Psalm 22:1 – Does the writer’s cry of abandonment contradict other biblical depictions of God’s faithfulness to the righteous?

Historical and Literary Overview of Psalm 22

Psalm 22 begins with the famed cry, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). This heartfelt lament has prompted questions regarding whether such a statement conflicts with the broader biblical portrayal of God’s faithfulness, especially to the righteous. Psalm 22 is attributed to David, whom many sources—both within Scripture and within ancient Jewish traditions—affirm as the king and poet responsible for numerous psalms. In the wider canon of Scripture, David often draws on personal experiences of persecution, leveraging them to express both sorrow and eventual hope in divine deliverance.

The structure of Psalm 22 is reflective of a lament psalm: it opens with raw emotional turmoil, transitions through pleas for aid, and culminates in praise and confidence in God’s intervention. Far from indicating a contradiction, this structure underscores a deep trust in God’s unwavering faithfulness, revealed progressively throughout the text.

Understanding the Lament Genre in Scripture

Biblical lament provides a means for individuals to express genuine anguish in moments of suffering. Such laments do not dismiss God’s faithfulness; rather, they highlight the realistic human experience of pain. Like many psalms (see Psalm 13; Psalm 44), Psalm 22 shows how those who trust God can still wrestle with a sense of abandonment while believing that deliverance will come.

In lament, the speaker’s immediate perception of distance from God need not imply actual divine unfaithfulness. Instead, it captures the tension between what believers know about God’s character and the difficulties they face. The biblical witness consistently records testimonies of righteous individuals who undergo trials—yet never lose ultimate hope in God’s goodness (e.g., Job’s experience in Job 1–42).

Harmony with the Full Context of Psalm 22

Though Psalm 22 begins with the anguished question in verse 1, the subsequent verses affirm God’s faithfulness. By verse 3, the psalmist proclaims, “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). Then, a transition unfolds as the psalmist remembers God’s past deliverances of His people:

• Verse 4: “In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.”

• Verse 5: “They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.”

Ultimately, the psalmist’s despair is not final. Moving toward the conclusion, the text builds toward a crescendo of hope and worldwide proclamation of God’s rule:

• Verse 24: “For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; He has not hidden His face from him, but has heard when he cried to Him.”

• Verse 27: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD.”

This trajectory from lament to praise demonstrates that the initial cry is not a repudiation of divine faithfulness but rather a sincere recognition of one’s dire circumstances, followed by confidence that God’s plan will culminate in rescue and worship.

Prophetic and Christological Implications

The opening of Psalm 22 is also famously echoed in the New Testament. Jesus cites “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” at His crucifixion (see Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34), linking His suffering to the psalm. Later references in Psalm 22—such as the piercing of hands and feet (Psalm 22:16) and the casting of lots for clothing (Psalm 22:18)—are taken as prophetic details fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion.

Although Jesus experienced immense agony, the consistent teaching of Scripture is that the Father did not ultimately abandon Him. Instead, His resurrection serves as proof of divine vindication and the ultimate faithfulness to the righteous cause (Romans 1:4). This Christological layer further reinforces that the lament in Psalm 22 does not undermine God’s faithfulness; it showcases how sincere cries of distress find resolution in divine victory.

Consistency with God’s Character Throughout Scripture

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals a consistent portrayal of God as faithful and just. In numerous passages (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 119:90; 1 Corinthians 1:9), the emphasis remains on God as a covenant-keeping God. Perceived moments of abandonment in the Psalms function to highlight that even the faithful experience despair. Yet these moments typically culminate in renewed hope, verifying that lament complements rather than contradicts the biblical depiction of divine steadfastness.

In narrative accounts—such as those detailing Joseph’s betrayal (Genesis 37–50) or Elijah’s discouragement (1 Kings 19)—God eventually delivers or provides. These stories form a tapestry illustrating that God’s promise to His faithful ones endures through trials, leading to a final redemption.

Archaeological and Manuscript Corroboration

Ancient manuscripts like those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (particularly the Psalms scrolls at Qumran) support the accurate transmission of the Hebrew text. These discoveries confirm that psalms such as Psalm 22 have remained integral to the Jewish and Christian canon for millennia with minimal variation in key content. Scholarly analysis shows that the fidelity of these texts, including the lament details and concluding expressions of trust, has been preserved, reinforcing the psalm’s original theme of hope streaming out of anguish.

Beyond manuscript evidence, commentators throughout the centuries (including early Church Fathers who cited Psalm 22 in reference to Christ) have underscored that the psalm’s lament does not undermine God’s faithfulness. Instead, it focuses on God’s deliverance once the time of testing has passed—a unifying thread across the entire biblical narrative.

Answering the Question of Contradiction

Psalm 22:1’s opening cry does not contradict the biblical position of God’s faithfulness. Instead, it exemplifies a common biblical motif: those who trust God may still undergo acute suffering or feel distant from Him, but this does not negate God’s righteous character. Rather, lament psalms allow for the honest articulation of pain, with the assurance that God remains sovereign and responsive.

The same chapter that begins with a desperate inquiry transitions into an assertion of hope and a proclamation of future praise. It becomes a powerful illustration that raw emotion can coexist with reverence, demonstrating that what appears to be abandonment is ultimately answered by divine closeness and salvation.

Conclusion

Psalm 22:1 stands not as a contradiction but as a profound example of how righteous believers cry out to God in the midst of affliction, trusting Him for vindication. When placed in context—both within Psalm 22 and the larger biblical narrative—the lament highlights that perceived abandonment does not negate God’s faithfulness. Rather, Scripture consistently teaches that God ultimately rescues and vindicates His people, a truth dramatically underscored by Christ’s own suffering and resurrection.