Psalms 22

Psalm 22: A Theological Synthesis Commentary

Overview (Context, Placement, Overall Flow)

Psalm 22, attributed to David, is a psalm that expresses a cry to God amidst extreme suffering and pain. Beyond David's personal experience, this psalm is deeply interpreted as a Messianic psalm, prophetically revealing the suffering and redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The psalm's dramatic shift from desperate lament to hopeful praise offers comfort and hope to believers enduring hardship and testifies to God's work of salvation.

Structure of the Text (Section Division)

Psalm 22 can be broadly divided into three parts:

Verses 1-11: Lament over Extreme Suffering and God's Silence

Verses 1-2: A desperate cry, feeling as though God is distant.

Verses 3-5: Remembering God's faithfulness through Israel's past experiences.

Verses 6-8: Describing his miserable state of being mocked and trusting in God.

Verses 9-11: A plea to God, whom he has trusted since birth.

Verses 12-21: Intensification of Suffering and Earnest Prayer for Salvation

Verses 12-13: The threat of enemies like fierce beasts.

Verses 14-15: Extreme suffering and exhaustion, as if life is ebbing away.

Verses 16-18: Descriptions hinting at the suffering on the cross and the casting of lots for his garments.

Verses 19-21: A plea for God's help in a desperate situation.

Verses 22-31: Assurance of Salvation and Praise to God

Verses 22-24: Confidence that God has heard his cry.

Verses 25-26: A vow to praise God and fulfill his vows.

Verses 27-29: A prophecy that all nations will worship God.

Verses 30-31: A declaration that future generations will proclaim and praise God's deeds.

Key Themes

Cry in Suffering and God's Silence: The psalmist cries out to God in extreme pain, but experiences a delay in God's response. This reveals human limitations and desperate circumstances.

God's Faithfulness and Past Experiences of Salvation: Amidst lament, the psalmist remembers the experiences of past generations who were saved when they trusted in God, holding onto God's faithfulness.

Messianic Suffering and Salvation: Psalm 22 is interpreted beyond David's personal suffering as a prophetic revelation of Jesus Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection on the cross.

Assurance of Salvation and Praise: Despite the desperate situation, the psalmist is ultimately assured of God's salvation and moves towards thanksgiving and praise. This demonstrates the victory of faith gained through suffering.

Verse-by-Verse Exposition

Verses 1-11: Lament over Extreme Suffering and God's Silence

Verses 1-2: The psalmist begins with a cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This expresses extreme suffering and a feeling of abandonment. The Reformed tradition views this lament not only as David's personal suffering but ultimately as a prefiguration of Jesus Christ's suffering on the cross. The Wesleyan/Methodist tradition emphasizes this cry as the last resort of faith even in the deepest human despair. According to Greek exegesis, the word 'azabtani' (forsaken me) signifies not merely departure but a state of being rejected and neglected.

Verses 3-5: Despite his own suffering, the psalmist remembers God's faithfulness to the ancestors of Israel. The Lutheran tradition considers this a crucial point in distinguishing the function of the Law and the Gospel, emphasizing that God's promises and faithfulness belong to the realm of the Gospel, unlike the Law which reveals human sinfulness and despair. The Puritans taught that remembering God's covenant and faithfulness in times of suffering is a vital virtue of faith.

Verses 6-8: The psalmist describes himself as lowly as a "worm" and a "scorn of men," illustrating the severity of his physical and mental anguish. The Baptist tradition interprets these descriptions of self-abasement and mockery as revealing the consequences of sin and human weakness. The Anglican tradition sees this passage as effectively portraying humanity's sinful nature and the resulting social isolation.

Verses 9-11: The psalmist confesses his reliance on God since birth and pleads that God not abandon him now. The German Pietist tradition emphasizes that humans must be entirely dependent on God and that acknowledging God's sovereignty in one's life is crucial.

Verses 12-21: Intensification of Suffering and Earnest Prayer for Salvation

Verses 12-13: The enemies are described as menacing like "fattened bulls" and aggressive like "bulls of Bashan," surrounding him. This illustrates how powerful and threatening his adversaries are. Greek exegesis explains that 'Bashan' symbolizes a fertile and powerful region, and its fat bulls represent strength and greed.

Verses 14-15: The psalmist confesses that his strength is gone, leaving him shattered like "pieces of pottery," and his tongue cleaving to the roof of his mouth, indicating extreme exhaustion. This vividly depicts a desperate situation on the brink of death. The Reformed tradition interprets these descriptions as foreshadowing Christ's suffering and revealing the power of death resulting from human sin.

Verses 16-18: The phrase "dogs surround me; a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet" is widely interpreted as a direct prefiguration of Jesus Christ's suffering on the cross. The Anglican tradition views this not merely as a literal description but as symbolic of spiritual suffering and persecution. The Lutheran tradition strongly emphasizes this passage as clear evidence of Christ's atoning death. Furthermore, the casting of lots for his garments alludes to the event where Jesus' garments were divided among the soldiers after his crucifixion (John 19:24).

Verses 19-21: In his desperate situation, the psalmist earnestly pleads for God's help. The cry, "O Lord, do not be far off; O my strength, come quickly to help me!" clearly shows his desperation. The Wesleyan/Methodist tradition interprets such earnest prayer as demonstrating the spiritual fervor that should be continuously pursued in one's relationship with God.

