Psalm 22:1-22 NKJV
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.
22 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.
22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
David prophesies the sufferings of Christ on Good Friday. He is forsaken by God. All who see Him ridicule Him. They mock Him with His own trust in God His Father. He is poured out like water, spent entirely. His heart is like wax melting under the heat of crucifixion. His strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery. He thirsts so that His tongue clings to His jaws. His enemies have pierced His hands and feet, attaching Him to the cross. He is so emaciated that one could count His bones. His executioners cast lots for His only earthly possessions since He will not need them in death.
David also sees Christ’s trust in God the Father. God the Father’s purpose had determined this suffering in our place (Acts 4:28). Isaiah says, “It pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief” (Is 53:10). Although God His Father is punishing Him as the sinner, Christ still trusts in Him. He says: “But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help” (9-11). Although it is His Father who smites Him, Christ looks to Him alone as His strength and asks for deliverance.
Christ’s innocent, bitter sufferings and death atones for the sins of the entire world. In this way, our sufferings cannot resemble Christ’s. But in our sufferings—especially the crosses we bear for the sake of Christ, the gospel, and living a godly life—Christ’s sufferings are an example for us to follow. Although God allows us to suffer affliction and sickness in our bodies and minds, we look to Him alone as our God for help. Although God allows us to suffer ridicule, persecution, or even martyrdom for His sake, we are to look to Him as our strength and salvation. We trust God to save us, if not in this life, then in the next. We can say with David and Christ, “You have answered me” (21), knowing our gracious Father will save, deliver, and on the last day raise us from the dead to eternal life.
Let us pray: We give You thanks, O God, for Christ’s sufferings for our sins. Be our strength and help in our afflictions and crosses, that we may follow His patient example. Amen.