Psalm 22 The Message Verse By Verse

Last Updated on September 22, 2021 by Pastor Ikechukwu Chinedum

Today, we will be studying Psalm 22 the message verse by verse. Like some other psalms, Psalm 22 is a prayer for help in difficult times. The writer expresses a disposition of him being unfairly treated by people who are against him. He acknowledged God’s ability to deliver us in times of trouble, attributing it to an experience he had previously had. He now desires that God would deliver and help him yet again.

Most importantly, psalm 22, its message from verse to verse is a prophetic psalm that signifies the sufferings of the Messiah. The psalmist, who obviously was David had been given the privilege to see what Christ would have to go through for the sake of humanity as well as the blessings it will bring. This he saw and prophesied through his songs. And so, just like we read in the new testament accounts, we can easily relate this psalm to the pains our Lord suffered and how he began to plead that God would let the cup pass over him. This psalm is quite important to us as believers because it helps us to relate with Christ’s sufferings as well as help us pour out our heart to God in similar situations.

PSALM THE MEANING VERSE BY VERSE.

Verse 1&2: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou nearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

This depicts a cry of agony, especially when God seems distant and unwilling to hear our cries. The first verse is the very same statement that Christ made while he hung on the cross bearing the sins of mankind. The pain and discomfort he had done were too much for him and he felt like he had been abandoned by the father. A situation that is not so different from what we face as individuals too. We sometimes get to a point of unbearable challenges where it feels like God has withdrawn his help from us and the least we want him to do for us is to hear our cry.

Verse 3: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Even though the writer was in a state of helplessness, he could not but acknowledge the holiness and faithfulness of God. knowing that whether or not life becomes tough, God would always remain faithful. And one thing is certain, complaining would never be the best bet because Gis does not inhabit the complaints of his people but their praises.

Verse 4&5: Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded.

He recounts how God’s faithfulness led to the deliverance of his people from their years of bondage. They had suffered for too long in slavery and they began to cry to God, trusting him for deliverance. God heard them and delivered them by his mighty power. And just as his word had said, because they looked up to him, they were neither ashamed, not confounded.

Verse 6: But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

In direct contrast to the people whom God had delivered, the writer calls himself a worm, despised by people. A worm is a reptile so helpless and vulnerable that it could be easily killed; this was what the psalmist like he’s himself to. He didn’t look like anything close to one who had a God who could deliver him. Even though he was living righteously and giving himself for the sake of the people, they scorned and despised him instead.

Verse 7&8: All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the lord that he would deliver him, seeing that he delivered him.

This is one of the toughest points we can get to as believers. A point where people begin to mock us for placing our trust so much in God. This was the psalmist’s experience and an indication of what Jesus would have to face too. The people laughed at him, saying that God should deliver him if he truly loved him. In fact, they told him to save himself since he was the son of God.

Verse 9&10: But thou art he who took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

Here the psalmist reveals to us why he placed so much trust in God. He had been placed in God’s care right from the one of his birth and God had kept and catered for him ever since then. He had been his God, he is and would always be.

Verse 11&12: Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

He begins to call on this same God who has been helping him to come to his aid once again. Danger looms around him and trouble is near. A situation which he describes as the gathering of the strong bulls of Bashan. He, therefore, calls on God to help and deliver him, something we should do also when we find ourselves in such situations.

Verse 13&14: They gaped upon me with their mouths, as traveling and raising lion. 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.

The psalmist described the effect the troubles in his life are beginning to have on him. They open their mouth to say all kinds of things against him causing heaviness in his heart. Worse still, it has begun to also affect him physically to the point where it seems like his bones are going out of joint. This was exactly what Christ experienced in the hands of the same people he came to save.

Verse 15&16: My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and this hast brought me to the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

This greatly described Christ’s sufferings. He was at some point very thirsty and he required that they gave him a drink; but rather than give him water, they gave him vinegar. Then they took him to the cross and pierced him with nails in his hands and his feet, leaving him to suffer for their own sins.

Verse 17&18: I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and they cast lots upon my vesture.

They tortured Christ till the point where his bones began to stick out making them visible on his body. They also took his garments and divided it along themselves casting lots with it.

Verse 19&20: But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

He got to the point where he wanted God to take away the sufferings from him. He calls on God to deliver him hastily and to not be distant from him not turn his face away from him.

Verse 21&22: Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

He pleads for God to save and deliver him from the hands of those who seek to crucify him. He promises to praise and testify of God’s help to the people if this was done for him.

Verse 23&24: Ye that fears the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 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.

He calls on his brethren- the children of Israel to praise God for he is able to help the afflicted. God does not turn his face away from all who cry unto him; he listens to them and delivers them.

Verse 25&26: My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever.

He declares once again that he will praise God in the midst of the congregation and not just that he will also pay his voice before them. So also all those who are meek will do the same and God wi satisfy them with goodness and long life. This was what Jesus did when he came. He declared the testimony of God to we his brethren, now that we believe, we can enjoy his goodness.

Verse 27&28: All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

By the testimony of Christ, all men shall turn to God in worship. God is the ruler over the earth and over all men but sin turned away the hearts of men from their God. Which is why Christ came, to restore mankind to their ruler and to restore nations to their king. By his sufferings and shedding of his blood, this was made possible.

Verse 29: All they that be fat upon the 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.

The death of Christ gave room for men of all calibers to come and worship God. The rich and the poor, none of which can keep themselves alive. We see that in scriptures how Christ drew the poor, the rich, the sinners and Al sort of persons to himself with the aim of reconciling them with the father.

Verse 30&31: A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Finally, because of the death of Christ, there will always be a seed in every generation who will serve the father. Men will continue to pledge their allegiance to the service of God and more so, they will continue to declare the price Christ paid for them on the cross. This is what we do as believers today, serve God and testify of the death of our Lord Jesus.

WHEN DO I NEED TO USE THIS PSALM?

Firstly, the psalm is greatly needed for us to appreciate the sufferings that Christ went through on our behalf. However, for our personal lives, this psalm can be used in the following ways:

• When we need God to come to our aid in times of trouble.
• When we are surrounded by the wickedness of men and we need deliverance.
• When we need our trust in God to be rekindled.
• When we want to recount the benefits of Christ’s death for us and all his goodness towards us.

PSALM 22 PRAYERS.

• Lord Jesus, I thank you for the price you paid on my behalf and for the goodness it has brought into my life. Be glorified in Jesus’ name.
• Lord, I ask that you be not far from me in times of trouble, come to my aid and strengthen me in Jesus’ name.
• Father, save me from the hands of those who despise me and from the lion’s mouth in Jesus’ name.
• According to your word, deliver me from the sword and preserve my life in Jesus’ name.
• Lord, I thank you for the privilege to serve you and I declare this day that I will serve you and declare your good works from generation to generation in Jesus name.
• I declare that i am protected by every evil attacks of the Night in Jesus name
• Father, i declare that my soul is preserved in you, therefore my enemies cannot afflict me in Jesus name.
• I release the angels of the Lord to connect me to my destiny helpers in Jesus name
• I shall never be stranded in life in Jesus name
• I shall never lack help in life in Jesus name