Eli Eli: Psalm 22 on the Cross
Four cards under the Hebrew line of Psalm 22:1 show that Jesus' cross cry is real lament, Scripture quotation, messianic identification, and hope-filled fulfilment.
Big Idea
Jesus' cry from the cross is not a loose phrase of despair, but Psalm 22 prayed from inside the work of redemption.
Delivery Script
Hook Some of Jesus' words are short because they carry a whole Scripture inside them.
1. Show the Hebrew. [hold up the large card with אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי and read it slowly] "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Seven words in English. Four words in Hebrew. And the weight of the whole of Psalm 22 folded inside them.
2. Lay down Lament. [place the Lament card beneath the Hebrew card] The first thing to say is simple. This is a real cry. Real anguish. Real distance felt. Do not sanitise it. Do not explain it away before you have heard it. Jesus, on the cross, is suffering.
3. Lay down Quotation. [place the Quotation card beneath the first] But He is not crying out at random. He is quoting. Psalm 22, verse 1, word for word. This is a man who knows where He is in the Scriptures. Even here. Especially here.
4. Lay down Identification. [place the Identification card beneath the second] Which means He is not just suffering like the righteous sufferer of Psalm 22. He is entering that Psalm from inside the work of the cross. The sufferer of that ancient poem finds his truest identity here. On this wood. In this darkness.
5. Lay down Hope. [place the Hope card beneath the third, then open the printed Psalm to verses 22-31] Now look where the Psalm goes. It does not end in dereliction. Verse 22 onwards: the sufferer calls his brothers to praise. The congregation gathers. The nations hear. The ends of the earth remember and turn. This is inside the same Psalm.
6. Read the movement. [read or paraphrase Psalm 22:22-24 quietly] The Psalm moves from anguish to worship. From the silence of God to proclamation among the nations. Jesus prays the opening line. He knows the ending.
7. Read Matthew 27:46. [read Matthew 27:46 from the page] "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" That is, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew gives us the cry. And Matthew trusts us to hear the whole Psalm behind it.
8. Preach it whole. Do not flatten this. The lament is real. The dereliction is not performance. But neither does the Psalm end there. Preach it with care. Hold both. The depth of the suffering and the certainty of the praise that follows.
Land So at the cross we listen slowly, with reverence, until Psalm 22 teaches us both the depth of suffering and the certainty of praise. Christ did not cry out in despair with no horizon. He prayed a Psalm He knew to the end.
Call to action Bring your lament to God in the words of Scripture, trusting Christ who has entered suffering before you.
Transitions
In
Some of Jesus' words are short because they carry a whole Scripture inside them.
Out
So at the cross we listen slowly, with reverence, until Psalm 22 teaches us both the depth of suffering and the certainty of praise.
Scripture Anchors
Primary
Supporting
Cross-Testament
Hebraic Anchor
אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי
Transliteration
Eli Eli lamma azavtani
Root
עזב
Literal Meaning
My God, my God, why have You forsaken or left me?
Common Translation
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Props & Setup
Props Required
- 1Large card with אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי
- 2Four cards: Lament, Quotation, Identification, Hope
- 3Psalm 22 printed with verses 1 and 22-31 marked
Setup Instructions
- 1Check the Hebrew spelling and vowels carefully.
- 2Place the four cards face down in order.
- 3Prepare a sentence acknowledging that Matthew records the cry in transliterated form and translates its meaning.
Stage Execution
- 1Show the Hebrew line from Psalm 22:1 and read the English translation.
- 2Place the Lament card beneath it and say, "The words are a real cry of suffering."
- 3Place the Quotation card and say, "Jesus is quoting Scripture, not inventing a phrase."
- 4Place the Identification card and say, "He enters the righteous sufferer's Psalm from inside the cross."
- 5Place the Hope card and turn to Psalm 22:22-31.
- 6Say, "The Psalm moves from anguish to praise among the congregation and proclamation to the nations."
- 7Read Matthew 27:46.
- 8Conclude, "Preach this with care: do not flatten the cry into despair only, and do not deny the depth of the lament."
Safety Notes
This is emotionally weighty cross material. Avoid graphic crucifixion description if children are present, and do not use the demo to attack listeners' previous teachers.
Theological Grounding
Psalm 22:1 is a genuine lament that later moves towards vindication and worldwide worship. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 present Jesus quoting the opening line from the cross and provide its meaning, so faithful preaching should not dismiss the standard translation as simply wrong. The stronger claim is that Jesus' cry invokes the whole Psalm, holding dereliction, messianic fulfilment, and eventual praise together without crude language about the Trinity being broken.
Preacher Tips
- Do not say "forsaken" is a fake translation. The Hebrew root can mean leave or forsake, and the Gospel writers give that sense.
- Avoid saying the Father and Son were separated as if the Trinity split apart. Speak carefully about judgement, identification, and mystery.
- Read later verses of Psalm 22. Without them, the audience hears only abandonment.
- If using the local insight, moderate its strongest claims and keep the congregation's trust by naming what the text clearly says.
If Things Go Wrong
1The demo sounds like a denial of Jesus' suffering.
Recovery: Point to the Lament card and say, "The cry is real anguish, not theatre."
2A listener hears translation-bashing.
Recovery: Say, "English translations are trying to carry the Hebrew and Gospel meaning. We are adding context, not accusing concealment."
3The four cards feel too technical.
Recovery: Keep one sentence for each card and spend more time reading Psalm 22 itself.
Adaptations
older children
Use only two cards: Sad Cry and Psalm Prayer. Say Jesus prayed Scripture when He suffered.
teens
Frame it as what to do with pain: bring it to God in Scripture rather than hiding it.
academic
Compare Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34, and Hebrews 2:12, then discuss how quotation can invoke a whole Psalm.
small group
Read the whole Psalm aloud in sections and mark the turns from lament to praise.
Response Prompts
1.Why does it matter that Jesus is quoting Psalm 22?
2.How does the rest of the Psalm shape the opening cry?
3.What should we avoid saying too quickly about the Father and the Son at the cross?
Application Questions
- 1Do I allow Scripture to give words to suffering?
- 2How does Psalm 22 keep pain and hope together at the cross?
Call to Action
Bring your lament to God in the words of Scripture, trusting Christ who has entered suffering before you.
Focus Note
Psalm 22 begins with the terrifying question, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" The Hebrew verb carries the ordinary force of being left or forsaken. We should not pretend the lament is not real. But Jesus' quotation also invokes the Psalm's whole movement: suffering, mockery, deliverance, praise, and the nations hearing of the Lord's righteousness. The cross cry is not less than pain. It is pain held inside Scripture and fulfilment.
Cultural Notes
In communities where cross language has been used to intensify guilt, keep the tone reverent rather than accusatory. The aim is worshipful clarity, not shock or argument.
Themes & Tags
Sermon Placement
Memorability
The four-card structure gives a careful map for a difficult but powerful text.
Type
visual prop
Difficulty
moderate
Setup
minimal
Cost
free