Psalms 22
PATTo the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar (Hind of the Morning). A Psalm cf David. A Psalm composed by David (and directed to the master of music in the tabernacle), wherein, under his own person, (who was persecuted as a hind is by the hunters early in the morning, ver. lG.)he makes a large description of the sufferings of Christ; and, in conclusion, of his exaltation, and the propagation of his kingdom to the utmost ends of the earth. Some of which things are delivered in such expressions, that they are more literally fulfilled in our Saviour, than ever they were in David; to whom they belong, but in a metaphorical sense. I shall note the particulars in their proper places, underneath the paraphrase, which I would not too much enlarge, or interrupt, by inserting them here. thou pleased to exert thy power, as thou hast ever done, for ray deliverance.
Psalms 22:1
JjJL Y God, my God, why hast thoti forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?. O my God, my most gracious God, whose power no creature can resist, how strange doth it seem, that I, who have been thy care so long, am now left without any visible means of escaping those that seek my life; and that the loudest cries which I pour out of a heart loaden with sorrow and grief, are far from prevailing for any relief, (Matt, xxvii. 46.)
Psalms 22:2
O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; and in the night-season, and am not silent. O my God (for so I will still call thee, even in the greatest distresses), there is no day, no night, passes, wherein I do not, with incessant cries, most importunately call upon thee; but can obtain no rest from my persecutions.
Psalms 22:3
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Yet thou art he that hatestall those Who unjustly persecute thy servant; and keepest thy word most faithfully with them that depend upon thee: as appears by the many deliverances thou hast sent them from thy holy place, where they celebrate thy name with their perpetual praises.
Psalms 22:4
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They that are gone before us have left us many remembrances of thy mercy to those that piously relied on thee: in all their straits they applied themselves unto thee as their only deliverer; and by thy help they escaped the greatest dangers.
Psalms 22:5
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. Their fervent prayers prevailed with thee (though mine can now obtain no audience): they were confident thou wouldest preserve them in safety, and their hope did not make them ashamed,
Psalms 22:6
But I am a ivorm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Whereas I, who have waited on thee also after their example, am so disappointed in my expectation, that my adversaries are ready, to tread me under their feet: so weak I am, and thereby so contemptible, that not only the great men, but the baser sort and dregs of the people, publicly reproach and despise me.
Psalms 22:7
And all they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying. All that sec the straits to which I am reduced openly deride me: they make mouths at me, and, in a scornful manner, shake th&r heads, and jest upon me, saying, [Tliis tvas most exactly and literally fulfilled in our Saviour Christ, Matt, xxvii. 39. 43.]. ■
Psalms 22:8
He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. This is he that talked so much of the favour of God to him, and depended upon him that he would deliver him: let us see now what he will do for him: let him deliver him out of our hands, and shew thereby that he is so dear, as he pretends, unto him.
Psalms 22:9
But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. This insolent language is very grievous to my soul, but it shall not cast me into utter despair of thy mercy: I will rather continue to wait upon thee, who, without my knowledge, and when I could not call upon thee, didst grant me a greater deliverance than this which I now ask of thee: for thou broughtest me out of my mother’s womb, and then providedst nourishment forme; tookest a singular care of me while I hung upon her breasts.
Psalms 22:10
I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mothers belly. ~. In my infancy thou didst preserve me from all the mischiefs to which that weak estate is incident; and ever since hast been my most gracious protector: for, from my first coming into the world till this moment, I have had nothing to.trust unto but only thy good providence; which all along declared (though I was the youngest of my brethren) what a large share I had in thy loving-kindness.
Psalms 22:11
Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. And shall I think thou wilt now forsake me, when I call upon thee, and acknowledge thy former care, and hope for thy future? Go on, O God, to conclude as thou hast begun, and continue to dome good. And now that there is an appearance of the sorest distress, and I am no more able to help myself than when I was an infaut, and have less help and succour from others; be
Psalms 22:12
Many bulls have compassed vie: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. It must be thy work alone;. for my enemies are not only very numerous, but so mighty and formidable in their power, so insolent also and furious, and have enclosed and hemmed me in so strictly, that it is impossible without thy miraculous providence to escape them.
Psalms 22:13
TJiey gaped upon me ivith their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. A hungry lion is not more fierce nor more dreadful, when he is just ready to seize on his trembling pf^y, than these my persecutors; whom I hear roaring and thundering out their threats, and see coming with open mouth to fall upon me, greedily desiring and aiming to devour me:
Psalms 22:14
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Which have struck me with such consternation, that I am as weak as water; my bones are so loosed, that they are not able to support my body; ray heart fails me, and my spirit dissolves and faints away, as wax melts before the fire.
