In the superscript of Psalm 22, we are introduced to two words: “Aijeleth
Shahar.” The dictionary defines these two words as probably the name of some song or
tune to the measure of which the psalm, in this case Psalm 22, was to be
chanted. Some, however, understand it to be the name of some instrument of
music, or an allegorical allusion to the subject of the Psalm. David once again
wrote this Psalm for the choir master.
Like
the previous two Psalms, this one is also Messianic in orientation and has been
quoted by the New Testament writers. Here in this Psalm we see a portrait of
the suffering of Christ and the glory that followed the suffering.
We
cannot help but feel the intensity of the suffering of David. It was when he
was experiencing great agony at the hand of Saul. But the Holy Spirit inspired
him to write these words. He was talking about his suffering, but the Holy
Spirit engineered it such that he was actually describing the suffering of
Christ Jesus much more than his own.
This
Psalm can be seen in two parts with the first 21 verses forming the first and
verses 22-31 forming the second. We shall deal with the first part in this
discussion. We can see the first 21 verses as a moan, a prayer of the Psalmist.
In these verses we see a portrait of the Crucified Christ and how he was humiliated.
These verses echo what Genesis 3:15 had prophetically said about the heel of Christ
being bruised. They also reverberate the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12 where Christ was
described as pouring out His soul unto death.
A quick
scan of these verses will bring us back to what Christ went through at the
cross. Verses 1-2 were quoted in Matthew 27:46, when Christ in anguish cried out
aloud these words: “Eli, Eli,
lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have
You forsaken Me?” He was hanging on
the cross between heaven and earth and felt the intensity of God’s absence. In
the Psalm, David also felt as if God had forsaken him. He did not realize then
that he was actually pointing to the agony of Christ who felt forsaken by God as
He bored the weight of the sin of humanity on the cross. Yet Christ was fully
aware of God’s holiness. And because of the sins of humanity that He was
bearing, He knew that God had a just reason to withdraw from Him.
Verses 4-11 is a description of Christ’s plea for
deliverance. He had trusted in God from the day of His birth as a human. Verse
6-8 pointed to the scene where Christ was surrounded by evil men who jeered and
scorned at Him. He was despised and intensely tortured by them. If there was a
time that God’s deliverance was most needed, it was that moment. Yet it was not
forthcoming. He was treated like a worm because at the cross Christ was a substitute
for every sinner. The sarcasm thrown at Christ in Matthew 27:43 were the
similar words taken from verse 8, “…Let
Him (God) rescue him, because He delights in him.” Verse 11 reminds us of Gethsemane
where Christ was in a sense pleading for help and relief. He asked God if the
cup of suffering could be passed. However, He acknowledged that it’s the will
of God that must be fulfilled.
Psalm 22:12-18 clearly depict
Christ’s suffering at the cross. David did not suffer the torture of the cross,
yet via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he described almost all the tortures
that Christ was afflicted with on the cross. He was surrounded by mean and nasty
men ready to devour Him. In saying that “he was poured out as water”, David
foresaw how excessively Christ perspired at the cross. The stretching and
suspension of Christ’s body upon the cross caused all the joints of the limbs to
be dislocated. David also foresaw the rupture of the blood vessels in Christ’s
circulatory system. At the cross, all His strength left Him because He was
deprived of food and sleep. And because of great thirst, His tongue cleaved to
His jaws. In verse 16, David was again describing how greatly Christ was surrounded
by vicious men. The reason Christ could count all His bones was because not a
single bone of Christ was fractured. When the Roman guards came to the cross of
Jesus seeking to break His legs to hasten His death, they found that He was
already dead. Hence His bone was not broken and could be counted, because all
His bones were intact. He was truly despised and forsaken as Isaiah 53:3 says, “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and
we did not esteem Him.”
Verse 18 was affirmed by Matthew 27:35 which says, “And when they
had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.”
In verse 21 we see Christ’s final
plead for help to be delivered from His enemies. God’s deliverance came through
and although He was not delivered from death, He was delivered out of death. This
verse signals His coming resurrection. Hallelujah, He is alive! From these 21
verses, we know that Christ’s suffering carried with it the eternal purpose of
God. He was not spared because God has a purpose through His suffering, the
deliverance of mankind. Like Christ, God too has a purpose for each of our experiences
in life. He is working them out for our good. When we are lured to think that
God doesn’t care what’s happening to us, we must come back to this: that He is
working out His plan for our ultimate good. Bear in mind that godly living will
invite the jeer of the ungodly. Yet we must remain faithful for the greater
glory of God.
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