Psalm 22
I have to admit that this psalm just sends a shiver down my spine when I read it - it is in total contrast to the last couple of psalms.
Jesus quoted this psalm - verse 1 "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" were some of Jesus last words recorded in the Gospels.
This Psalm resonates so closely with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that is is regarded as prophetic.
The Psalm starts out with a cry of Anguish to a God who has hidden his face and does not answer.
Verses 3 to 5 reflect a painful truth - God is still in heaven - the one who Israel praises, who the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) put their trust and who were not put to shame. I don't mean the truth in itself is painful, just from the point of despair - knowing that God is in his heaven when all is not right with the world is not that comforting to me!
The next few verses come back to earth with a thump - "I am a worm, not a man, scorned and despised"
On the cross Jesus had abuse heaped on him "he trusted in God, let God save him" (Verse 8)
Jesus was poured out like water in the crucifixion - one of the effects of being crucified apparently was that many of the joints in the arms and upper body were put under tremendous strain and often dislocated as the cross is dropped into the hole.
Other last words of Jesus on the cross were "I'm thirsty" - perhaps echoing verse 15? my mouth is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
The strong enemies surrounding Jesus pierced his hands and his feet (verse 16) and the execution detail divided Jesus clothes between themselves, gambling on who got what
I don't know what circumstances David was in when he wrote these words - I suspect that, for David, they had a touch of poetic license about them?
Christians believe that scripture is inspired by God and that God inspired David to write this particular Psalm as a foretelling of Jesus sacrifice.
The Psalm finishes with words of hope - "I will declare your name to my people....... For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one.
All the rich onf the earth will feast and worship, all who go down to the dust will kneel before him - those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him, future generations will be told about the Lord - they will proclaim his righteousness declaring to a people yet unborn
HE HAS DONE IT!
On the Cross Jesus last words were "It is finished" - or it could be translated "Accomplished"
You know what Napoleon said about Jesus?
"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."
--Napoleon
I have to admit that this psalm just sends a shiver down my spine when I read it - it is in total contrast to the last couple of psalms.
Jesus quoted this psalm - verse 1 "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" were some of Jesus last words recorded in the Gospels.
This Psalm resonates so closely with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that is is regarded as prophetic.
The Psalm starts out with a cry of Anguish to a God who has hidden his face and does not answer.
Verses 3 to 5 reflect a painful truth - God is still in heaven - the one who Israel praises, who the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) put their trust and who were not put to shame. I don't mean the truth in itself is painful, just from the point of despair - knowing that God is in his heaven when all is not right with the world is not that comforting to me!
The next few verses come back to earth with a thump - "I am a worm, not a man, scorned and despised"
On the cross Jesus had abuse heaped on him "he trusted in God, let God save him" (Verse 8)
Jesus was poured out like water in the crucifixion - one of the effects of being crucified apparently was that many of the joints in the arms and upper body were put under tremendous strain and often dislocated as the cross is dropped into the hole.
Other last words of Jesus on the cross were "I'm thirsty" - perhaps echoing verse 15? my mouth is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
The strong enemies surrounding Jesus pierced his hands and his feet (verse 16) and the execution detail divided Jesus clothes between themselves, gambling on who got what
I don't know what circumstances David was in when he wrote these words - I suspect that, for David, they had a touch of poetic license about them?
Christians believe that scripture is inspired by God and that God inspired David to write this particular Psalm as a foretelling of Jesus sacrifice.
The Psalm finishes with words of hope - "I will declare your name to my people....... For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one.
All the rich onf the earth will feast and worship, all who go down to the dust will kneel before him - those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him, future generations will be told about the Lord - they will proclaim his righteousness declaring to a people yet unborn
HE HAS DONE IT!
On the Cross Jesus last words were "It is finished" - or it could be translated "Accomplished"
You know what Napoleon said about Jesus?
"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."
--Napoleon
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