October 31, 2021 – Psalms 21-25

David cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” (22:1) Beset by enemies on every side, the king wondered if God had forgotten him. Ultimately, though, David reached the correct conclusion: “You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him” (22:23,24).

From this psalm, Jesus quoted words while suffering on the cross. Thus, Charles Spurgeon noted, “As far as the star is concealed by the light of the sun, he who sees Jesus will probably neither see nor care to see David.” This is not to ignore David, his hardships, and his testimony. But it is to acknowledge that all of Scripture regularly points us to the One who was promised. To the Jews Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). The resurrected Jesus to his disciples: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). And so it is.

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 (1736)