22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
The stark reality of this Psalm portrays the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospels narrate the fact of the Crucifixion, this Psalm portrays the feelings of the Crucified One.
Christ cried out these words while hanging on the Cross. (Matthew 27:46.) This portrayal glorifies Him as the Sin-Offering.
It presents a sinless Man, our Lord Jesus Christ, forsaken by God, but only in the sense that God allowed Him to die. Such a fact is unique in history and will never need to be repeated. This sinless Man, Himself God manifest in the flesh, was made to be a sin-offering. In effect, the penalty of sin which in this case was physical death (2 Corinthians 5:21), and thereby pierced with a Sword of Divine Wrath (Zechariah 13:7).
In that Judgment, God dealt infinitely with sin, and in so dealing with it in the person of His Beloved Son, showed His wrath against sin and His love for the sinner. Thus, He vindicated Himself and as well, redeemed man. God revealed Himself at Calvary as in no other place or way.
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
As a Sin-Offering and Perfect, still, God could not hear or answer prayer from such, at least at this particular time, but could only pour His judgment as He had done so through the centuries on the slain lamb in sacrifice.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
This is the closest that the Scripture comes to the statement, "God inhabits the praises of His people." During Christ's earthy ministry, He spoke of God as His "Father" and resumed the title after He had triumphantly shouted "Finished." But while suffering Divine Wrath as the Sin-Offering, He addressed Him as "God." Because He is so Holy, He could not even look upon this particular "Sin-Offering," much less hear and answer prayer, but only for the time when Christ was bearing the sin penalty on the Cross (Mark 15:33-34).
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
However, Christ could not be delivered from this terrible act. Had He been delivered, humanity could not be delivered.
Had the Messiah been only Man, he would have put His physical sufferings first, and His spiritual sufferings last. But to Him, as the only begotten Son of God, there was no anguish so infinite as the hiding of the Father's face.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
This teaches God's people to cling in confidence to the Lord when circumstances seen to say that God has abandoned them. The infinite care of God for us is made possible by what Christ did for us at the Cross, and by no other means.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
The word "worm" as used here by Christ, means that He took the lowest place among men, to be rejected, scorned, spit upon, and even humiliated in infamy and shame (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 49:7; 52:14; 53:1-12.)
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
This was done by His own people while He hung on the Cross in bitter suffering. They had no kind word for Him, they only laughed and mocked Him (Matthew 27:39-43).
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
At the Cross, the enemies of Christ, actually used the very words recorded in this 8th verse (Matthew 27:43 KJV).
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
These two verses (9-10) show the relationship between the Father and the Son, even from the womb of the virgin Mary, and yet, this relationship that had never before been broken would now be broken, at least for a short period of time while He was bearing the sin penalty of the world.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
In a certain sense this is true of all, but of the Holy Child it was most true (Luke 2:40; 49; 52).
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
All the disciples forsook Him (Matthew 26:56), He was truly One who "had no help."
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
"Bulls" here symbolize the demon-possessed religious leaders of Israel, who were determined to kill the Messiah (Matthew 27:1-66; Acts 2:36).
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Crucifixion was one of the most, if not the most horrible forms of death ever devised by evil men, coupling that with the spiritual torture, which was even far worse, we have suffering that is unimaginable.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
But yet, His death would be totally unlike any other death that has ever been experienced, it would be the death of a Perfect One, who purposely laid down His life as a Sacrifice.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
The word "dogs" refers to the Gentiles, who carried out the Crucifixion.
When Christ first came to only the lost sheep of Israel, the Jews had long believed that salvation was only for the Jew. Even Christ called a Gentile woman a "dog." Later they would learn that God has also granted salvation to the Gentiles.
The "assembly of the wicked" refers to the Scribes, Priests, and Pharisees, the religious leaders of Israel. This is also the verse that verifies both His hands and feet were nailed to the Cross.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Christ hung on the Cross in complete humiliation, in other words, totally naked.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
These word were recorded 1000 years before their fulfillment in Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; and John 19:24.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Jesus was placed on the Cross at 9 am (Mark 15:24), from 12 noon until 3 pm, the latter being the time Christ died and also the time of the evening sacrifice, darkness covered the land for that 3 hour period, the period when Christ was bearing the sin penalty of the world (Matthew 27:45).
During that 3 hour period, the Lord would not answer the prayers of Christ, nor help Him in any way. However, at the moment He died the sin penalty was paid (Matthew 27:51), and the Lord could and in fact most definitely did answer His prayers from that moment on (John 19:30; Luke 23:46).
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
The Gentile "dogs" more particularly Pilate.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
The "lions mouth," "the horns of the unicorns" the leaders of Israel.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Verses 1-21 of this Psalm present the sufferings of the Messiah, while verses 22-31 present to us the Exaltation and Glory of the Messiah. We are to declare His name all over the world, and praise Him for what He has done in redeeming man.
