Excruciating Suffering
Psalm 22 is one of the "Messianic Psalms," called such because they speak directly about the future of the coming Messiah (Christ).
The Messianic Psalms include Psalms 2, 22, 69, 72, 100, and 110. There is a sense in
which all Psalms are Messianic as they were all inspired by the Holy Spirit and
tell of God’s glory and kingdom. Psalm 22 is the most graphic of the Messianic
Psalms, describing the future crucifixion of the coming Savior.
It
is important to note that Psalm 22 was written nearly a thousand years before
crucifixion was devised as a means of capital punishment by the Phoenicians and
later adopted by the Romans. Yet it inexplicably gives an accurate account of
the brutality of someone being crucified, describing such things as every joint
in the body being pulled apart, severe dehydration like dry bones,
and the tongue turning black and swollen.
Crucifixion is considered one of the cruelest and most
painful means of capital punishment ever devised. As Jesus hung on the cross
for the sins of humanity, His words and thoughts are depicted here in great
detail. Under great affliction and
distress, Jesus cried out “My God, why have you forsaken Me?” This tells
us that in the moment of His great sacrifice, even His Father turned away from
Him. Although He is suffering immensely and is puzzled that God seems to be absent,
He continues to trust in God
The Savior’s
physical sufferings are beyond description. His enemies seem to Him like wild
animals that have surrounded their helpless victim. They are like a pack of
vicious dogs that stare and gloat over Him with a fierceness that tells him
they are getting ready for the kill. Already they are biting at His hands and
feet and tearing His clothes from him. In desperation he cries to God, for only
God can save him now, “But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my
help, come quickly to my aid!” (V19)
The horrifying scene depicted in Psalm 22 describes the
darkest moment in the history of the world. It shows us the culmination of
human sin and depravity as they crucify (as a criminal) the only Person who
ever lived without sin and who committed no crime.
Although this is the darkest moment in human history, it turns
out to be the brightest moment for humanity. Because in this moment, the Savior
willing sacrificed Himself and went through this excruciating pain because of
His love for us! His death on the cross secured salvation for mankind and made
it possible for all of us to have our sins pardoned. Because of this moment in
time, you and I can be declared righteous in God’s sight and ne given the gift
of eternal life. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus! What a Savior!
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