Verses 22-31: Assurance of Salvation and Praise to God

Verses 22-24: The psalmist gains confidence that God has heard his cry. He believes his suffering was not in vain and that God will save him. The Baptist tradition states that this transition shows the process of salvation, moving from sin and despair to a new life in God's grace.

Verses 25-26: With a grateful heart, the psalmist praises God and vows to fulfill his promises. This signifies the joy of salvation and devotion to God. The Puritans emphasize that the appropriate response of the saved is thanksgiving and dedication.

Verses 27-29: The psalmist makes a prophetic declaration that all nations will worship God and all peoples will submit to Him. This shows a universal vision of salvation, where God's reign will extend throughout the world. The German Pietist tradition interprets this passage as hinting at the church's missionary mandate, anticipating that all nations will hear the Gospel and return to God.

Verses 30-31: Finally, the psalmist concludes by proclaiming that future generations will remember and praise God's mighty deeds. This demonstrates that God's work of salvation will continue through generations. The Anglican tradition views this as representing hope for future generations and trust in God's eternal reign.

Insights from the Original Languages

Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani (אֵלִי אֵלִי לְמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי): This Hebrew expression in verse 1, meaning "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is famous for being quoted by Jesus Christ on the cross (Matthew 27:46). It shows the will to maintain the relationship with God even in extreme suffering and spiritual solitude.

kerev (קֶרֶב): The Hebrew word in verse 2, meaning 'from within,' 'in the midst,' indicates the earnestness of praying to God without rest, even at night.

ḥesed (חֶסֶד): The Hebrew word in verse 4, meaning 'lovingkindness,' 'love,' emphasizes God's unchanging love and faithfulness.

qerev (קֶרֶב): The Hebrew verb in verse 16, meaning 'to pierce,' 'to bore through,' is interpreted as foreshadowing the piercing of Jesus Christ's hands and feet.

zebach (זֶבַח): The Hebrew word in verse 26, meaning 'sacrifice,' refers to the offering made to God in thanksgiving by the saved.

Theological Perspectives — Comparative Study by Tradition

Reformed/Puritan: Psalm 22 is strongly interpreted as a Messianic psalm prophesying Christ's suffering and atonement beyond David's suffering. Verse 16, "they pierce my hands and my feet," is seen as a clear testimony to Christ's suffering on the cross. They emphasize God's sovereignty and covenant faithfulness, teaching trust in God's providence even in suffering.

Wesleyan/Methodist: Psalm 22 depicts human sinfulness and weakness, and the human refusal to lose trust in God amidst extreme suffering. They interpret it as showing God's unconditional love and grace, and the process of being saved from sin and death through Christ's atonement. They encourage deepening the relationship with God through continuous prayer and spiritual discipline in the believer's life.

Lutheran: Emphasizing the dual function of Law and Gospel, the lament in Psalm 22 is seen as the function of the Law revealing the desperate state of humanity as sinners. Conversely, verses 3-5 and 22-31 are interpreted as containing the message of the Gospel, proclaiming God's grace and salvation through Christ. They place great importance on Christ's atoning death and emphasize a Christ-centered theology.

Baptist: Emphasizing personal salvation experience and conversion, the confession in Psalm 22 is interpreted as showing the process of being saved from sin and praising God anew. They also emphasize the authority of Scripture, acknowledging the prophetic nature of Psalm 22 while accepting it as a personal confession of faith.

Anglican: Psalm 22 is also interpreted from the perspective of communal suffering and restoration. The description in verse 16 is sometimes viewed symbolically, representing spiritual suffering and persecution, rather than a literal interpretation. They believe this psalm contributes to experiencing God's grace through worship and sacraments and strengthening the community's faith.

Greek Exegesis: Delves deeply into the meaning of the psalm by analyzing the subtle nuances of the original languages. It particularly analyzes the meaning of words like 'azabtani' (forsaken me) in verse 1, adding depth to the understanding of suffering.

German Pietism/German Evangelicalism: Emphasizes personal inner piety and an intimate relationship with God. They connect the confession in Psalm 22 to personal spiritual experiences and consider the process of knowing and trusting God more deeply through suffering as important.

Cross-References (Related Bible Passages)

Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34: Jesus quotes Psalm 22:1 on the cross.

John 19:24: The casting of lots for Jesus' garments.

Hebrews 2:12, 5:7-8: Mentions of Christ's suffering and obedience.

Psalms 3:1-2, 6:1-7, 13:1-2, 42:1-3, 43:1-5: Similar psalms of lament and suffering.

Psalm 23: A psalm of praise for God's care and guidance following suffering.

Isaiah 53: A prophecy of the suffering Servant of God.

Sermon / Application Points

Cling to God in Despair: In extreme suffering and feelings of abandonment, do not cease crying out to God. It is important not to lose hope by remembering God's past faithfulness.

Meditate on Christ's Suffering on the Cross: Psalm 22 goes beyond David's suffering to reveal the love of Jesus Christ who suffered on the cross for us. Remember His sacrifice and follow Him with gratitude and humility.

Suffering is Not the End, but a New Beginning: Psalm 22 begins with a desperate lament but ultimately concludes with assurance of salvation and praise. Through suffering, we can move towards deeper faith and experience God's power.

Proclaim God's Work of Salvation: Remember the grace and power of salvation God has bestowed upon us, and live a life that proclaims it to others, giving glory to God.