Faith In The Ordinary

Psalm 22 — Redemption Written in Blood

Introduction

I used the Through the Word app when I decided to read through the Bible in its entirety, desiring not just to finish it, but to truly understand it. Along that journey, I encountered the concepts of the crimson worm and the scarlet thread of redemption — themes I had never seen so clearly before.

What I discovered left a deep impression on me. I was struck by the beauty of the imagery, the depth of the symbolism, and the way Scripture quietly yet powerfully reveals God’s redemptive plan across generations. These themes opened my eyes to how intentional, patient, and loving God has always been in His pursuit of us.

This reflection is my attempt to share that moment of discovery — to invite others to see how profoundly God has woven His plan of redemption throughout Scripture, always pointing toward restoration, always at His own cost. Father, You are truly amazing!!

A Cry That Echoes Through Time

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”

Psalm 22 does not begin gently. It opens with a cry of abandonment — not whispered in private but spoken aloud in anguish. These words are unsettling precisely because they are so familiar. They are the same words Jesus cried from the cross. Yet David wrote them centuries earlier, giving voice to a suffering that reached far beyond his own experience.

From its opening line, Psalm 22 pulls the reader into a moment of profound desolation. David feels unheard, exposed, surrounded by mockers, physically tormented, and publicly shamed. Hands and feet are pierced. Garments are divided. Onlookers stare and scoff. This is not vague poetic pain; it is specific, embodied suffering. And yet, this Psalm is not merely a lament. It is prophecy. It is revelation. It is part of a much older story — the scarlet thread of redemption woven through all of Scripture.

A Sentence That Stops the Reader

In the midst of this Psalm comes a sentence that feels almost incomprehensible to modern readers:

“I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men and despised of the people.”

At first glance, the word worm seems to express nothing more than humiliation. But David is not using the common Hebrew word for a worm. He uses a specific and loaded term: tolaʿath.

The Worm That Is Not a Worm

Tolaʿath refers to the crimson worm, the source of scarlet dye in the ancient world. This same word appears throughout Scripture translated not as “worm,” but as scarlet or crimson — the colour repeatedly associated with sin, sacrifice, covenant, and atonement. David is not simply saying, “I am insignificant.” He is saying something far deeper: “I am crimson.”

Ancient readers would have understood the image immediately. The female crimson worm, when ready to give birth, permanently fastens herself to a piece of wood. Once attached, she cannot remove herself. There, she gives life to her young. As they are born, they feed on her living body. In the process, she pours herself out completely, staining the wood beneath her deep red. When her work is finished, she dies. After several days, her body turns white and flakes away, leaving behind living offspring sustained by her sacrifice.

Reading the Psalm With Open Eyes

Now read Psalm 22 again with this understanding. The suffering one is fixed to wood. His life is poured out. Others live because He dies. Crimson gives way to white. This imagery does not stand alone. It fits seamlessly into the scarlet thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation. In Eden, God clothed Adam and Eve with skins, covering their shame through the death of an innocent life. Abel’s blood sacrifice was accepted because it aligned with God’s revealed way. Abraham’s covenant was sealed in blood. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt depended on blood applied to doorposts. The tabernacle revolved around blood — on the altar, on the priest, on the mercy seat. Yet none of those sacrifices were the destination. They were shadows — threads pointing forward.

The Cry Fulfilled

When Jesus cried out the opening verse of Psalm 22 from the cross, He was not merely expressing pain. He was identifying Himself as the fulfilment of the Psalm. He was declaring that this ancient song of suffering had reached its appointed moment. He was claiming the identity David foresaw — the true tolaʿath. Like the crimson worm, Christ was fastened to wood. He poured out His blood. His life was given so that others might live. The scarlet thread that began in Eden ran directly through Calvary.

From Scarlet to White

Isaiah later echoed this same imagery: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” The transformation from red to white is the language of atonement. Psalm 22 reminds us that the crucifixion was not an interruption in God’s plan. It was written into Scripture, spoken through David, and illustrated even in creation. What begins with a cry of forsakenness ends with life given.