Psalms 22:15
My strength is dried zip like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Fear, sadness, and sorrow, have quite dried up my vital moisture: I have scarce strength enough left to complain: but am just upon the point to expire, and to be laid in my grave.
Psalms 22:16
For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my Muds and my feet. For that malicious company which have combined together to persecute me, are as greedy and as cruel as tho hungry dogs, who have hunted down a hind (see the title), and are all gathered about her to tear her in pieces: they use me most shamefully, as well as cruelly, and have bored through my hands and my feet. m [TJiere is nothing like this in the history of David; of whom it can be only spoken poetically by an hyperbole.]
Psalms 22:17
1 may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. Grief and sorrow have so consumed my flesh, that my bones stick out through my skin, and may be distinctly numbered: and they that behold my misery are so far from having compassion on me, that they feed their eyes, and are exceedingly satisfied with this lamentable sight.
Psalms 22:18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. They make themselves sure I shall never recover; no more than the poor hind, whose skin the hunters have divided, or cast lots to whose share it shall fall. For so have they parted my upper garments among them, and cast lots who shall have my inner. [This also was more literally fulfdled in Christ than in David; in whose story wefmdnothwg like it: and therefore it can signify nothing more (if applied to him) than that they looked upon him as utterly undone; and rifled his house, and despoiled him of all when he fled from Saul, 1 Sam. xix.]
Psalms 22:19
But be not thou far from me, O Lord; O my strength, haste thee to help me. Once more, therefore, I humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to interpose, by thy power, in this grievous strait, for my deliverance: it is easy for thee to efFect it, who art almighty, and I depend merely on thy aid; which I entreat thee to send speedily for my relief, or else it will come too late.
Psalms 22:20
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Rescue my life from the sword, which the enemy hath drawn to despatch me: it is all I have left, and it is left without all defence but thine; who, I hope, Ayilt preserve it from the power of him, that, with the rage and fury of a dog, maliciously persecutes me. Ver.’ 21.‘‘Save me from the lion’s mouth; for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.] Thou hast done as great things heretofore, and sent me relief when the fiercest and strongest enemies were pushing at me, and insulting over me: which makes me presume of thy favour now in this sore exigence, when the most violent men are ready to fall upon me, and tear me in pieces, if thou dost not save me.
Psalms 22:22
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Save me, O Lord, and it will redound to thy praise, and not merely to my own satisfaction: for I will tell all my brethren how good and gracious thou art; and publicly proclaim the greatness of thy power, and wisdom, and justice (as well as of thy love), in the midst of thy faithful people. [This David did in the eighteenth Psalm; and this our Saviour did by his apostles, Heb. ii. 12. who preached his resurrection, &c. every where, to the praise and glory of God’s grace. Ephes. i. 6.] *
Psalms 22:23
Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. I will call upon all the devout worshippers of the Lord to join with me in praising and giving thanks unto him. (1 Chron. xvi.) Let the whole posterity of Jacob (and whosoever hath any thing of his spirit in him) set forth the glory of his most excellent perfections, which shine in his marvellous works: let them all, I say, whom he hath chosen to be his peculiar people, most humbly worship and adore his majesty, and learn to give him faithful obedience. [All that follows is as applicable to Christ as to David; and some passages more fulfilled in him.]
Psalms 22:24
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. For that poor despicable person (whom men contemned and scorned, ver. 6, 7.) he hath not disdained to look graciously upon, in his lowest and vilest condition. But, though he seemed to neglect him for a time, hath seasonably appeared in his favour, and granted the earnest prayers which he put up unto him in his distress.
Psalms 22:25
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows befote them that fear him. Which shall be openly acknowledged, when I return to thy house with the heartiest praises to thee; from whom, I am sensible, I receive all the blessings I enjoy. And as I have been forward in my trouble to vow thee many sacrifices, if thou wouldest restore me; so I will certainly offer them in the presence of those that devoutly worship the Divine Majesty. Ver.2G. The meek shall eat andbe satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him; your heart shall live for ever.] I will invite also those poor people, who were partakers with me =in my sufferings, to come and feast with me on that plentiful provision I will make for them; and thereby encourage all those that seek the Lord sincerely, and depend upon