PSALM 22 DIDN’T JUST PREDICT THE CROSS—IT CALLED JESUS A “WORM” FOR A REASON
Many know Psalm 22 because Jesus quoted it on the cross. Few read further, since the rest can make readers uneasy.
“I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.” (Psalm 22:6)
The word “worm” here means more than just an insult. In Hebrew, it refers to tolaʿath, the scarlet worm. In ancient times, people saw a strong image in this: the mother worm attaches herself to wood to give life, is crushed, and stains the wood red as her young survive because of her sacrifice. When it’s done, what remains turns white. This image leads directly to the next idea.
This connection is why the Bible often pairs “scarlet” and “white.” Isaiah isn’t just being poetic when he says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18) He’s making a strong statement.
Building on this, Jesus did not die just as a symbol. He died in our place. He was treated as less than a man. He was mocked, stripped, and crushed, so sinners could be covered, protected, and made clean. Psalm 22 was not only about pain. It was about purpose. The Messiah would be despised, yet still choose to give Himself for others.
This idea is central to what many people struggle with. The Gospel is not mainly about you “finding your best life.” It is about God breaking the power of sin in your life, at the cost of His Son. Long before Calvary, God shared this message through Scripture, prophecy, and even creation.
The worm was not just a small detail. It was a sign of what would happen later. Consider how God’s message and sacrifice call each of us to respond—will you accept what Jesus has done for you? #BibleTruth #JesusIsKing #Gospel
