OT in NT 42: Psalm 22 Cross

The suffering and death of Jesus on the cross are deeply intertwined with the ancient words of Psalm 22. This connection reveals that the events of Christ's crucifixion were not random occurrences but were foreseen and described within the prophetic scriptures.
We learn this because the Gospel writers deliberately frame the crucifixion through the lens of Psalm 22. Jesus Himself utters the opening cry of Psalm 22:1 from the cross, proclaiming, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Furthermore, the Gospel of John explicitly connects the soldiers casting lots for Jesus' clothing to the description found in Psalm 22:16-18, which states, "They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." These details from the Psalm vividly portray a righteous sufferer surrounded by enemies, experiencing profound abandonment and affliction. The psalm also holds the expectation that God will ultimately deliver and vindicate the righteous one despite their agony.
This profound interplay between the Old Testament prophecy and its New Testament fulfillment assures us that the cross was not a moment of unexpected failure or an event outside of God's sovereign plan. Instead, the intense suffering of Jesus is presented as the ultimate expression of the righteous sufferer described in scripture, demonstrating that God was working out His divine purposes even—and especially—in Christ’s darkest hour. This gives us confidence that God is in control, even when our circumstances seem dire and forsaken.