For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” a psalm of David.
David wrote this song, but there is no historical instance known in his life where he suffered in this way. He used figurative language to describe his own sufferings, but the figurative language became a prediction of the real sufferings of the Messiah on the cross. This song was written 1,000 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born. It was written 400 years before the Phoenicians invented crucifixion.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I groan in prayer, but help seems far away.
Notice that this is the exact cry which Jesus made from the cross. The first verse of this song is the title. The gospel writers recorded that the Lord Jesus Christ sang Psalm 22:1 (the title), meaning that he sang this whole song on the cross while he was being crucified.
God is a trinity, but notice that only two persons of the Godhead were mentioned. For three hours on the cross, the second person of the Triune Godhead took upon the sins of every man in world history from past to present. He took upon the full wrath of God. He had to do this alone. For the first time in his eternal existence, he was alone without the fellowship of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day, but you do not answer, and during the night my prayers do not let up.
It is important to note that this is the only time in the Scriptures where the Lord Jesus Christ addressed God as “my God.” The other 170 times, Jesus addressed God as “Father” or “my Father.” On the cross, Jesus was dying for the sins of the world. He was experiencing a judicial relationship with God, not a paternal one. Therefore, He cried out “my God, my God” instead of “my Father, my Father.”
22:3 You are holy; you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel.
God is holy, meaning that He is set apart from all of creation. He sits in the heavens as the King of the universe, receiving the praises of Israel. The rest of the pagan Gentile nations were not praising Jehovah. They were praising false demonic idols.
22:4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted in you and you rescued them.
The human ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ were not only Israel, but also all of the Gentiles who were born through Adam and Noah. The ancestors who trusted Jehovah called out to Him many times and were rescued by Him.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved; in you they trusted and they were not disappointed.
The Lord Jesus Christ called from the cross, but He was not saved from the wrath of God. He took on and paid the price for all sins. However, the Lord Jesus Christ was not disappointed. He came into the world for this reason.
22:6 But I am a worm, not a man; people insult me and despise me.
The Hebrew word for “worm” is תּוֹלָע (tola), meaning a worm which was crushed to make red dye. The Lord Jesus Christ was crushed on the cross just as the תּוֹלָע (tola) was crushed to make red dye. The people insulted the Messiah as He hung naked on the cross.
22:7 All who see me taunt me; they mock me and shake their heads.
The Messiah was mocked on the cross.
22:8 They say, “Commit yourself to the Lord! Let the Lord rescue him! Let the Lord deliver him, for he delights in him.”
The Messiah’s enemies dared Jehovah to save them. Satan attempted to kill Jesus many times. He wanted Jesus to die and leave this earth, but he did not want Jesus to die for the sins of the world.
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out from the womb and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
Jesus was the God of the universe. He could have lit up the universe and appeared to the world in great splendor. However, He entered as a helpless baby through the womb of His mother. This little baby could have spoken the universe out of existence.
Notice that the mother of the Messiah is mentioned. The father of the Messiah is never mentioned, because the Lord Jesus Christ was virgin-born.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God.
The Lord Jesus Christ emptied Himself of His divine powers. This is called the kenosis. He did not empty Himself of His deity, because He was and will always be God. He entered the earth as a human baby without the use of His miracles. He would only use His miracles if it was in the Father’s will to do so.
22:11 Do not remain far away from me, for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.
Since the Messiah agreed not to use His divine powers unless God the Father gave Him permission to do so, then Jesus asked the Godhead to stay close to Him. Jesus was all alone in the satanic world system. The men of the satanic world system wanted to exterminate Him.
22:12 Many bulls surround me; powerful bulls of Bashan hem me in.
Bulls of Bashan were well-fed fat cows with great strength. The prophets often used Bashan cows as a metaphor for rich, evil, high society wives of nobles who enticed their husbands to exploit the poor so that they could enjoy more wealth. It was the wealthy Jewish aristocrats who pressured the Roman government into executing the Lord Jesus Christ. David compared these men to well-fed Bashan bulls.
22:13 They open their mouths to devour me like a roaring lion that rips its prey.
David saw these wealthy Jewish aristocrats devouring the Messiah just as a lion rips open its prey.
22:14 My strength drains away like water; all my bones are dislocated; my heart is like wax; it melts away inside me.
David saw the ruptured heart of the Messiah on the cross.
22:15 The roof of my mouth is as dry as a piece of pottery; my tongue sticks to my gums. You set me in the dust of death.
Jesus said “I thirst.” He thirsted from the physical demands of his torture on the cross. He also thirsted from the effects of being in Hell. Just as the rich man in hell said “I thirst,” Jesus felt this thirst as well. He took on all of the wrath of God, including the suffering of hell itself.
22:16 Yes, wild dogs surround me— a gang of evil men crowd around me; like a lion they pin my hands and feet.
The Hebrew word for “wild dogs” is כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים (calabim), meaning scavenger dogs who gang up and viciously attack their prey. The Jewish religious leaders and the Roman soldiers ganged up and attacked Jesus on the cross. They were all evil men who wanted to kill the Savior of the world.
The Hebrew word for “pin” is כָּרָה (karah), meaning to dig. Many English versions translate the verb as “pierced.” These evil men pierced nails into the hands of the Messiah.
22:17 I can count all my bones; my enemies are gloating over me in triumph.
When the cross was raised and dropped into the hole, then many of the bones of the Messiah were broken. The Jewish religious leaders gloated as they watched this spectacle. They thought they had sent their enemy to his death.
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves; they are rolling dice for my garments.
Jesus was crucified naked. America is now in the age of nudity and pornography, so it may be hard for many to understand his humiliation. Jesus was crucified naked, so that believers might be clothed with the righteousness of Christ..
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away! You are my source of strength! Hurry and help me!
While the Messiah is hanging on the cross, He calls on God the Father to help Him.
22:20 Deliver me from the sword! Save my life from the claws of the wild dogs!
Gentiles were known as unclean scavenger dogs. The Messiah asked Jehovah to save Him from the Roman soldiers.
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered me!
The roaring lion who is looking for someone to devour is Satan. The Messiah asked God the Father to deliver Him from the power of Satan. The power of Satan was in control of the Jewish religious leaders and the Gentile political leaders.
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
In verses 22-31, the Messiah is exalted. If the Messiah is being executed, then how can He praise God the Father? Jesus praised God the Father for His resurrection. All creatures should praise God for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him!
All Gentile followers and all Jewish followers of the Messiah should praise Jehovah.
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering of the oppressed; he did not ignore him; when he cried out to him, he responded.
Jehovah did not despise and ignore those believers who were being oppressed in the satanic world system. Jehovah responded to their cries.
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.
The Messiah will praise God the Father among the Jewish and Gentile believers.
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! Let those who seek his help praise the Lord! May you live forever!
Those who are oppressed in the satanic world system will eat well during the Millennial Kingdom. Those who seek escape from the persecution of the satanic world system will praise Jehovah. They will live for eternity with God Himself.
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! Let all the nations worship you!
During the Millennial Kingdom, all Jews and Gentiles will acknowledge and worship Jehovah.
22:28 For the Lord is king and rules over the nations.
Jehovah is the King over all of the Gentiles.
22:29 All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship; all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him, including those who cannot preserve their lives.
Every person who dies will be resurrected. The believers will live with God on earth and worship Jehovah. The unbelievers will live forever in the Lake of Fire.
22:30 A whole generation will serve him; they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord.
The Millennial Kingdom generation will teach Jehovah to future generations.
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished.
Modern educations institutions teach secular humanism, a world without God. This will not be the case during the Millennial Kingdom. All nations will teach about Jehovah.