Psalm 22, A Royal / Messianic Psalm

Introduction

There are many quotations in the New Testament reference to the Book of Psalms, even Jesus Himself quoted passages from the Book in His ministry and crucifixion (Psalm 8:2/Matthew 21:16, Psalm 118:22–23/Matthew 21:42, Psalm 110:1/Matthew 22:43–44, Psalm 57:1/Matthew 23:37–39, Psalm 82:6–7/John 10:34–36, Psalm 41:9/ John 13:18, Psalm 35:19/Psalm 69:4/John 15:25). Among them, Psalm 22 must be the most vivid one that the Lord quoted as well as has been prophesied regarding his suffering and crucifixion.

Historical Context

The psalm has been categorized as a Royal Psalm or a Messianic Psalm. Such different labeling of the psalm perhaps reflects different emphases it has been posited and perceived in the historical context. By calling it a “Royal Psalm,” scholars suggest that Psalm 22 describes the sufferings of the poet alone, in this case, David, the king of Israel, or a king, and ignore the prophetic and predicting functions of the future Messiah. There is not much overwhelming evident to support a single hypothesis in what situation this psalm was pointing to. It could be expressed based on Saul’s persecution in the Desert of Maon, the flight from Absalom, or a general summation of David’s sufferings and attacks throughout his life. Others also suggest that the subject of the psalm was referring to either the nation of Israel or any ideal godly person. [1]

By labeling it a “Messianic Psalm” is partly because the clear and prominent mocking-suffering descriptions were matched with what had been demonstrated at Calvary. (Many suggest that the label “Messianic” is not necessary referring to Jesus.)

• Christ was hung in the presence of mockers (Psalm 22:7/Matthew 27:39)
• Christ was being insulted and ridiculed for His ability to save Himself as the Son of God (Psalm 22:8/Matthew 27:43)
• Christ’s garments were divided by casting lots (Psalm 22:18/Luke 23:34)
• Christ’s painful cry on God has forsaken Him (Psalm 22:1/Matthew 27:46)

Without forsaking the Sitz im Leben of the psalm and reading it merely through the lens of the prophecy fulfillment, some scholars try to merge the two and view the psalm that David was writing of his own experiences, but at the same time serve as a prophesy or prediction of the suffering Christ.

Structure and Analysis

Regarding its structural design, some scholars suggest Psalm 22 should be divided into two parts: (1) psalmist’s lament or appeal for help (vv. 1–21); (2) praise and thanksgiving (vv. 22–31). Others argue that the psalm could be divided into three parts: (1) Introduction (vv. 1–10); (2) psalmist’s petition (vv. 11–21); (3) final praise (vv. 22–31). [2] And some others, such as the Semitic linguist C. J. Labuschagne, suggest psalm 22 was composed in chiastic structure (or Labuschagne labels it the menorah pattern). He uses the “logotechnical analysis” (Hebrew word counts of different verses) and lays out the psalm as three cantos with seven sections: [3]

In addition, the psalmist adopts many images and figures in the writing to highlight his pains and catastrophes:

• Merism — a combination of two contrasting words to refer to an entirety (v. 2)
• Hyperbole — the use of exaggeration (vv. 9–10, 14)
• Apostrophe — an exclamatory figure of speech (v. 26)
• Metaphors and similes: a worm, strong bulls, roaring lions, dogs, wild oxen, poured out water, turned to wax, and dust of death, etc.

Implication and Application

The psalmist begins with a tormented and desperate cry to God who has seemingly rejected him. Christ used that in the most agonized moment in His life as well as the entire salvific program that His Heavenly Father “apparently does not even hear the loud groaning” made on the cross. [4] The psalmist moves on to moan about God’s ignorance of his continual cry (vv. 1–2). He continues pitying himself in vv. 6–8 as “less than human” and “worm” due to his mocking enemies. However, the psalmist uses a transition word “yet” twice to display his inner dialogue between his heart and his head. In his heart, he feels the disconnecting pain, but in his head, he knows clearly that “our fathers trusted,… and You delivered them” (v. 4) and “from my mother’s womb you have been my God” (v. 10).

The psalm moves on with the psalmist’s plea for God’s nearness, provision, and protection, in the midst of his near-death agony (v. 15). He utters “be not far from me” twice in v. 11 and 19 which reminds the audience that the promise of God’s presence is His nearness as He tabernacles His people wherever they go.

From v. 22 and on, there is a marked change of tone to the psalmist’s triumph in thanksgiving and praise. “He has been delivered from his great ordeal. God has answered his cries. Therefore, he now turns to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and invites others to join in with him in assembled devotion” (vv. 22–31). When one who solidly experienced the deliverance from and reuniting with God, “not only will he praise God but he invites all those in the covenant community who also fear the Lord to join him in genuine worship” (vv. 23, 26) [5]

Psalm 22

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises[a] of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet[b] —
17 I can count all my bones —
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued[c] me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26 The afflicted[d] shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yetunborn,
that he has done it.

[1] Some examples of who reject Davidic authorship: J. A. Alexander, Commentary on Psalms; M. Dahood, Psalm I:1–50, A. A. Anderson, The Book of Psalms, Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms, W. L. Holladay, “Bachground of Jeremiah’s Self-understanding.”

[2] Two-part division: Anderson, Auffret, Kidner, Leupold, Perowne, Tostengard, and Westermann. Three-part division: Alexander, Cohen, Henemann, and Schaefer.

[3] www.labuschagne.nl/ps022.pdf

[4] Patterson, Richard D, “Psalm 22: From Trial to Triumph,” JETS 47/2 (June 2004): 220.

[5] Ibid., 224.