Ps 21 is all about jubilation and celebration and God giving victory, and then there’s Ps 22. This is the opposite end of the celebrations. Instead, the psalm opens, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
And let’s face it, there’s nothing worse when you feel not only has the whole world rejecting you, but God himself has abandon you. Not that he has, but when we hurt we sure feel like it sometimes.
This psalm will sound very familiar if you know anything about Jesus, because while it was initially a psalm written by David, it is also Messianic in nature to describe the suffering of Christ on the cross.
- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v 1) is also quoted in Mk 15:34
- “For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me. They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing” (v. 16-18) and this is found exactly in what happened to Jesus in Mt 27
So this psalm is about David, and also about what would happen to Jesus. This is often who prophesy works in Scripture.
It’s interesting though how this psalm ends. After v. 21 it is a psalm of praise to God for deliverance and rescue. At least for David. But Jesus did not get the deliverance like man desires–that his life was spared. Jesus did however get deliverance and rescue of another kind–through the resurrection.
It makes me think of James’ mom in the book of Acts. Bothe Peter and James were arrested and the story is told in the same chapter, Acts 12. But James gets put to death by the sword and Peter gets a miraculous deliverance.
Where was the miracle for James? I’m sure his mother asked this in wracking sobs on her bed. Why did Peter get the miracle and her son didn’t? Did God not love him the same? Why does one get a miracle of healing and another not?
And why did David get the miracle of deliverance and Jesus didn’t? Was he not loved the same?
Not at all.
It’s that God has different purposes for different people. Jesus’ death was for the redemption of mankind. But David’s deliverance was so that he could continue to lead Israel in the fear and love of the Lord. More than that, both in a way were delivered. David was delivered from death in that time, but he still would ultimately die. It was only temporary. Jesus with all the sin of humanity placed upon was also delivered, from the grave and from the penalty of sin and death of humanity upon him.
Peter was miraculously delivered for a few more years. Until he too would die. James was just delivered a bit earlier, through his death and ultimately joining Jesus in paradise.
It’s hard in grief to understand these things. But any miracle is only temporary, until we all receive the ultimate miracle of resurrection.
