Psalm 22

a not so controversial Subject

Psalms 22 is an argued text between the Jewish and Christian communities and the arguments against the Christian claim are lacking. The worst objection is pertaining to part of verse 16, it reads: “they pierce my hands and my feet ''. Rabbi Tovia singer claims this translation pierced “is a christian contrivance that appears no where in jewish scriptures' ', and claims the right word is like a lion”. He also tries to claim that there is not a single Hebrew bible in the world that has the word pierced. This is completely false. The earliest Hebrew manuscript from the Dead Sea scrolls of psalms 22:16 reads pierced [see in figure 4]. 

[4]  

What makes this seem worse for the Jewish argument is that not only do the Dead Sea scrolls read pierced, but the Septuagint also reads pierced. The Septuagint is the oldest copy of Psalms 22, it was written between the 3rd and 1st century BC. Hebrew bibles mostly get their texts from the Masoretic texts which date from around 900 AD from Jewish scholars. Although most do, not all of the copies from that time read “like a lion”. It’s possible that Jewish scholars chose to go with this translation throughout the years because it seemed less like Jesus. Also it seems that the Jewish community still chooses this translation even though the earliest most reliable manuscripts, the Dead Sea scrolls (around 1000 years before the Masoretic texts), and the Septuagint (between 1000-1300 years before the Masoretic texts) read otherwise. It’s actually more concerning for the Jews that they choose the translation like a lion, because it seems like they are choosing that translation to avoid Jesus. 

Not only is there a consensus to deny translation of this text but there is a contemporary denial of the meaning of this text. There are also some views in the Jewish community that Psalms 22 is about David. Ancient Jewish views of Psalm 22 disagree. Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi) believed that “David recited this prayer for the future”, so it’s not about David. “So this is not some new Christian Idea or Invention, we’re not ripping Palms 22 out of it’s contexts and forcing it to be about Jesus' '(Mike Winger Youtube: Really Specific Prophecy Jesus Fulfilled on the Cross! Amazing). Nor is the Idea of the Messiah being punished for the sins of others a new Idea in Judaism. In Pesikta De-Rav Kahana ,a well regarded piece of Jewish literature, says:

Ephraim, our true Messiah, even though we’re thy forebears, thou art greater than we because thou didst suffer for the iniquities of our children, and terrible ordeals befell thee… For the sake of Israel thou didst become a laughingstock and a derision among the nations of the earth; and didst sit in darkness, in thick darkness, and thine eyes saw no light, and thy skin cleaved to thy bones, and thy body was as dry as a piece of wood; and thine eyes grew dim from fasting, and thy strength was dried up like a potsherd-all these afflictions on account of the iniquities of our children. Pesikta Rabbati 37:1[4]”

This was written around 845 AD by Jews, non messianic, so Jews can believe that the messiah died for their sins, it’s Jewish. It seems the only reason psalm 22 is such a controversial subject in the 21st century is because people want it to be. There is really no reason to deny that Jesus fits psalms 22.

Psalms 22 is one of the last things Jesus quotes on the cross “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me”(Matthew 27:46). Why would he get crucified and quote a verse while in excruciating pain, and close to death if it were not true? Why would a mere man that was either crazy or sane decide to be tortured on a cross to fulfill a scripture? Jesus fits psalms 22 and He is the fulfillment of psalms 22, there is no other way of salvation but through Jesus. He has been forsaken in the place of sinners, Jews and Gentiles. He paid the price for every sinner that would ever put faith In Him. He has over come death, and ascended at the right hand of the Father, and “All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him”(Psalm 22:29).

Big thanks to Mike Wingers research on this matter.