Zeke's Inkhorn

As Christmas draws near much of the world remembers the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and will celebrate God’s gift to all who have ever been and ever will be. Thinking about this gift and ultimate expression of God’s love brings Psalm 22 to mind and why he was born into this world.

Psalm 22 was written by King David and as I reflected upon it, I began wondering how it is to be interpreted. In one way, it can be understood as King David pouring out his heart before the LORD while he is dealing with some sort of personal battle, affliction, or testing he’s trying to endure. Another way it can be understood is a prophecy or foreshadowing of the crucifixion of God’s only begotten Son, John 3:16, and indeed it is as we will see Jesus literally quoted King David’s words in the first verse. David’s words also describe the mocking, the ridicule, the suffering, and events that would take place on that fateful day. And yet another way to look at it is, like a dialogue where King David pleads with God, knowing who his redeemer is, yet not totally understanding the price of his redemption until God reveals it to him. And to add to that, maybe each and every one of us should think of ourselves having such a dialogue in this way. I’ll try to explain this perspective the best I can.

A two-speaker perspective of the Psalm of the Cross

David speaking:

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring (groaning)? As mentioned, Jesus spoke these very words in Mark 15:34, And the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabach thani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? Jesus is fulfilling King David’s prophetic words just before he breathed his last breath. I believe he said this to not only show the world he is the prophesied suffering messiah that was to come, but especially to his chosen people, the lost sheep of the house of Israel. King David often expressed his spiritual condition in this same way and the following words can also be seen as crying out to the LORD while enduring a trial or testing as he did many times throughout the psalms.

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 (ashamed).

Jesus speaking:

(As David continues his plea, Jesus begins to show David what will become known as his “Passion” as if to show who it is exactly he’s pleading with, yet necessary to understand and will be difficult for David to wrap his mind around.)

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Jesus begins answering David in a way reminiscent of God answering Job but instead of putting David in his place so to speak, as God did with Job declaring his character by asking Job questions, Jesus is declaring to David that the messiah would not appear as a conquering king Israel was expecting, but as a suffering servant. Even to the point of total rejection and as being nothing more than a worm. God however, in his infinite wisdom described himself as a worm for a glorious reason. The Hebrew translation for worm here is, “the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and clothes dyed therewith: -crimson, scarlet, worm.” Israel used this rare worm to dye clothing red. Once it was crushed, it would produce a vivid red color and was then used to dye clothing. But he was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed, Isaiah 53:5. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, Isaiah 1:18. Jesus is showing how he will be “crushed” and his shed blood dyes our flesh “clothing” so that all those who put their faith in him are covered by his blood. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip (show contempt with their mouth), 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. This is also prophetic as seen in Matthew 27:39-43. 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 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. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. King David is without a doubt being moved by the Holy Spirit to prophesy these words and Jesus can be seen showing him what the scene of the Cross will be like.

David speaking:

(The next three verses can be viewed as almost disbelief. In other words, when looking at it from this perspective, David cannot believe what he is hearing because he knows he is having communion with the Almighty, the Creator of all things, so how can these things be?)

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 mother’s belly. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. King David is pleading with the LORD saying, “You created me. You are God from the beginning. There is trouble all around me and who else can I turn to, to help me deal with the troubles of this world except you?”

Jesus speaking:

(As if to say, “This is your savior and this is what shall be so that you ((and all of us)) might believe on him who sent me.”)

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. Bulls is translated as, “breaking forth in wild strength.” Bashan is an area known for its ideal land to raise cattle being located east of the Jordan River and was allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh. Metaphorically speaking, Jesus may be alluding to the power and presence of the religious leaders and hostile crowd during his trial as they cried out, “Crucify him!” Also, this might be his way of describing the result of the prophecy given by Jacob when he blessed Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. It’s just that I believe there is no obscure meanings to the words used in any part of the Bible. God’s words are not happenstance. There is a reason God chooses the words he does. We might not understand them at first, but it’s just curious why Bashan is mentioned in this context. In Genesis chapter 48, Joseph presents his sons to Jacob his father to receive his blessing. Manasseh, being Joseph’s firstborn, should have received his birthright from Jacob but Jacob switched his hands when he laid them upon the heads of Joseph’s sons. Starting at verse 17, And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. Jacob said Manasseh would become a people and be great but his younger brother would be greater and his descendants would become a multitude of nations. Spiritually speaking, I’ve often wondered if Manasseh represents Israel after Jesus’ first appearance and Ephraim represents the church, the Body of Christ, since the church is made up of Israel and all nations. I think this may be a possibility and can be seen in spiritual terms regarding some of the writings of the prophets as well. Maybe that’s why Bashan is specifically mentioned here.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths (opened their mouths), as a ravening (raging) and roaring lion. Since his fall, Satan has sought to destroy everything God has done, is doing, and will do. It will be to no avail of course and we are told he, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour, 1 Peter 5:8, (paraphrasing). It was evident at the scene of the cross as well. Satan, thinking he was destroying the Son of God, didn’t realize it was God’s plan from the beginning so that Israel and all the world might be saved.

The next verses are a graphic description of the unimaginable pain and suffering Jesus endured on the Cross. His body completely broken. His heart failing him. Every ounce of energy being drained from him as the breath of life is soon taken away from him. As difficult as it may be, try to visualize yourself there, in that moment, and what it must have been like.

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 (within me). 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth (clings) 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 (can count) all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. More prophetic words describing the scene of the Cross with undeniable accuracy. Matthew 27:34-35 says, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

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 (precious life) from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I view this as Jesus crying out to the Father in all of his humanity. Just as he prayed in Gethsemane the night he was betrayed by Judas, in Luke 22:42, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Jesus, in his humanity cries out to God to save him from the fate that is before him, just as any human being would do in their time of vulnerability and desperation. Yet, instead of desperation, Jesus displays his divine love by showing his humility as becoming God in the flesh, connecting our fallen state to eternal life in him. The “horns of the unicorns,” I think is a reference to temple sacrifice. The altar where sacrifices took place was fashioned with protruding horns at each of the corners, resembling the horns of an animal. This illustrates Jesus as the Lamb of God being placed upon God’s altar of sacrifice and his ultimate sacrifice for humanity. The final sacrifice ending all others.

After God has revealed to King David what his LORD shall endure in order for the “ends of the earth to be saved,” the rest of the psalm can be viewed as an epiphany if you will, when his eyes are opened to the realization of what must be done and will come to pass. It’s a declaration to his Jewish brethren and to the whole world the marvelous saving grace God has bestowed upon the world by means of his unconditional love and sacrifice.

David speaking:

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him, all ye the seed (descendants) of Jacob, glorify him; and fear (hold in awesome reverence) 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. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat (prosper) upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust (Death) shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul (keep himself alive). 30 A seed (posterity) shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

I know this may be a stretch to interpret this psalm this way, but the point is to encourage those who are seeking the LORD and desire to know him better, to spend time in his Word and to search out the depths of his character and being. King David wrote in Psalm 139:17, How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! Regardless of the validity or not of this interpretation, there is no denying this psalm prophetically details Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. He is God manifested in the flesh, died for all of us, rose again the third day, and is alive for evermore. He is returning very, very soon. If you haven’t already, put your faith in him and accept him as your savior.