The Agony and the Ecstasy- Sam Storms on Psalm 22

Posted on by Pam Larson

  • Sam Storms
  • May 8, 2007
  • Series: Meditations on the Psalms

If you’ve never given much thought to Psalm 22, there’s no better place to begin than with the following comment of Charles Spurgeon:

“For plaintive expressions uprising from unutterable depths of woe we may say of this Psalm, there is none like it. It is the photograph of our Lord’s saddest hours, the record of his dying words, the lachrymatory of his last tears, the memorial of his expiring joys. David and his afflictions may be here in a very modified sense, but, as the star is concealed by the light of the sun, he who sees Jesus will probably neither see nor care to see David. . . . We should read reverently, putting off our shoes from off our feet, as Moses did at the burning bush, for if there be holy ground anywhere in Scripture, it is in this Psalm” (I:324).

I agree with Spurgeon that this psalm, however much it may speak of David’s personal experience, is primarily Messianic. The opening words of the psalm (v. 1) are found on the lips of Jesus as he hung on the cross (cf. Matt. 27:46). The taunt of the scorners (“And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads”, Matt. 27:39) is from v. 7. They also challenged him (Matt. 27:43) with the very words of v. 8. And Jesus cried out from the cross, “I thirst” (John 19:28), in fulfillment of v. 15. Finally, his garments were parted among those who pierced his hands and feet, even as vv. 16-18 describe.

Click here to read Dr. Storms’ insights…you’ll be blessed!

There is great wealth in this psalm, but I’ll restrict myself to a few important observations……There comes a time, when reading certain passages of God’s Word, that commentary must yield to contemplation. May God impress deeply on your heart the profound reality that the Son did this for you!