Messiah Bearing the Cross, and Wearing the Crown

This ranks with Isaiah 53 in amazing prophetic anticipation of the victorious death of the Messiah. The New Testament confirms that this is a Messianic psalm. Graphically, David describes the scene and experience of Calvary, and with the perception that could only be Spirit given, he reveals the inner workings of the heart of Christ. David records, but it is Christ who speaks. Whilst the psalm is descriptive of the terrible sufferings, both of the body and soul of the Messiah, it then turns into a paean of praise and victory. The Lord identifies Himself with His people, and declares that He will be present in their worship in the midst of the great congregation. The final phrase, “He hath done this,” is equivalent to His words of expiry on the cross, “It is finished!” The atonement is made, the battle has been won, and all flesh shall bow before Him. 

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tunes:
St Mary (v 1-21), Bangor (v 1-21), Praetorius (v 22-31)

Psalm 22

¹My God, my God, why hast thou me
Forsaken? why so far
Art thou from helping me, and from
My words that roaring are?

²All day, my God, to thee I cry,
Yet am not heard by thee;
And in the season of the night
I cannot silent be.

³But thou art holy, thou that dost
Inhabit Isr’el’s praise.
⁴Our fathers hop’d in thee, they hop’d
And thou didst them release.

⁵When unto thee they sent their cry,
To them deliv’rance came:
Because they put their trust in thee,
They were not put to shame.

⁶But as for me, a worm I am,
And as no man am priz’d:
Reproach of men I am, and by
The people am despis’d.

⁷All that me see laugh me to scorn;
Shoot out the lip do they;
They nod and shake their heads at me,
And, mocking, thus do say,

⁸This man did trust in GOD, that he
Would free him by his might:
Let him deliver him, sith he
Had in him such delight.

⁹But thou art he out of the womb
That didst me safely take;
When I was on my mother’s breasts
Thou me to hope didst make.

¹⁰And I was cast upon thy care,
Ev’n from the womb till now;
And from my mother’s belly, Lord,
My God and guide art thou.

¹¹Be not far off, for grief is near,
And none to help is found.
¹²Bulls many compass me, strong bulls
Of Bashan me surround.

¹³Their mouths they open’d wide on me,
Upon me gape did they,
Like to a lion ravening
And roaring for his prey.

¹⁴Like water I’m pour’d out, my bones
All out of joint do part:
Amidst my bowels, as the wax,
So melted is my heart.

¹⁵My strength is like a potsherd dried;
My tongue it cleaveth fast
Unto my jaws; and to the dust
Of death thou brought me hast.

¹⁶For dogs have compass’d me about:
The wicked, that did meet
In their assembly, me inclos’d;
They pierc’d my hands and feet.

¹⁷I all my bones may tell; they do
Upon me look and stare.
¹⁸Upon my vesture lots they cast,
And clothes among them share.

¹⁹But be not far, O LORD, my strength;
Haste to give help to me.
²⁰From sword my soul, from pow’r of dogs
My darling set thou free.

²¹Out of the roaring lion’s mouth
Do thou me shield and save:
For from the horns of unicorns
An ear to me thou gave.

²²I will show forth thy name unto
Those that my brethren are;
Amidst the congregation
Thy praise I will declare.

²³Praise ye the LORD, who do him fear;
Him glorify all ye
The seed of Jacob: fear him all
That Isr’el’s children be.

²⁴For he despis’d not nor abhorr’d
Th’afflicted’s misery;
Nor from him hid his face, but heard
When he to him did cry.

²⁵Within the congregation great
My praise shall be of thee;
My vows before them that him fear
Shall be perform’d by me.

²⁶The meek shall eat, and shall be fill’d;
They also praise shall give
Unto the LORD that do him seek:
Your heart shall ever live.

²⁷All ends of th’earth remember shall,
And turn the LORD unto;
All kindreds of the nations
To him shall homage do:

²⁸Because the kingdom to the LORD
Doth appertain as his;
Likewise among the nations
The Governor he is.

²⁹Earth’s fat ones eat, and worship shall:
All who to dust descend
Shall bow to him; none of them can
His soul from death defend.

³⁰A seed shall service do to him;
Unto the Lord it shall
Be for a generation
Reckon’d in ages all.

³¹They shall come, and they shall declare
His truth and righteousness
Unto a people yet unborn,
And that he hath done this.