View Psalms 22 in the note window.
It is confessed that David was a type of Christ, and that many
passages of the Psalms, though literally understood of David,
yet had a further and mystical reference to Christ. But there are
some other passages, which were directly, and immediately intended for,
and are properly to be understood of the Messiah; though withal there
may be some respect and allusion to the state of the penman himself.
And this seems to be the state of this psalm, which is understood of
the Messiah, by the Hebrew doctors themselves, and by Christ himself
and by his apostles. And there are many passages in it, which were
literally accomplished in him, and cannot be understood of any other.
In this psalm David speaks of the humiliation of Christ, ver. 1 - 21.
Of the exaltation of Christ, ver. 22 - 31.
To the chief musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A psalm of David.
Title of the psalm. Shahar - This was the title of some musical
instrument, name, or song, which was usually sung in the morning.
1: My God - Who art my friend and father, though now thou frownest
upon me. The repetition denotes, the depth of his distress, which made
him cry so earnestly. Forsaken - Withdrawn the light of thy countenance,
the supports and comforts of thy spirit, and filled me with the terrors
of thy wrath: this was in part verified in David, but much more fully in
Christ. Roaring - My out - cries forced from me, by my miseries.
3: But thou art - Just and true in all thy ways, this he adds to
strengthen his faith, and to enforce his prayers, and prevail with God
for the honour of his holy name, to hear and help him. Inhabitest - Whom
thy people are perpetually praising.
6: A worm - Neglected and despised. People - Not only of the great
men, but also of the common people. Which doth not so truly agree to
David as to Christ.
7: Shoot out - They gape with their mouths, in mockery. This and the
next verse are applied to Christ, (Mt 27:39,43).
12: Bulls - Wicked and violent, and potent enemies; for such are
so called, (Eze 39:18,Am 4:1).
Of Bashan - As the cattle there bred were, and therefore fierce and
furious.
14: Water - My spirits are spent and gone like water which once spilt
can never be recovered; my very flesh is melted within me, and I am become
as weak as water. Bones - I am as unable to help myself, and as full of
torment, as if all my bones were disjointed. Wax - Melted, through fear
and overwhelming grief.
15: Dried - I have in a manner no more moisture left in me, than
is in a dry potsherd. Cleaveth - Through excessive thirst and drought.
Death - Thy providence, delivering me into the power of mine enemies,
and by thy terrors in my soul.
16: Dogs - So he calls his enemies for their insatiable greediness,
and implacable fierceness against him. Pierced - These words cannot with
any probability be applied to David, but were properly and literally
verified in Christ.
17: May tell - By my being stretched out upon the cross.
18: They part - This also cannot be applied to David, but was
literally fulfilled in Christ, (Mt 27:35,Joh 19:24).
20: Darling - Heb. my only one; his soul, which he so calls,
because it was left alone and destitute of friends and helpers.
21: Heard - Answered and delivered me.
22: Declare - When thou hast delivered me. Thy name - that power
and faithfulness and goodness, which thou hast manifested on my behalf.
Congregations - The same whom he calls the congregation, and the
seed of Jacob and Israel: which also does not so fitly agree to
David, who never gives this title to any, but such as were near a - kin
to him, as it does to Christ, who extends this name to all his disciples,(Mt 12:48,49), and to whom this very text is applied,(Heb 2:11,12).
24: Abhorred - He did not turn away his face from it, as men do from
things which they abhor. From him - For ever: tho' he did so for a time.
25: Great congregation - In the universal church, of Jews and
Gentiles.
26: Satisfied - This is doubtless to be understood, of those
spiritual blessings, that grace and peace, and comfort, which all
believing souls have in the sense of God's love, the pardon of their
sins, and the influences of God's spirit. Seek him - That seek his favour.
Your heart - He speaks of the same persons still, though there be a change
from the third to the second person, as is usual in these poetical books.
For ever - Your comfort shall not be short and transitory, as worldly
comforts are, but everlasting.
27: The world - All nations from one end of the world to the other.
So this is an evident prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, and a
clear proof, that this psalm immediately speaks of Christ; to whom
alone, this and divers other passages of it, belong. Remember - They
shall remember their former wickedness with grief and shame, and fear;
particularly in worshiping dead and impotent idols. They shall remember
their great and manifold obligation to God, which they had quite forgotten,
his patience in sparing them so long, in the midst of all their impieties,
and in giving his son for them: they shall remember the gracious words and
glorious works of Christ, what he did, and suffered for them; which possibly
divers of them had been eye and ear - witnesses of. The Lord - Into the
only true God, and unto Jesus Christ, to whom this name of Jehovah is
often ascribed in scripture.
28: For - This is added as a reason, why the Gentiles should be
converted, because God is not only God and the Lord of the Jews, but
also of the Gentiles, and of all nations.
29: Fat - Kings and princes, and the great men of the world.
Shall eat - Shall feed upon the bread of life, Christ and all his
benefits. Worship - This is added to shew what kind of eating he
spoke of. Go down - That is, all mankind, for none can escape death.
30: A seed - Christ shall not want a seed or posterity, for though
the Jewish nation will generally reject him, the Gentiles shall come
in their stead. A generation - That believing seed shall be reputed
both by God and men, The generation, or people of the Lord, as the
Jews formerly were.
31: They - The seed last mentioned. Come - From Judea and
Jerusalem (from whence the gospel was first to go forth) to the
Gentile world, to the several parts whereof the apostles went upon
this errand. His - God's righteousness: his wonderful grace and mercy
unto mankind, in giving them Christ and the gospel; for righteousness
is often put for mercy or kindness. Unto - Unto succeeding
generations. Whereby David gives us a key to understand this psalm,
and teaches us that he speaks not here of himself, but of things which
were to be done in after - ages, even of the spreading of the gospel among
the Gentiles, in the time of the New Testament. That he - They shall
declare that this is the work of God, and not of man.
