Reflections
“They have pierced my hands and my feet."
David writes this psalm almost as though it were planned to be
part of the Passion of Christ.
It is as though David knew what
was coming. The Psalm's theme
is that the sufferings of the
righteous man will restore life
to humanity.
Indeed the Psalm becomes the
prayer of Christ at the time of His
crucifixion and speaks of the
suffering that our Savior
experienced on our behalf,
“My God, my God, why have
you abandoned me?”
People are the same today as they
were back then, when Jesus was being led to the cross.
We scoff at him;
we mock him; we wag our heads;
and hurl insults at him.
Why?
Because he becomes contemptible in our eyes.
He reminds us that we are a sinful people;
He convicts us; He catches us in the lie;
He embarrasses us; He exposes us;
He accuses us of being hypocrites.
He holds us to a higher standard;
He speaks directly to God;
He claims to be God's Son,
and we reject him for this, and mock him.
We do not move to assist him.
Let God rescue him,
“He relied on the Lord; let God deliver him;
let God rescue him, if he loves him.”
These are the same words used by those who conspired
against Jesus when he was dying on the cross. (Mark 15: 31-32)
They did not realize that the suffering and death
of an innocent servant would restore life for sinful man.
The words they spoke were to be fulfilled, not by Jesus
coming down from the cross, but by sinful humanity like us
being delivered, forgiven, and lifted up.
The psalm describes the Passion of Christ, and we know
that what seemed like a moment of weakness for Christ
became a source of strength for the rest of us.
God reverses this righteous man’s condition –
“But you, O Lord, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.”
Hope returns, the righteous man is delivered.
And he celebrates his deliverance--
“I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
You who fear the Lord, praise him.”
Because Jesus humbled himself and accepted death
on the cross, “God greatly exalted him and bestowed
on him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:9)
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The psalmist speaks of those who scoff at him and mock him.
In what way can you identify with those who scoff at our Savior
and mock him with parted lips?
2. The Psalm Response is, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
Why do you think our Lord would have uttered these words at the time
of his Passion? What had changed for God's son? Had God changed?
1. The psalmist speaks of those who scoff at him and mock him.
In what way can you identify with those who scoff at our Savior
and mock him with parted lips?
2. The Psalm Response is, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
Why do you think our Lord would have uttered these words at the time
of his Passion? What had changed for God's son? Had God changed?
Psalm 22 begins with the most anguished cry in human history: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These are the words that Jesus took on His lips at the depth of His suffering on the cross. His suffering was unique at that point as He offered Himself up for the sins of His people. Jesus was not inventing unique words to interpret His suffering. Rather, He was quoting Psalm 22:1. These words were first uttered by David, and David was speaking for all of God’s people.
ReplyDeleteAs we seek to understand Psalm 22 we need to see in it the direction of the history of the church: first suffering and then glory. We also need to see something of a pattern for the church and for the individual Christian. The pattern is this: The real and hardest problems of life in this world should lead us to prayer. Prayer should lead us to remembering and meditating on the promises of God. Remembering the promises of God will help us to praise Him as we should. As we praise Him, we can continue to face with grace and faith the problems that come daily into our lives.
There is no doubt about it -- David's Psalm prefigures the abuse that Christ endures during the Passion. David is pleading with God to deliver him from his sufferings - perhaps as he ascends the throne of Israel as a young and uncertain 30 year old, or perhaps, as he flees from King Saul; David was once one of his favorites but then out of jealousy, Saul turns on David and tries to kill him.
ReplyDeleteDavid's fears and anguish are real but do they compare to Christ's on the cross? Probably not. Perhaps he is simply in tune with the groanings of the Holy Spirit, and guided to write the words that Jesus would use. The reverse is also true; in other words, Jesus is clearly meditating on Scripture during his last moments before death, an example we should follow too. As a well-versed Teacher, Jesus would have known the Psalms very well, and understood that he was fulfilling Psalm 22.
Although Jesus cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" we understand that God never abandons Him. Or us. Ever.
In his humanity, Jesus is sharing the journey that any man goes through from despair, to final hope in God the Father. "But you, O Lord, be not far off! O my help, hasten to my aid!" (V.20)
And then in verses 23-24 , "I will tell of your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you; you who fear the Lord praise him! All you sons of Jacob, glorify him and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!" Even the ones who have suffered the greatest, do not stay in the low point of their supplications but return to notes of praise and faith in God's will.