The Gospel According to Psalm 22

Today we're looking at the heart of one of the most obvious and well-recognized prophesies of Christ's death. We're looking at a second piece of Ps. 22 and marveling at how closely this ties in to the facts of Christ's death, which happened about 1,000 years after the Psalm was written. Anyone who can read Ps. 22 and then the accounts of Christ's death in the gospels and not be convinced that Jesus was/is the Messiah has a spiritually blind and deaf heart. Fortunately, blindness and deafness aren't fatal flaws. It's possible to be healed from those maladies by praying and asking God for help in seeing and hearing. But first you have to recognize you don't see or hear well. Read the following verses and ask God to show you the truth.

Psa 22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.  (10)  I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.	David certainly had an understanding that God started His great work in his life before he was even born, and specifically, while in his mother's womb. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. Psa 139:13  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. Psa 71:6. It's a fact we can't miss, considering David was an inspired prophet of God. Psalm 22 is a prophetic Psalm regarding Christ. So, while David referred to himself in this Psalm, he also referred to Christ, born of a virgin. It's interesting that Jesus is considered as coming from the seed of David, and both are anointed ones. He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore. 2Sa 22:51. God worked uniquely in the womb in both cases.
(11)  Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.  (12)  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.  (13)  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.  (14)  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.  (15)  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  (16)  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  (17)  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.  (18)  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.	As Ps. 22 moves along, I can't help but wonder what went through David's mind as he wrote it. Because, though he suffered in his life, he didn't suffer in the way he describes here. Only Jesus did. Did David know he was describing a descendent of his? They mocked Jesus (Matt 27:39-44); when He died, they pierced his side, and out came water and blood (John 19:34); He was thirsty as he hung on the cross (John 19:28-29); they pierced his hands and his feet (John 20:25); they parted his garments and cast lots for them (Matt. 27:35). David wrote about all this as if he was there. Did he have a dream of his future descendent, his anointed seed? Did God transport him to the future? All we know for sure is God led him to write what he did, and because he wrote it, we have the strongest proof that Jesus was who He said He was, and the Bible is the supreme book, above books written by other so-called prophets. David was uniquely qualified to know and write about it, because God's covenant to the Jews came through him: Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isa 55:3
(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.	And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luk 23:46  While the Gospel account of Christ's death is short, I wonder if Ps. 22:19-20 gives a glimpse into what was going on in Christ's heart as he died. We don't know. Perhaps there was too much agony for Christ to have David-like thoughts and prayers.

After reading all these verses, understand why Jesus went through all that. He was taking the death penalty that we deserve for our sin. Remember, we sinned, but Jesus never did. God wanted perfection out of us, but He didn't get it from any of us, since Adam and Eve. So He came down and lived that perfect life, then died, so His perfect life could be transferred to us, while our sin was transferred to Him on the cross. See if this verse makes more sense now:  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Trust what He did on the cross. Admit you are a sinner, Believe Jesus died for you, Confess your sin and ask Him into your life to forgive your sins and be your Lord and Savior.

From Despair to Praise

It's fascinating to see the life of David and the life of Christ woven together in Ps. 22. Sometimes you wonder if you're reading about David or about Jesus. It's because David was inspired by God. When he wrote, I wonder if he knew God was directing his very choice of words.

I wonder that as a writer. I know that God is finished writing Scriptures, so I won't be inspired in a prophetic or universal way. But God can lead writers today to write in a way that ministers to other people.

Anyway, let's look at the first eight verses of Ps. 22 and notice how David wrote, given what we know about his life.

Psa 22:1-8  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?	David had his own trials in which it may have seemed God had forsaken him, but nothing like Christ: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)
(2)  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.  (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.	David went from despair to hope and trust. How did he do it? He looked at the testimonies of the Lord. "But thou…" and he rehearsed what God did in the past with those who trusted in Him. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. (Psalms 125:1) That's how we encourage ourselves in God. We remember what God has done. We go from pessimism to praise. And how can we let the idea of God inhabiting the praises of Israel pass us by? This is the only verse I know of that tells us God dwells in praise. If I want God's presence right here, praise Him. Why is it so hard to just stop what I'm doing and think about and praise God? Maybe the best praise is putting a Psalm to music and singing it to God. Time to get out the guitar.
(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.	David sinks back to an inward focus that is pure prophesy. Did others laugh David to scorn and shoot out the lip, shake their head and doubt that God would deliver him? I'm not sure. But they certainly did Jesus: He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. (Matthew 27:42-43 AV)