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PSALM 22
LESSON #16
THE SHEPHERD SUFFERS CRUCIFIXION
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 22:4
THIS PSALM HAS A TITLE, “TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON AIJELETH SHAHAR, A PSALM OFDAVID.:
WHAT IS AIJELETH SHAHAR?
IT MEANS THAT THIS WAS A SONG SUNG TO THE TUNE OF “DOE OF THE MORNING”
THERE ARE 3 PSALMS THAT GO TOGETHER. THEY ARE PSALM 22, PSALM 23, AND PSALM 24. ALL THREEARE ABOUT THE SHEPHERD MESSIAH.
PSALM 22 IS ABOUT THE GOOD SHEPHERD THAT SUFFERED
PSALM 23 IS ABOUT THE GREAT SHEPHERD WHO MINISTERS
PSALM 24 IS ABOUT THE CHIEF SHEPHERD WHO WILL RULE
BECAUSE THIS PSALM HAS SUCH A STRONG PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION, WE WILL NOT RELATE ITPERSONALLY TO DAVIDS LIFE EXPERIENCE. I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH IT, YOU WILL SEE THATIT COULD NOT POSSIBLY RELATE TO DAVID PERSONALLY.
THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
PSALM 22 IS ONE OF THE MOST GLORIOUS MESSIANIC PSALMS. REMEMBER THAT A MESSIANIC PSALM ISABOUT JESUS CHRIST AND IS QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
WHAT EVENT IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST DOES THIS PASSAGE REFER?
IT REFERS TO THE CRUCIFIXION. IT TELLS US WHAT JESUS WAS THINKING AND FEELING AT THE TIME.THEREFORE, IT GIVES US MORE DETAILS THAN THE NEW TESTAMENT GOSPELS GIVE US. IN THE GOSPELSWE ARE BYSTANDERS OBSERVING EVENTS AND LISTENING TO HIS WORDS FROM THE CROSS. IN PSALM 22WE ARE HANGING ON THE CROSS WITH HIM, EXPERIENCING HIS THOUGHTS AND HIS FEELINGS.
READ PSA 22:1-3 THE FORSAKEN SUFFERING SHEPHERD
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS PSALM IS ABOUT JESUS?
JESUS QUOTED VERSE 1 OF THIS PSALM ON THE CROSS. (MAT 27:46)
THERE ARE MANY WHO THINK HE QUOTED ALL OF PSALM 22 WHILE HE HUNG ON THE CROSS BECAUSE ALL7 OF THE LAST STATEMENTS MENTIONED IN THE GOSPELS APPEAR IN SOME FORM IN THIS PSALM.
“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?” (1) (MAT 27:46)
WHY DID GOD FORSAKE JESUS ON THE CROSS?
READ 2COR 5:21
PSALM 22:3 TELLS US THAT GOD IS HOLY. THAT MEANS THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT AT THAT MOMENT.HE TOOK ALL THE SIN OF EVERY PERSON FOR ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE,ON HIMSELF IN ORDER TO PAY THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION FOR US.
READ HEB 2:9,14
READ JOHN 16:32
GOD, THE FATHER, WAS WITH JESUS WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED, WHEN HE WAS TRIED FALSELY, WHEN HEWAS BEATEN IN PRISON, WHEN HE WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS.
BUT GOD WAS SEPARATED FROM JESUS DURING THE THREE HOURS OF DARKNESS WHEN JESUS WAS MADESIN FOR US. ISA 53:10 TELLS US THAT IT PLEASED GOD TO BRUISE HIM. SIN SEPARATES THE HUMANBEING FROM GOD AND GOD MUST FULFILL HIS CONCEPT OF JUSTICE AND REQUIRE PUNISHMENT.
READ PSA 22:4-5 HISTORICAL HELP
GOD ALWAYS RESPONDED WHEN THE JEWS CRIED TO GOD FOR HELP. HOWEVER, GOD WOULD NOT SET ASIDETHE PUNISHMENT FOR SIN IN ORDER TO FREE HIS SON FROM THE CROSS. IT WAS HIS PLAN OFSALVATION FOR US.
