Barry Grider "A Prophetic Look at Calvary"(Psalm 22:1-5) 08/23/26

Devotional

Day 1: Forsaken by God, Forsaken for Us

The cry “My God, why have you forsaken me?” echoes through Psalm 22 and the cross. This moment reveals the unbearable cost of bearing humanity’s sin—separation from the Father. Jesus, though sinless, endured divine abandonment so believers might never face eternal separation. His agony was not just physical but spiritual, absorbing the full weight of sin’s curse. The holy God turned away, not from His Son’s character, but from the sin He carried. In this darkness, redemption’s price was paid. [40:29]

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
(Psalm 22:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: When have you felt abandoned by God? How does Jesus’ cry on the cross reframe your understanding of His presence in your darkest moments?

Day 2: The Crimson Worm’s Stain on Splintered Wood

Psalm 22:6 compares the suffering Messiah to a lowly crimson worm—a creature that clings to trees, staining wood and offspring with red dye. Jesus, like this worm, surrendered to the cross, His blood staining its beams and covering His spiritual children. The imagery reveals humiliation turned to glory: the King of Kings became “despised” to clothe sinners in royal crimson. His shame became our honor. [52:28]

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
(Psalm 22:6, ESV)

Reflection: What shame or inadequacy do you carry? How does Jesus’ willingness to be “despised” for you redefine your worth?

Day 3: Bones Out of Joint, Thirst Unquenched

The cross was a body’s unraveling—bones dislocated, strength drained, tongue clinging to parched jaws. Psalm 22:14-15 paints visceral agony: Jesus’ humanity stretched to its limits. Dehydration magnified the torment, yet He refused numbing wine. His physical suffering was intentional, a full payment for the curse of sin. Every gasp declared, “I choose this for you.” [06:31]

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
(Psalm 22:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: When have you faced physical suffering? How does Jesus’ endurance on the cross deepen your gratitude for His tangible sacrifice?

Day 4: From Forsaken to Singing in the Congregation

After the cry of abandonment, Psalm 22 shifts abruptly: “I will tell of your name to my brothers” (v. 22). Resurrection transforms the narrative. The crucified Messiah now leads worship as the risen King. Hebrews 2:12 confirms He sings among His people, turning Calvary’s grief into eternal praise. The forsaken One becomes the church’s worship leader, His victory echoing in every hymn. [13:11]

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
(Psalm 22:22, ESV)

Reflection: How does knowing Jesus sings with His church reshape your view of corporate worship? Where have you sensed His presence in praise?

Day 5: A Seed Shall Serve Him: Calvary’s Unbroken Chain

Psalm 22 ends with a commission: “A people yet unborn shall proclaim his righteousness” (v. 31). Calvary’s story survives through generations because the redeemed pass it on. Every baptism, sermon, and hymn links believers to the cross’s legacy. The blood-stained message outlives empires, cultures, and graves—a seed that cannot die. [21:34]

Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
(Psalm 22:30-31, ESV)

Reflection: Who passed the gospel to you? How will you ensure this “seed” reaches those “yet unborn” in your sphere?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 22 gives a prophetic look at Calvary with such accuracy and precision that the heart is made to trust the Bible that much more. David speaks out of his own trials, but the Spirit carries his words far beyond David, all the way to the foot of the cross. The psalm sounds as if the writer is standing there, watching the Lord Jesus suffer, a thousand years before Jesus came to this earth.

The great cost of Calvary begins with the holy hand of God. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” is not only David’s cry, but the cry Jesus takes upon his lips in the hour of anguish. God is holy, and holiness is the very opposite of sin. Jesus did not become a sinner, but he became the sin bearer, with the iniquity, sorrow, shame, and suffering of sinners laid upon him so that sinful man could be reconciled to a holy God.

Psalm 22 also shows the hateful hands of men. The Lord Jesus suffers humiliation, contempt, loneliness, cruelty, thirst, nakedness, and mockery. The psalm’s words, “I am a worm, and no man,” point to the crimson worm fastened to a tree, shedding red dye that stains the wood and covers its offspring. So Jesus is fastened to the tree called the cross, shedding blood that covers those who belong to him. The only one Jesus ever refused to save was himself, though men mocked him to come down from the cross.

Psalm 22 further shows the hellish hands of Satan. The dogs and lions circling the sufferer picture the devil’s hour, the power of darkness. Satan thought he had Jesus right where he wanted him, but that weekend became his greatest defeat. The cross was not a victory for hell, but the place where hell was undone.

The great corollary of Calvary appears when Psalm 22 suddenly turns from suffering to praise. Between verse 21 and verse 22 stands the resurrection. The afflicted one now declares God’s name in the congregation and sings in the midst of God’s people. Jesus rejoices in the salvation his suffering accomplished.

The great commission of Calvary comes at the end. A seed shall serve him, and one generation shall declare to another that “he hath done this.” The story of the death, burial, and resurrection must never die with one generation. The love displayed at the cross still demands the soul, the life, the all.

