This is a most precious and poignant psalm. It is the psalm of the cross. It displays Jesus’ death and resurrection, written by David one thousand years before the fact. As Christ died in agony, His mind fell back upon the old familiar words of this psalm, in which David must have “seen His day and rejoiced.” Many of these words are the very words used at Calvary. This is like a clear photograph of our Lord’s saddest hours.
As was noted in our previous article, this psalm is the first of three psalms that form a trilogy. Psalm 22 presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. Psalm 23 shows Jesus as the Great Shepherd who tenderly cares for his sheep. Psalm 24 ends with the presentation of Jesus as the Chief Shepherd who will one day come again for his sheep.
The first two-thirds of Psalm 22 convey Jesus’ personal suffering on the cross. In the first four verses we see the Lord Jesus forsaken by the Father. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry to you in the daytime, but you do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, You who inhabits the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You: they trusted in You, and You delivered them.
Did you notice His firm faith?—He refers to God as ‘my God.’ But there is also a distance between the two members of the Godhead for Jesus uses the impersonal name God rather than that of LORD (Jehovah). And of course, clearly He has been forsaken for a time by the Father because of our sin. His intense agony is on display, all for our redemption. Yet He is able to give praise to God in His torment—God is holy, worthy of praise and faithful.
Jesus is not only forsaken by the Father, but He is crucified by mankind (12-18). Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 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. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you have brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked has enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
The crowd acts like wild animals (bulls, lions, dogs). They stop and stare at his tortured body on the cross. They are curious and they gloat. The soldiers part his garments among themselves. As one commentator wrote, “These men were so hardened that they threw dice at the foot of the cross, be-sprinkled with the blood of the crucified.” These things actually took place on that day when Christ died for our sins.
We will look at Psalm 22 again next time. If you would, please read the psalm through once again. Next time we plan to focus on the actual events of the crucifixion which are so clearly pictured for us in this Psalm of the Cross. Jesus experienced it all for you and for me. He paid for our sins so that we might have His righteousness. What an exchange! Have you come to the cross? Flee there for eternal forgiveness today!