Psalm 22, pt. 2
A Cry of Distress
From the Lord’s Anointed One
Keeping vs. 1,2 in mind, that Jesus chose these words from the Cross and that this psalm is a prophetic look at His sufferings but was initiated from a time of suffering in David’s life, we move forward.
Ps 22:3-5
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
One thing which must always be remembered is that quotations of a piece of an OT passage in the NT are always intended to call attention to the whole section of the OT from which the piece is pulled. The history
of God’s dealings with His people are a profound memory to pull up when one is suffering. It is also a valid thing to present to the Lord in prayer when one is suffering because of Godly decisions he has made.
Here our two suffering souls (David and Jesus) remind the Lord of the contradiction between their current helplessness and the help that He has so frequently, and at times promptly, has been provided in the past.
These three verses are a little song of praise similar to many others we find in the OT, especially the Psalms. A song of praise in such a deep and profound circumstance of suffering? It reminds us that He is Worthy of Praise regardless of our circumstance or the depth of our suffering. “It is not all about us,” we are often reminded and this is true. It is all about Him, and even if we are suffering, and every pain is working to our good and His Glory. Yes, He is worth of praise even while we suffer.
The songs of praise, which resounded in Israel as the memorials of His deeds of deliverance, are like the wings of the cherubim, upon which His presence hovered in Israel. In vs. 4,5, the praying one brings to remembrance this graciously glorious self-attestation of God, who as the Holy One always, from the earliest times, acknowledged those who fear Him in opposition to their persecutors and justified their confidence in Himself by delivering them.
It need not seem strange that such thoughts were at work in the soul of the Crucified One, since His divine-human consciousness was, on its human side, thoroughly Israelitish; and the God of Israel is also the God of salvation; redemption is that which He himself determined, why, then, should He not speedily deliver the Redeemer? (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Ps 22:6-8
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
The ‘But’ places this in contrast with the song of praise in the last three verses. How powerful is the effect of human rejection and mockery! Even the Lord Jesus felt it as He physically suffered on the Cross. But David had known such a time as well and it added immensely to his physical suffering which will be described as we go forward into the Psalm. Never overestimate your ability to stay strong when people you love turn their backs on you.
Isaiah would later be inspired to use this idea of ‘worm’ to record a promise of God His people who felt rejection in this way.
Isa. 41:14
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (KJV)
But, of course, the “help” of God is often different than we anticipate. We cry seeking to be delivered from our suffering but He often sends aid for us to endure in and through the suffering. Such was the help that God had sent to Jesus in the Garden by the angel who “strengthened” Him. (Luke 22:43)
Remember that Isaiah described in much detail the suffering servant of JHVH. All the traits of suffering are found in the picture of the Servant of God, Isa. 49:7; 53:3, cf. 50:6, and especially 52:14 “so marred was His appearance, that He no longer looked like a man.”
Isa 49:7
7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Isa 53:3
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 50:6
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Isa 52:14
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
What a marvelous picture these words of the 22nd Psalm give us of the suffering servant who makes the choice to worship before beginning his description of his suffering!
What an example to us!
— May 1, 2020