Today’s Reading: Psalm 22
Psalm 22 is one of the Messianic Psalms, so called because they speak of the coming Messiah. 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 His Father 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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