READ PSA 22:6-8 “FATHER FORGIVE THEM” (LUK 23:34)
JESUS LOOKS DOWN FROM THE CROSS. HE HEARS THE MOCKING HATRED OF HIS PEOPLE. IN THEIR EYESHE IS LIKE A WORTHLESS WORM TO BE CRUSHED UNDER FOOT. (6)
HOWEVER, THE WORD “WORM” HERE HAS A TRIPLE MEANING.
1. IT REFERS TO HIS REPUTATION WITH THE PEOPLE.
MAT 27:41 MAR 10:34 FULFILLS THE PROPHECY IN PSA 22:7.
2. IT REFERS TO JESUS FACE MARRED BY BEATINGS TO THE EXTENT THAT HE DID NOT LOOKHUMAN. (ISA 53:2)
3. THE HEBREW WORD USED HERE REFERS TO A TINY RED COCCUS WORM THAT WAS CRUSHED TORELEASE A RED COLOR THAT WAS USED TO DYE THE CURTAINS OF THE TEMPLE RED.
JESUS BODY WAS CRUSHED TO RELEASE HIS BLOOD THAT IS USED TO DYE OUR SPIRITUALGARMENTS WHITE. (REV 7:13-14)
DESPITE THIS MOCKING AND SUFFERING, JESUS ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THESE PEOPLE FOR THEIR PARTIN THE CRUCIFIXION. (LUK 23:34)
READ PSA 22:9-10 “WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON.” (JOH 19:26)
AS JESUS LOOKED AT THE MOCKING CROWD, HE SEES HIS MOTHER THERE WITH JOHN. ACCORDING TO PSA22 JESUS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT WAS GOD WHO BROUGHT ABOUT HIS BIRTH TO THE VIRGIN, MARY.
READ JOH 19:26-27
IN HIS EXTREME SUFFERINGS HE HAD CONCERN FOR HIS MOTHER. HE PLACED HER UNDER THE CARE OFJOHN, THE DISCIPLE.
READ PSA 22:11-13 “THE BULLS OF BASHAN”
THE “STRONG BULLS OF BASHAN” REFERS TO THE ROMAN SOLDIERS. THIS WAS A COMMONDEROGATORY NICKNAME AT THAT TIME.
“AS A RAVENING AND A ROARING LION.” (13)
HATRED AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MOB VIOLENCE HAD MADE HIS PERSECUTORS LIKE WILD BEASTS.
THE LION WAS ALSO A SYMBOL OF ROME.
READ PSA 22:14-18 THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE SUFFERING SHEPHERD
AFTER LOOKING AT THOSE AROUND HIM, HE IS SUDDENLY AWARE OF HIS PHYSICAL CONDITION.
PSALM 22 IS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CRUCIFIXION 1,000 YEARS BEFORE JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED.CRUCIFIXION WAS A ROMAN INVENTION AND DID NOT EXIST WHEN DAVID WROTE THIS PSALM.
1. “ALL MY BONES ARE OUT OF JOINT” (14)
GRAVITY OF A BODY HANGING ON A CROSS CAUSES THE BONES OF THE SHOULDERS, ARMS, HANDS, BACK,AND PELVIS TO BECOME OUT OF JOINT AS THE PERSON ATTEMPTS TO BREATHE.
2. HE CAN FEEL HIS STRENGTH DRAINING FROM HIM (“POURED OUT LIKE WATER” (14))
CRUCIFIXION CAUSES THE BODY TO PERSPIRE IN GREAT ABUNDANCE. THEN DEHYDRATION SETS IN(“MY TONGUE CLEAVETH TO MY JAWS” (15).
JESUS SAID, “I THIRST” (JOH 19:28)
3. “THEY PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET” (16)
THE PIERCING OF HANDS AND FEET IS A SPECIFIC DETAIL THAT REFERS TO CRUCIFIXION. THE JEWSHAD NO SUCH PUNISHMENT. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE JEWISH CULTURE WAS STONING.
“DOGS” IN THIS VERSE IS A DEROGATORY NAME FOR GENTILES, AGAIN IN REFERENCE TOTHE ROMANS.
4. “I MAY TELL ALL MY BONES: THEY LOOK AND STARE UPON ME.” (17)
HE WAS CRUCIFIED NAKED WHICH WAS THE CUSTOM. IT WAS THE ULTIMATE HUMILIATION.
