Psalm 22, pt. 4
A Cry of Distress
From the Lord’s Anointed One
It is at this point David’s own misery and experience seems to have faded and the prophetic vision of the sufferings of Jesus took full view in his mind. We really do not know how the process of inspiration worked
but the transition from something similar to the actual thing seems to have been somewhat common.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
They crucified Him. This is the clearest view that any of the OT prophets had of the crucifixion of the Messiah. “It was…a cruel and cursed kind of death, which yet he refused not…” John Trapp.
Notice, though, the description of the crowd by the Savior. He calls them ‘dogs’ which, in the mind of the Jew was a most loathsome animal.
It is clear that Jesus divided the crowd before His cross into two groups. One group is described as vile and repulsive while another group is prayed for, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” We know that some of the Sanhedrin and many of the priests were later converted, in answer to the prayer of the Savior. But the dogs He rejected and reserved for judgment at the Great Day. Even as He will divide the great crowd before His throne into goats and sheep, He divides this crowd into ‘dogs’ and objects of mercy. (or did He recognize them all as dogs and pray for them anyway?)
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
“…as in the first Adam by his fall, lost the robe of innocence, and so needed other garments, so the second Adam allowed Himself to be stripped of his earthly clothing, so that it might be said to us, “bring forth the best robe and put it on him. Sensitively conscious of his condition upon the cross, the delicate feelings of the holy Savior were greatly pained by the gaze of the multitude. With impudent face they looked upon Him. To view him better they paused as they walked by. With deliberate insolence they collected in groups, and made their remarks to each other on his conduct and appearance. Mocking his naked, emaciated, and quivering body, they
“looked and stared upon him.”” John Stevenson.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
Surrounded by dogs, His hope was in the Father to Whom He cried that the ‘dogs’ not have the victory over Him. They were for now His judges, though through resurrection, He would one day be their’s.
As if all of the other insults were not enough, His clothing, which had been stripped from Him, was being divided among the soldiers who crucified Him and the passing mob had one more joke about which to laugh. The last thing a dying man typically had were the clothes which gave him some sense of dignity in death but even that was denied to the Crucified One. It was to such degradation the Savior stooped to save His people.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
This verse probably should be punctuated differently. It should probably be read, “Save me from the lion’s mouth (for thou hast heard me), from the horns of the unicorns.”
The lion, no doubt, pictures Satan who is called a ‘roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.’ He certainly wanted to put an end to the Lord Jesus and keep Him from accomplishing His purpose.
The reference to ‘unicorns’ is obscure but may reference the rhinoceros, an animal known to them because they roamed much further north in David’s day than they do now. We know that the Romans knew of them. It is a ferocious animal and very strong, insane when enraged, like those who had power over Jesus that day.
The reference ‘thou has heard me’ forms a dividing point in the psalm with the rest of it relating to the victory of the Lord Jesus over death, which was the answer to His prayer.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
This is exactly what Jesus did as He was resurrected, appearing to the disciples and then to many others causing praise to be lifted up to God for His resurrection. This event has also been the source of praise for many millions since that day.
He calls His people ‘my brethren’ for they were born from the dead with Him in the resurrection. They are forever linked, a sign of His condescension and of their exaltation.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
We must carefully note the description of the saints here. They are called ‘ye that fear the Lord,’ ‘the seed of Israel,’ and ‘the afflicted.’
Jesus Himself demonstrated the safety of assuming such a position before God. He humbled Himself and allowed Himself to be afflicted. But when He called on the Lord, He was heard. We are called upon to humble ourselves and recognize our afflicted state. But we fear to do so since it is an awful place if we are not saved by the Lord. Jesus shows us that we have nothing to fear because God will not fail to hear His afflicted people.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
Jesus praised God among His people and He still causes us to praise God for His victory on the cross. Yet He does not do it before the world, for they are not fit, in their unregenerate state, to participate in such glory. That special privilege is reserved for those He has made worthy, those who “fear Him.”
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
We are reminded of what Jesus said concerning the meek (Matt 5). But we must note that it is only they who will ‘eat and be satisfied.’ Only they may partake of the Lord’s table and know in their souls that their sins are forgiven. Only the one’s who seek Him will live forever. The sacrifice of Christ is for no one other than these.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Salvation is a thing of remembering: remembering Who God is and remembering that we are sinners. Plus, it must be continually remembered and affirmed that there is no special race for the salvation of God is for all
who will call on Him.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
Here the two companies of men are separated. They who eat and worship are contrasted with they that go down to the dust. This is also a reminder that “it is appointed unto man once to die… and after that the Judgment.”
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
The Lord’s people will be the seed that serves Him, the good seed of Abraham as Paul affirmed. No one who refuses His Lordship is to be counted among His people.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
A reminder that the gospel will be preached in all the world, to people far distant from David both by time and distance. The “they” is an unspecified group but which will ultimately be designated by the One Who Died and Rose Again, His Church. They must ever be about their Master’s Business, declaring His Righteousness and “that He hath done this.”
— May 3, 2020