The stark reality of this Psalm portrays the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospels narrate the fact of the Crucifixion, this Psalm portrays the feelings of the Crucified One.
Christ cried out these words while hanging on the Cross. (Matthew 27:46.) This portrayal glorifies Him as the Sin-Offering.
It presents a sinless Man, our Lord Jesus Christ, forsaken by God, but only in the sense that God allowed Him to die. Such a fact is unique in history and will never need to be repeated. This sinless Man, Himself God manifest in the flesh, was made to be a sin-offering. In effect, the penalty of sin which in this case was physical death (2 Corinthians 5:21), and thereby pierced with a Sword of Divine Wrath (Zechariah 13:7).
In that Judgment, God dealt infinitely with sin, and in so dealing with it in the person of His Beloved Son, showed His wrath against sin and His love for the sinner. Thus, He vindicated Himself and as well, redeemed man. God revealed Himself at Calvary as in no other place or way.
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
As a Sin-Offering and Perfect, still, God could not hear or answer prayer from such, at least at this particular time, but could only pour His judgment as He had done so through the centuries on the slain lamb in sacrifice.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
This is the closest that the Scripture comes to the statement, "God inhabits the praises of His people." During Christ's earthy ministry, He spoke of God as His "Father" and resumed the title after He had triumphantly shouted "Finished." But while suffering Divine Wrath as the Sin-Offering, He addressed Him as "God." Because He is so Holy, He could not even look upon this particular "Sin-Offering," much less hear and answer prayer, but only for the time when Christ was bearing the sin penalty on the Cross (Mark 15:33-34).
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
However, Christ could not be delivered from this terrible act. Had He been delivered, humanity could not be delivered.
Had the Messiah been only Man, he would have put His physical sufferings first, and His spiritual sufferings last. But to Him, as the only begotten Son of God, there was no anguish so infinite as the hiding of the Father's face.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
This teaches God's people to cling in confidence to the Lord when circumstances seen to say that God has abandoned them. The infinite care of God for us is made possible by what Christ did for us at the Cross, and by no other means.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
The word "worm" as used here by Christ, means that He took the lowest place among men, to be rejected, scorned, spit upon, and even humiliated in infamy and shame (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 49:7; 52:14; 53:1-12.)
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
This was done by His own people while He hung on the Cross in bitter suffering. They had no kind word for Him, they only laughed and mocked Him (Matthew 27:39-43).
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
At the Cross, the enemies of Christ, actually used the very words recorded in this 8th verse (Matthew 27:43 KJV).
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
These two verses (9-10) show the relationship between the Father and the Son, even from the womb of the virgin Mary, and yet, this relationship that had never before been broken would now be broken, at least for a short period of time while He was bearing the sin penalty of the world.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
In a certain sense this is true of all, but of the Holy Child it was most true (Luke 2:40; 49; 52).
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
All the disciples forsook Him (Matthew 26:56), He was truly One who "had no help."
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
"Bulls" here symbolize the demon-possessed religious leaders of Israel, who were determined to kill the Messiah (Matthew 27:1-66; Acts 2:36).
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Crucifixion was one of the most, if not the most horrible forms of death ever devised by evil men, coupling that with the spiritual torture, which was even far worse, we have suffering that is unimaginable.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
But yet, His death would be totally unlike any other death that has ever been experienced, it would be the death of a Perfect One, who purposely laid down His life as a Sacrifice.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
The word "dogs" refers to the Gentiles, who carried out the Crucifixion.
When Christ first came to only the lost sheep of Israel, the Jews had long believed that salvation was only for the Jew. Even Christ called a Gentile woman a "dog." Later they would learn that God has also granted salvation to the Gentiles.
The "assembly of the wicked" refers to the Scribes, Priests, and Pharisees, the religious leaders of Israel. This is also the verse that verifies both His hands and feet were nailed to the Cross.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Christ hung on the Cross in complete humiliation, in other words, totally naked.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
These word were recorded 1000 years before their fulfillment in Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; and John 19:24.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Jesus was placed on the Cross at 9 am (Mark 15:24), from 12 noon until 3 pm, the latter being the time Christ died and also the time of the evening sacrifice, darkness covered the land for that 3 hour period, the period when Christ was bearing the sin penalty of the world (Matthew 27:45).
During that 3 hour period, the Lord would not answer the prayers of Christ, nor help Him in any way. However, at the moment He died the sin penalty was paid (Matthew 27:51), and the Lord could and in fact most definitely did answer His prayers from that moment on (John 19:30; Luke 23:46).
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
The Gentile "dogs" more particularly Pilate.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
The "lions mouth," "the horns of the unicorns" the leaders of Israel.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Verses 1-21 of this Psalm present the sufferings of the Messiah, while verses 22-31 present to us the Exaltation and Glory of the Messiah. We are to declare His name all over the world, and praise Him for what He has done in redeeming man.
