Psalm 22 is one of the most honest prayers in the Bible. It moves from a cry of abandonment to a confident declaration that God hears and that the whole earth will one day worship him. These questions are for a small group, a Sunday class, or personal study. Each set moves from what the text says, to what it means, to how it shapes daily life, so you can use them in order or pick the ones that fit your group.
Psalm 22 at a Glance
The psalm opens with the writer feeling forsaken, describing their pain and the mocking of those around them. Verses 6 through 18 pile up images of enemies, wounds and exhaustion, then the tone turns in verse 19 as the writer begs God to draw near. From verse 22 onward the psalm shifts to praise, widening outward from the congregation to the poor, to all the families of the earth, and finally to generations not yet born.
Traditionally attributed to David, the psalm is quoted in the Gospels during the crucifixion narrative, which is why many readers find it especially moving. Whether you approach it as a lament that turns into thanksgiving or as a prophetic song, the movement from desperation to declaration is the heart of the chapter.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first to make sure everyone has read the same words and noticed the same details. Let people answer from the text before offering interpretations, and gently return to the verses when opinions run ahead of what is written.
Psalm 22:1-2
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? 2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
(WEB)
Read these verses at the start of the session to set the honest tone of the psalm. Let the group sit with the raw words before moving to any answers.
Psalm 22:19-21
19 But don’t be far off, the LORD. You are my help: hurry to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
(WEB)
This passage holds the turn from fear to plea and then to answered prayer. Reading it aloud helps the group feel the pivot that the whole psalm depends on.
Psalm 22:24
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
(WEB)
This is the theological center of the lament, stating that God has not despised the afflicted. Pause after reading it and ask the group what this reveals about God’s character.
Psalm 22:26
The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the LORD who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
(WEB)
The promise that the humble will eat and be satisfied connects the psalm to daily life and community. Reading it aloud can prompt conversation about who is being fed at your table.
Psalm 22:27-28
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s. He is the ruler over the nations.
(WEB)
These verses carry the psalm’s vision to the ends of the earth and the sovereignty of the Lord. Ending the reading here reminds the group that their small prayers belong to a much larger story.
Memory Verse for Psalm 22
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we bring you the honesty of this psalm and the questions it has stirred in us. Some of us have cried out and felt no answer, and you know exactly where we are. Teach us to speak to you plainly, to remember your faithfulness, and to trust that you have not hidden your face from those who call on you. Make our group a place where the humble are fed and where your name is declared. Give us courage to share our testimony with the next generation. Amen.