THE SOLDIERS GAMBLED FOR HIS GARMENTS (18).
THIS PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED IN MAT 27:35.
READ PSA 22:19-21 “FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT” (LUK 23:46)
JESUS COMMITTED HIS SPIRIT TO GOD BEFORE HE DIED. WE SAW IN PSA 18 THAT WAS IMPORTANT TODO THAT BEFORE HE DESCENDED INTO SHEOL (HELL).
THE WORD, “DARLING” IN VERSE 20 MEANS = “ONLY BEGOTTEN ONE”.
“THE HORNS OF THE UNICORN” (21)
THIS ANIMAL IS NOT THE MYTHICAL UNICORN BUT AN ANIMAL SMALLER THAN AN ELEPHANT. IT ISSOMETIMES CALLED A WILD BULL. IT HAS ONE HORN AND IS VERY VICIOUS.
THE SYMBOLIC ILLUSTRATION HERE IS PROBABLY THAT GOD WOULD DELIVER JESUS FROM SATANSPOWER IN HELL.
READ PSA 22:22-26 “THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE” (LUK 23:42-43)
THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED (ACT 4:12)
THE THIEF ON THE CROSS NEXT TO JESUS REALIZED THAT, AND ASKED FOR PARDON. JESUS PROMISEDHIM A PLACE IN PARADISE.
READ PSA 22:27-31 “IT IS FINISHED” (JOH 19:30)
THE CRUCIFIXION DIVIDES OUR CALENDAR. IT IS THE ONE EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY THAT CHANGESEVERYTHING. IT IS THE ONE EVENT THAT DIVIDES MANKIND INTO TWO GROUPS, THE SAVED AND THEUNSAVED. IT IS THE ONE EVENT THAT GOD PROMISED IN GEN 3:15 AND WHICH THE WHOLE BIBLE TALKSABOUT FROM BEGINNING TO END. THATS WHY JESUS SAID “IT IS FINISHED”. HECOMPLETED ALL THAT GOD GAVE HIM TO DO. HE COMPLETED THE PURCHASE OF OUR REDEMPTION.
“TO A PEOPLE THAT SHALL BE BORN” (31)
IN WHAT TIME PERIOD IS THIS PROPHECY FULFILLED?
WHEN WILL ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TURN TO THE LORD? (27)
WHEN WILL ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE NATIONS WORSHIP HIM? (27)
IT WILL BE IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AFTER JESUS CHRIST RETURN S TO EARTH TO ESTABLISH HISKINGDOM ON EARTH.
THE “PEOPLE THAT SHALL BE BORN” ARE ALL BELIEVERS IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE THATGIVE THEIR LIVES TO JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE HE COMPLETED THE PURCHASE OF OUR SALVATION ON THECROSS.
SUMMARY:
AS WE HAVE STUDIED OUR WAY THROUGH THIS PSALM, WE HAVE RELATED IT TO THE 7 STATEMENTSJESUS MADE FROM THE CROSS. THEY ARE:
A. “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?” (MAT 27:46)
B. “FATHER FORGIVE THEM” (LUK 23:34)
C. “WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON.” (JOH 19:26)
D. “I THIRST” (JOH 19:28)
E. “FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT” (LUK 23:46)
F. “THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE” (LUK 23:42-43)
G. “IT IS FINISHED” (JOH 19:30)
WE HAVE SEEN THE CRUCIFIXION FROM JESUS VIEWPOINT AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS FOR YOUAND FOR ME.
PSALM 22 IS A PHENOMENAL PIECE OF PROPHECY…ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENTALONG WITH ISAIAH 53.
HOMEWORK
PSALM 23
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 22
WHAT NEW DETAILS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM PSA 22 THAT WILL CAUSE YOU TO LOVE THE LORD, JESUSCHRIST EVEN MORE?
PREPARATION FOR PSA 23
READ PSA 23:1-6 THE GREAT SHEPHERD WHO MINISTERS
WHAT SPECIFIC ACTS OF MINISTER DOES PSALM 23 TELL US THAT JESUS CHRIST WILL DO FOR HISPEOPLE?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 23:6
