This is holy week, a week of passion , so I chose the 22nd Psalm
o look at. The psalm is one of being overwhelmed, which David
feels, but interestingly, the Psalm skips down the Davidic line
some 1000 years later and focuses on the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
From its beginning line, Jesus quotes in aramaic,
“Eli, Eli, lami sabaththani?”
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me? And from the words of
my groaning?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear.
And in the night season, and am not silent.”
I’m sure at some point in our lives, we have all felt that way,
but in spite of our feelings, it all comes down to trusting.
“ But you are holy, who inhabit the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in you, they trusted and you delivered
them They cried to you and were delivered. They trusted in
you and were not ashamed.”
In spite of our faith or the faith of our fathers the feeling still remains-
“ But I am a worm and no man. A reproach of men and despised of the
people. All those who see me laugh me to scorn. They shoot out the
lip, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord let Him rescue Him;
since He delights in Him!’”
Matthew records these exact events. (See Matthew 27: 42-43)
Real faith is like the trust of a child.
“ But you are He who took me out of the womb.
You made me trust when I was on my mother’s breasts.
I was cast upon you from birth
Adversity stares me in the face- many bulls have surrounded me.”
A reference to the Roman soldiers around the cross-
“Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.”
Bashan is the district east of Jordan, the exact location of the crucifixion.
“ They gape at me with their mouths . As a raging and roaring lion-
( See Matthew 27- 27-31)
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are our of joint;
my heart is like a potsherd.”
Potsherd is broken pieces of earthen ware, it is what Job used to scratch
himself with when he was in pain and misery.(Job 2:8)
“My tongue clings to my jaws, you have brought me to the dust of death.”
“I thirst.” John 19:28
“For dogs have surrounded me. The assembly of the wicked has enclosed me.”
Dogs, a reference to Gentiles, see Matthew 15; 21-27.
They pierce my hands and my feet, I can count all by bones.”
Reference is to Jesus not having his legs broken.( See John 19:31-33)
“They look and stare at me. They divide my garments among them
and for my clothing they cast lots.”- recorded by all four of the gospel writers.
“But you, O Lord, do not be far from me, O my Strength, hasten to help me
Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen.”
Jesus’ body was not mutilated or cast into a common grave as was normal
for crucified criminals.
“ You have answered me. I will declare your name to my brethren.
In the midst of the congregation I will praise You.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All the descendants of Jacob, glorify Him.
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
nor has He hidden His face from him. But when me cried to him-
He heard. My praise shall be of you in the great congregation;
I will pay my vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat,
and be satisfied; those who seek him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever! All the ends of the world shall
remember and turn to the Lord. And all families of the nations
shall worship before you. For the kingdom is the Lord’s and He
rules over the nations.” (See Zechariah 14: 16,17)
“All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship all those who
go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself
alive.” (See Philippians 2:5-11)
“A posterity shall serve Him, I will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation.
They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will
be born, that he has done this.” (See Hebrews 2: 10-13)
