(Mat 27:46, Mark 15:34). The answer to this question is: For our salvation.
Jesus in his pain quoted the opening verse of Psalm 22. Jesus wanted to point to Psalm 22 which prophetically describes his crucifixion. This psalm was written at a time when the crucifixion was yet not invented as a tool of torture and death
(300 years later it began to be used).
(The verse numbers in Psalm 22 are taken from the New King James version (NKJV). In some other translations you must add one to the verse numbers below.)
David speaks of the suffering of Messiah who is Jesus on the cross:
- He is forsaken, abandoned, and condemned so that we may be saved
(verse 1–5). Jesus was made sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21, Rom 8:3).
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1). - He is rejected by the people (verse 6–8), see Mat 27:39, 43 and Luk 23:35.
- God became flesh, assumed a human nature, and became a man in the form of Jesus. Jesus has always been faithful to God the Father (verse 9–10).
- Mighty people have gathered against him (verse 12–13). These verses aren't about animals, they are about powerful people who are against Jesus.
- He is poured out like water (verse 14). Jesus was beaten, pierced by nails, and dripped his blood everywhere from Jerusalem to Golgotha. After he died, he was stabbed with a spear, so that blood and water flowed out.
- Massive blood loss causes dehydration (verse 14–15), see John 19:28.
- His hands and feet are pierced (verse 16b). There
are two translations of this part "pierced (ka’aru) my hands and my feet" and "like a lion (ka’ari) my hands and my feet". Most of our bible translations are
based on the Hebrew Masoretic text manuscripts from 900 AD. Most of these manuscripts
say ka’ari (like a lion), with the exceptions of twelve manuscripts that say ka’aru
(pierced). In the Dead Sea Scrolls from 100 BC it says ka’aru (pierced). Also, in Septuagint, a Greek translation from 250 BC, it says ka’aru (pierced). Most bibles today say pierced, based on the oldest manuscripts available today.
Jesus was pierced in his arms and not in his hands, see this explained at
time 10:21–11:08 in Nabeel Qureshi: Jesus in Islam vs. Jesus in Christianity.
This nail placement doesn't require tying and is done through the soft tissue
between the two bones of the forearm (the radius and the ulna). The Greek word "χείρ" is usually translated as "hand", but can refer to the entire part of the arm below the elbow. Similar is for the Hebrew word. This speaks of crucifixion, see Zechariah 12:10a and John 20:25–27. - His bones are out of joint (verse 14, 17). This happens because of the crucifixion.
- It was a public execution before a hateful crowd
(verse 16a).
Dogs in this context mean a hateful crowd of Gentiles. - They divided his garments and cast lots for some of his clothes (verse
18),
see Mat 27:35, Luk 23:34b, and John 19:23–24. - After all this he is delivered (verse 21), that is, God the Father answers him. Either Jesus is rescued before he dies, or God the Father will resurrect him after his death. The latter is God's will, see The Resurrection of Jesus.
- The verses 22–23 speak of Jesus, see Heb 2:11–12.
- This story is spread to all people (verse 27, 31). These verses deal with the results of the crucifixion and resurrection. It's spread all over the world.
- Gentiles will worship the Lord because of this (verse 27).
- This affects people even after they die (verse
29), see Rom 14:10 and
Rev 20:12–14.
See also Some stories in the gospels and Some stories close related to the gospels at the end of The Four Gospels. See also The Book of Psalms.
