DAWN

     Explanation: Psalm 22 is a Psalm of distress alternating with hope. The first 22 verses are the cry of an individual (the Messiah speaking through David). His words alternate between distress and confidence. In the second part of the Psalm (verses 23-31), the speaker turns his attention to his audience and encourages them (and himself) in the LORD. The Psalm contains material that pertains to the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the New Heavens and the New Earth. Today's painting illustrates the central theme of the Psalm -- The Crucifixion.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Crucifixion & Resurrection Passages: Matthew. Mark. Luke. John. Messianic Psalms: Psalm 2. Psalm 8. Psalm 16. Psalm 22. Psalm 34. Psalm 35. Psalm 40. Psalm 41. Psalm 45. Psalm 68. Psalm 69. Psalm 89. Psalm 102. Psalm 109. Psalm 110. Psalm 118. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). Psalm 22 - #1 - Part 1. Psalm 22 - #1 - Part 2. Psalm 22 - #2. Psalm 22 - #3. Psalm 22 - #4. Psalm 22 - #5. Psalm 22 - #5. ]

     The Psalm opens with the mournful words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" God was far away, day and night. But hopeful words follow this plaint. The Psalmist/Messiah spoke of the holiness of God, who often gave Israel occasion to praise him, in whom the nation's fathers trusted, and by whom they found deliverance and were not confounded (1-5). "But", says the Messiah, "I am a worm, and no man." He was reproached, despised, laughed to scorn, an object of snide gestures. They mocked the idea that God was his deliverer and had delight in him. But the Messiah remembered that God had taken care of him from birth and infancy; so he asked God not to be far from him (echoing the opening statement) because trouble was near. People with the strength of bulls, as ravenous as lions, and as unclean and ferocious as dogs had surrounded him. He was poured out like water; his bones were out of joint; his heart melted like wax. His strength and his tongue had dried up; and the dust of death was near. His dog-like, wicked enemies surrounded him and pierced his hands and feet. He was gaunt; and his bones protruded. They stared at him. They parted his garments among them. So, for the third time, he asks the LORD not to be far from him and to make haste to help him by delivering him from his deadly enemies so that he might declare the name of God with praise in the congregation (6-22). Then, addressing his audience, he tells those who fear the LORD to praise him, glorify him, and fear him because he has neither despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, nor has he hid his face from him, as seemed to be the case in beginning of the Psalm. Rather, God heard him. And so he praises God; and he will pay his vows to the LORD. Like him, the meek will eat and be satisfied; they too will praise the LORD and live forever. Indeed families all over the world will worship God because the kingdom is the LORD's; and he governs the nations. All the prosperous will worship the LORD; as will the dead. The LORD will create a generation of those who serve him -- a generation yet to be born will proclaim God's righteousness to a people who are yet to be born (23-31).

A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
² O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
³ But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
⁴ Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
⁵ They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

⁶ But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
⁷ All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
⁸ He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
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.
¹⁰ I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
¹¹ Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
¹² Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
¹³ They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
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.
¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
¹⁶ For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
¹⁸ They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
¹⁹ But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
²¹ Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
²² I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

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.
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.
²⁵ My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
²⁶ The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
²⁷ All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
²⁸ For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
²⁹ All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
³⁰ A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
³¹ They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]