PSALM XXII _Under great affliction and distress, the psalmist prays unto_ _God_, 1-3; _appeals to God's wonted kinkiness in behalf of his people_, 4, 5; _relates the insults that he received_, 6-8; _mentions the goodness of God to him in his youth, as a reason_ _why he should expect help now_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:2. _I CRY IN THE DAY-TIME, AND IN THE NIGHT-SEASON_] This seems to be David's own experience; and the words seem to refer to his own case alone. Though I am not heard, and thou appearest to forget or abandon me; yet I continue to cry both day and night after thy salvation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:3. _BUT THOU_ ART _HOLY_] Though I be not heard, even while I cry earnestly, yet I cannot impute any fault or unkindness to my Maker; for _thou art holy_, and canst do nothing but what is _right_. This is the language of profound resignation, in trials the most difficult to be borne.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:4. _OUR FATHERS TRUSTED IN THEE_] David is supposed to have been, at the time of composing this Psalm, at _Mahanaim_, where Jacob was once in such great distress; where he wrestled with the angel, and was so signally blessed. David might well allude to this circumstance in order to s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:5. _THEY CRIED UNTO THEE_] So do _I_. THEY _were delivered_; so may _I_. THEY _trusted in thee; I_ also trust in thee. _And were not_ _confounded_; and is it likely that _I_ shall be put to confusion?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:6. _BUT I_ AM _A WORM, AND NO MAN_] I can see no sense in which our Lord could use these terms. David might well use them to express his vileness and worthlessness. The old Psalter gives this a remarkable turn: _I am a worme_, that es, I am borne of the mayden with outen manseede; _a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:7. _LAUGH ME TO SCORN_] They utterly despised me; set me at naught; treated me with the utmost contempt. _Laugh to scorn_ is so completely antiquated that it should be no longer used; _derided,_ _despised, treated with contempt_, are much more expressive and are still in common use.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:9. _BUT THOU ART HE THAT TOOK ME OUT OF THE WOMB_] Thou hast made me; and hast guided and defended me from my earliest infancy.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:11. _BE NOT FAR FROM ME; FOR TROUBLE IS NEAR_] A present God is a present blessing. We always need the Divine help; but more especially when troubles and trials are at hand.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:12. _MANY BULLS HAVE COMPASSED ME_] The _bull_ is the emblem of brutal strength, that gores and tramples down all before it. Such was Absalom, Ahithophel, and others, who rose up in rebellion against David; and such were the Jewish rulers who conspired against Christ. _STRONG_ BULLS... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:13. _THEY GAPED UPON ME_] They were fiercely and madly beat on my destruction.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:14. _I AM POURED OUT LIKE WATER_] That is, as the old _Psalter_: _Thai rought na mare to sla me than to spil water_. The images in this verse are strongly descriptive of a person in the deepest distress; whose strength, courage, hope, and expectation of succour and relief, had entir... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:15. _MY STRENGTH IS DRIED UP_] All these expressions mark a most distressed and hopeless case. _INTO THE DUST OF DEATH._] This means only that he was _apparently_ brought nigh to the grave, and consequent _corruption_; this latter David saw; but Jesus Christ never saw corruption.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:16. _FOR DOGS HAVE COMPASSED ME_] This may refer to the _Gentiles_, the Roman soldiers, and others by whom our Lord was surrounded in his trial, and at his cross. _THEY PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET_] The other sufferings David, as a type of our Lord, might pass through; but the _pie... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:17. _I MAY TELL ALL MY BONES_] This may refer to the violent _extension_ of his body when the whole of its weight hung upon the nails which attached his hands to the transverse beam of the cross. The body being thus extended, the principal bones became prominent, and easily discernib... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:18. _THEY PART MY GARMENTS_] This could be true in _no sense_ of David. The fact took place at the crucifixion of our Lord. The soldiers divided his _upper garment_ into four parts, each soldier taking a part; but his _tunic_ or _inward vestment_ being without seam, woven in one enti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:19. _BE NOT THOU FAR FROM ME_] In the first verse he asks, _Why hast thou forsaken me_? Or, as if astonished at their wickedness, _Into what hands hast thou permitted me to fall_? Now he prays, _Be not far from me_. St. _Jerome_ observes here, that it is the _humanity_ of our blesse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:20. _DELIVER MY SOUL FROM THE SWORD_] Deliver נפשי _naphshi,_ _my life_; save me alive, or raise me again. _MY DARLING_] יחידתי _yechidathi, my only one_. The only human being that was ever produced since the creation, even by the power of God himself, without the agency of man. ADA... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:21. _SAVE ME FROM THE LION'S MOUTH_] Probably our Lord here includes his _Church_ with himself. The _lion_ may then mean the _Jews;_ the _unicorns_, רמים remin (probably the _rhinoceros_,) the _Gentiles_. For the _unicorn_, Numbers 23:22. There is no quadruped or _land animal_ with... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:22. _I WILL DECLARE THE NAME UNTO MY BRETHREN_] I will make a complete revelation concerning the God of justice and love, to my _disciples_; and I will announce to the Jewish _people_ thy merciful design in sending me to be the Saviour of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:23. _YE THAT FEAR THE LORD_] This is an exhortation to the _Jews_ particularly, to profit by the preaching of the Gospel. Perhaps, by _them that fear him_, the _Gentiles_, and particularly the _proselytes_, may be intended. The _Jews_ are mentioned by name: _Glorify him, all ye seed... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:24. _FOR HE HATH NOT DESPISED_] It is his property to help and save the poor and the humble; and he rejects not the sighings of a contrite heart. Perhaps it may mean, Though ye have despised me in my humiliation, yet God has graciously received me in the character of a sufferer on ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:25. _THE GREAT CONGREGATION_] In Psalms 22:22 he declares that he will _praise God in the midst of the congregation_. Here the _Jews_ seem to be intended. In this verse he says _he will praise him in_ _the_ GREAT CONGREGATION. Here the _Gentiles_ are probably meant. The Jewish natio... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:26. _THE MEEK SHALL EAT_] ענוים _anavim_. the POOR, shall eat. In the true only Sacrifice there shall be such a provision for all believers, that they shall have a fulness of joy. Those who offered the sacrifice, fed on what they offered. Jesus, the true Sacrifice, is the bread that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:27. _ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD_] The Gospel shall be preached to every nation under heaven; and _all the kindred of_ _nations_, משפחות mishpechoth, the _families_ of the nations: not only the _nations_ of the world shall receive the Gospel as a _revelation_ from God, but _each family... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:28. _THE KINGDOM_ IS _THE LORD'S_] That universal sway of the Gospel which in the New Testament is called _the kingdom of God_; in which all men shall be God's subjects; and righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, be _universally_ diffused.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:29. _ALL_ THEY THAT BE _FAT UPON EARTH_] The _rich_, the _great_, the _mighty_, even _princes, governors_, and _kings_, shall embrace the Gospel. They shall count it their greatest honour to be called _Christian_; to join in the assemblies of his people, to commemorate his sacrificia... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:30. _SHALL BE ACCOUNTED TO THE LORD FOR A GENERATION._] They shall be called _Christians_ after the name of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Psalms 22:31. _UNTO A PEOPLE THAT SHALL BE BORN_] That is, one generation shall continue to announce unto another the true religion of the Lord Jesus; so that it shall be for ever propagated in the earth. Of his kingdom there shall be no end. ANALYSIS OF THE TWENTY-SECOND PSALM This Psalm co... [ Continue Reading ]