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Key Takeaways

1. Prophecy strengthens trust in Scripture. Fulfilled prophecy is not just an interesting detail for Bible students. It is one of the ways God shows that the book held close to the heart is divinely inspired. Psalm 22 speaks with such precision that Calvary can be seen before Calvary happened, and that should deepen reverence for every word God has given. [32:25]
2. Calvary answered holiness with blood. God’s holiness is not set aside at the cross. God’s holiness is the very reason the cross had to happen. Jesus bears sin without becoming stained by sin, and that means forgiven sin no longer has the right to keep the Christian bowed under shame and sorrow. [42:25]
3. The crimson worm pictures covering. The worm of Psalm 22 is not a throwaway image. The crimson worm fastened itself to a tree, stained the wood, and covered its offspring with red. Jesus, fastened to the tree of the cross, stains that rugged wood with blood and covers his people in the crimson that saves. [53:33]
4. The cross leads into praise. Psalm 22 turns suddenly from agony to singing because resurrection stands between the cry and the congregation. Jesus is not pictured as reluctant about the salvation he purchased. The risen Christ stands in the midst of the assembly and rejoices that his cross is the way home. [73:11]
5. Calvary must reach another generation. The end of Psalm 22 places responsibility on those who have received the story. Somebody passed it on, and another generation must hear that he has done this. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are too costly, too glorious, and too saving to be left unspoken.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:15] - Trusting the Inspired Word
[34:05] - A Prophetic Look at Calvary
[40:05] - The Great Cost of Calvary
[40:29] - Jesus and the Holy Hand of God
[51:21] - Jesus and the Hateful Hands of Men
[53:15] - The Crimson Worm and the Cross
[63:04] - The Cruelty of Crucifixion
[69:24] - Jesus and the Hellish Hands of Satan
[72:25] - The Great Corollary of Calvary
[80:28] - The Great Commission of Calvary
[83:47] - Invitation and the Perfect Rose

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 22
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!’ Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” [32:25]

Matthew 27:46
“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?’” [40:52]

Isaiah 53:10
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” [49:48]

Hebrews 2:11-12
“For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’” [01:14:02]

Observation questions

In Psalm 22, what details of the sufferer’s experience sound like the events of the cross—especially the mocking, the pierced hands and feet, and the dividing of garments? [34:05]
What images are used in Psalm 22 to describe the enemies surrounding the sufferer, and what do those images suggest about the scene? [01:09:24]
What change takes place in Psalm 22 between the cries for deliverance and the words, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you”? [01:13:11]
How does Psalm 22 end, and what does it say should happen with this message in the coming generation? [01:20:28]

Interpretation questions

Psalm 22 begins with deep anguish but still says, “Yet you are holy.” What does that reveal about why the cross was necessary if sinful people were to be reconciled to a holy God? [42:25]
Jesus took the words of Psalm 22:1 on his lips at the cross. How should that shape the way a person reads Psalm 22—as only David’s suffering, or as David’s words carried forward to Christ? [42:03]
Psalm 22 says, “I am a worm, and not a man.” How does the picture of the crimson worm help explain both the humiliation of Christ and the covering his blood provides for his people? [53:33]
Hebrews 2:11-12 connects Psalm 22 to Jesus praising God in the midst of his brothers. What does that suggest about the place of resurrection between the suffering of the cross and the praise of the congregation? [01:14:02]

Application questions

Fulfilled prophecy helps strengthen trust in Scripture. When faith feels weak, does the heart return to the reliability of God’s Word, or has confidence been resting more on feelings and circumstances? [32:25]
Jesus bore not only sin but also the shame and sorrow that sin brings. Is there any forgiven sin that still seems to hold the conscience hostage? What would it look like to truly believe that Christ has dealt with both the guilt and the shame? [45:26]
Jesus refused to save himself so that sinners could be saved. How does that deepen love for him personally? What response does that kind of love call for in everyday life this week? [56:39]
The cross was the place of Satan’s apparent victory, yet it became his defeat. Where does evil sometimes seem strong or loud right now, and how does the cross help keep fear from taking over? [01:11:49]
Psalm 22 turns from suffering to praise because resurrection stands on the other side of the cross. When walking through a hard season, what helps a believer keep moving from complaint toward praise? [01:12:44]
A seed shall serve him, and one generation shall declare to another that “he has done this.” Who in this person’s life needs to hear the story of the death, burial, and resurrection more clearly—from children, grandchildren, neighbors, or friends? [01:21:12]
The love shown at Calvary demands the soul, the life, the all. If that truth were taken seriously this week, what part of life would likely need to change first—time, speech, priorities, generosity, purity, or witness? [01:22:35]

Sermon Clips

55s

“Jesus will never say to you and me when we get to heaven, you know what I had to go through for you, don't you? No. What he'll say is this, I'd go through it over and over and over again to get you here. Oh, I fully expect that you and I will bow down before him and say thank you, Lord, for what you did. I'd gladly do it all over again. You know, a mother might say to a thankful child, thank you, mom, for all the pain you had to endure giving birth to me. And I know I caused you pain after that. That may be what a grown, loving, mature child might say to an aged mother. But what's that mother gonna say in response? I do it all over again. Jesus says, I'd do it all over again.”

62s

“Where else do you hear those words? You hear that around the cross, don't you? When you study Matthew 27 and you read about what Jesus endured, there was not just the humiliation, feeling like he was the crimson worm attached to a cross, the lowliest among insects perhaps, but the contempt. Hey, he saved other people. Why won't he call on God to save him? The only one that Jesus ever refused to save was himself. Have you ever thought about that? Men would run to Jesus. Lord, forgive me. You're forgiven. Lord, heal me. You're healed. But Jesus was the one when he called upon to save himself, he refused. There's the loneliness of the cross.”

62s

“But I want us to keep in mind that not only did Jesus deal with our sin on the cross, but the sorrow that sin brings. Sin always brings sorrow and it brings shame. Jesus, through his death on the cross, is saying you no longer have to be guilty of sin any longer. It's no more on your record. You don't have to be ashamed any longer. I've dealt with your sin through my death. Jesus is saying you do not have to be sorrowful over past sins that have been forgiven. Sure we regret that we ever sinned against God, but Jesus now says let the sorrow end. You've been forgiven. You've been set free. You've been made alive through my precious blood.”

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