Cross Motif: The “Excruciating” Psalm

Psalm 22 picks up our cross theme again with an emotional look at the physical torture of crucifixion described in detail centuries before this form of tortuous death was invented by the Persians in 300-400 B.C. It is quite possibly the most horrific death ever invented. The English word “excruciating” is derived from the word “crucifixion.”

In this Psalm, David is going on and on about his enemies (a very common theme with him because he spent so much time hiding in caves eluding Saul). But this Psalm starts out with “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” These are the same words uttered by Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:46) so we can already see that Jesus was purposely making a parallel to Psalm 22 by quoting it. No doubt he did this to highlight the other parallels in this Psalm. He was actually living out what David described feeling.

When someone is crucified, nails are driven through both wrists damaging the median nerve. This sends constant shooting pain up the arms. When the cross is lifted, the weight of the whole body pulls down on the nailed wrists and dislocates the shoulders and elbows. It becomes difficult to breathe—especially to exhale because one must push up on the nailed feet to catch a breath (to move the diaphragm up). Because exhalation is so hard, carbon dioxide builds up in the blood. The heart beats faster to circulate oxygen. Here is an excerpt from a website describing what happens next: “The decreased oxygen (due to the difficulty in exhaling) causes damage to the tissues and the capillaries begin leaking watery fluid from the blood into the tissues. This results in a build-up of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion) and lungs (pleural effusion). The collapsing lungs, failing heart, dehydration, and the inability to get sufficient oxygen to the tissues essentially suffocate the victim.” To read more see http://www.apu.edu/infocus/2002/03/crucifixion/

Now that you’ve seen the medical description, check out what Psalm 22 describes. In
verse 14 it says, “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within me.” It mentions the bones out of joint (remember the shoulders and elbows being pulled out of joint). When the lungs fill with fluid, it would feel like one was being poured out like water. When the area around the heart filled with fluid it would feel like the heart was melting like wax. The tissues begin to dehydrate causing one to feel extreme thirst. Verse 15 says, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you lay me in the dust of death.”

In verse 16 it says, “They pierced my hands and my feet.” You can’t get more explicit than that—crucifixion does that exactly. In verse 18 it says, “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” In Matthew 27:35 it says, “And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.” As you can see the parallel is unmistakable. David was prophesying about what would happen to Jesus on the cross many years later.