THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

XXII. Christ's Predicted Prayer On The Cross And Its Answer

A. Christ's Predicted Sufferings And Petition On The Cross

(Psalm 22:1-18)

I. Introduction

A. Psalm 22 describes an execution by crucifixion that was not experienced by its author, David, and no word of confession of sin exists in the psalm, so it predicts Christ's sufferings on the cross, B. K. C., O. T., p. 809.

B. Jesus cited Psalm 22:1a at about the time of the evening sacrifice, at 3 p.m. on the cross (Matthew 27:36; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Matt. 27:36) and alluded to the psalm's last phrase before dying (John 19:30 with Psalm 22:31b), so He focused on fulfilling that psalm while suffering in our place on the cross.

C. We thus study Psalm 22:1-18 on Christ's sufferings and petition on the cross for insight and application:

II. Christ's Predicted Sufferings And Petition On The Cross, Psalm 22:1-18.

A. Verse one of the Hebrew text comprises the introductory notes of the English Bible (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 992), so we stay with the numbering system in the English Bible for clarification with this lesson.

B. We thus translate the first part of the work in Psalm 22:1-18, noting Christ's N. T. fulfillments as follows:

1. "My Elohim, my Elohim, why have You forsaken Me? (Why) are You so far from rescuing Me, (so far) from the words of My distressful cry?" (Psalm 22:1 with Matthew 27:46)

2. "O My Elohim, I cry out by day, but You do not answer, and by night, and I am not silent," Psalm 22:2.

3. "Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the praise of Israel," Psalm 22:3.

4. "In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You brought them into security," Psalm 22:4.

5. "To You they cried out, and they were slipped away from trouble; in You they trusted and they were not ashamed," Psalm 22:5.

6. "But I am a worm and not a nobleman ('ish, Ibid., Kittel; R. B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 48-50), scorned by common men ('adam, Ibid., Kittle; Ibid., Girdlestone) and despised by the people," Psalm 22:6 with Matthew 27:39-40, 41-43, 44.

7. "All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads;" Psalm 22:7 with Matthew 27:39.

8. "'He committed Himself unto Jahweh -- let Him bring Him into security! Let Him deliver Him since He delights in Him!'" (Psalm 22:8 with Matthew 27:40-44)

9. "For it was You Who brought Me forth from the womb; You made Me trust in You even at My mother's breasts," Psalm 22:9.

10. "From birth I was cast upon You; from the womb of My mother You have been My Elohim," Psalm 22:10.

11. "Do not be far from Me, because trouble is near, and there is no one to help," Psalm 22:11.

12. "Many bulls [figurative of dreadful foes] surround Me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle Me," Psalm 22:12.

13. "Roaring lions tear their prey, opening their mouths wide against Me," Psalm 22:13.

14. "I am poured out like water, and all of My bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within Me," Psalm 22:14; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Psalm 22:11-18 that "describe crucifixion."

15. "My strength is dried up as a potsherd, and My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth; You lay Me in the dust of death," Psalm 22:15 with John 19:28.

16. "For dogs have surrounded Me, a band of evil men has encircled Me; they have pierced My hands and My feet," Psalm 22:16 with Matthew 27:35a and John 20:24-28.

17. "I can count all of My bones; they [men] stare and gloat over Me," Psalm 22:17 with Matthew 27:36.

18. "They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots," Psa. 22:18 with Jn. 19:23-24.

Lesson: Christ fulfilled Psalm 22:1-18 in His sufferings on the cross, facing temporary abandonment by God the Father as He bore the sins of the world on Himself (Psalm 22:1 with 2 Corinthians 5:21) as well as rejection and scorn by all classes of men (Psalm 22:6-8 with Matthew 27:39-44), not to mention the physical torments of death by crucifixion (Psalm 22:14-18 with John 19:24-28; Matthew 27:35-36). Nevertheless, in handling His suffering, He recalled Psalm 22, being aware of His fulfillment of this psalm and identifying with its predictions and hope.

Application: (1) May we thank God for His gift of salvation to us through faith alone in Christ alone with His great work on the cross, cf. 2 Corinthians 9:15. (2) Since 1 Peter 2:21 calls us to follow Christ's example in suffering, if led of God to suffer for the Lord, may we like Christ focus on Scripture for edification.