Psalm 22

 Psalm 22

As we read the Psalm, it feels as if the writer was an eyewitness to the execution of Jesus. The actions of the religious leaders and even the Roman soldiers were described in amazing detail over a thousand years before the event. The suffering subject of this psalm describes himself as forsaken, a worm, a reproach, disjointed, pierced, and with his garments taken.

With this in mind, the second half of the Psalm makes no sense without knowing about Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. The hopeful tones of verses 22 through 31 are incongruent with the suffering in verses 1 to 21. Until they are given meaning in the Lord's victory at the cross and on Easter. It is the death, burial, and resurrection that gives this psalm and all of scripture and all of life meaning. The last section, verses 25 to 31, is even descriptive of the establishment of the church and her worldwide expansion. The “rejected one” of the first verse results in all the world turning to the Lord in verse 27. How is this possible? Because this is about Jesus.

“Lord, thank you for the hope we have in Christ. AMEN.”