(Psalm 22:1) My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. 2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. 3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. 4 In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. 5 To You they cried out and were delivered; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.
God is holy and cannot look on sin. Considering the Trinity, I kind of explain Jesus' reaction like this: God is omnipresent, and had manifested Himself in one tiny section of Himself. Let's define "God's everywhere" as a person's body. Let's define the "manifestation of Himself as Jesus" as a hand. Often when we experience a lot of pain in the hand, we have to look away.
You see, this is just something we cannot comprehend because it is so huge. God gives more details about the physical pain and abuse, because this is what we tend to understand most. If I think about it, I've had more physical pain than I've had excruciating emotional pain. I can complain endlessly over a paper cut! But there have been a few times I have sinned - so big - that I literally felt sick to my stomach, and just wanted to melt into the earth.
Well, imagine Jesus taking ALL SIN of ALL TIME onto Himself. This included the sins of people like Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Caligula, Attila the Hun, Ivan the Terrible, Ted Bundy... (just to name just a few)... Jesus died and paid for these sins - whether or not people would appreciate what He did for us!!! Talk about emotional pain!!!
Now here, this emotional kind of pain most of us can relate to - the taunting, verbal abuse...
(Psalm 22:7-8) All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 8 “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
So similar to what we find in the New Testament, as Jesus hung on the cross...
(Mark 15:29-30) Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
As we look at the next verses of Psalm 22, we see actual descriptions of the physical pains that are experienced when people are crucified. Even though this form of execution was not known until Roman times, somehow, in verses 14-16, David talks about the pain, extreme thirst, asphyxiation, and agony to the hands and feet - which are unique experiences when dying on a cross...
(Psalm 22:14-16) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.
In verse 18, David gives details of Jesus' crucifixion which were carried out by people who had no knowledge of these predictions.
(Psalm 22:18) They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Roman soldiers were the ones who carried out this act. It was customary that the executioners got to take the garments of a victim.
(Mark 15:24) And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take.
In verses 19-21, David now cries out for deliverance. This could only be accomplished because Jesus rose from the dead.
(Psalm 22:19-21) But You, O Lord, be not far off; o You my help, hasten to my assistance. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my only life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; from the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
Even though David is writing this before Jesus' work on the cross, it WAS going to happen. And Jesus' work on the cross was retroactive.
(Hebrews 11:1-2) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
At the end of the psalm, David moves on to expressions of thankfulness, which back then were celebrated publicly with a sacrifice and a feast.
(Psalm 22:22-26) I will tell of Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him; all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
25 From You comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!
(John 6:37) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
David ends the psalm with a description - a prophecy - of millennial blessings, the wedding feast... when the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled!
(Psalm 22:27-31) All the ends of the earth will remember
and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s And He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.
Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.
How much should we appreciate Jesus and be thankful for all that He has done and all that He will do??? Let us never forget.
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