, beliefs, and values shaping Jewish practice. https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/attitudes-beliefs-and-values-shaping-jewish-practice

Vine, W. (1996). Sabachthani — Vine's expository dictionary of New Testament words. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewtopic.cfm

Walker, W. (2003). Cry, crying — International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewtopic.cfm

White, E. G. (2021). Psalms commentary. [Source details as cited in text.]

Wolde, E. V. (2020). A network of conventional and deliberate metaphors in Psalm 22. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 44(4), 642–666.