December 11, 2021 – Psalm 22

It is impossible to read Psalm 22 and not see Messiah. “This is a kind of gem among the Psalms, and is peculiarly excellent and remarkable. It contains those deep, sublime, and heavy sufferings of Christ, when agonizing in the midst of the terrors and pangs of divine wrath and death which surpass all human thought and comprehension.” (Martin Luther, cited in Charles Spurgeon)

Messiah would be forsaken. In his despair, David cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?” (Psalm 22:1) --> Similarly, Jesus cried out, “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’(which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)” (Matthew 27:46).

Messiah would be scorned. David’s enemies mocked him: “’He trusts in the Lord,’ they say, ‘let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him’” (Psalm 22:8). --> In the same manner did Jesus’ enemies mock him: “’He saved others,’ they said, ’but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God”’” (Matthew 27:42–43). There is so much more, still, in this psalm. Charles Spurgeon believed that Jesus might have quoted Psalm 22 word for word on the cross. Certainly, we read the psalm and we cannot but behold the Savior there.

Behold the Savior of mankind

Nailed to the shameful tree!

How vast the love that Him inclined

To bleed and die for thee! --Samuel Wesley (1709)