Psalm 22:16-18

The context

Psalm 22 is an individual lament that begins with the cry of abandonment and moves through description of suffering to confidence and praise. These verses sit in the middle of the complaint, where the speaker describes the body and the mockery of onlookers. The final section turns to a vow of praise before the congregation.

What it establishes

The lines give a vivid account of bodily suffering, public mockery, and the dividing of clothes, and they show the psalmist interpreting his agony in terms of hostile crowds. The detail about the garments is specific enough that the Gospel writers noticed it.

What it does not establish

It does not explicitly predict crucifixion. The Hebrew of verse 16 is famously difficult, and the reading “they pierced” rests on a contested text; the traditional alternative is “like a lion.” Nor is the speaker identified; the application to Jesus is the New Testament's judgment.

Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.

Cited in these answers

• Christians make assertions; atheists just ask for evidence. What Old Testament evidence is there that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah?
• Biblical Prophecy? Give me a break – all these ‘pre-enlightenment folk’ were a dime a dozen. Ever heard of Nostradamus?

Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.