The Savior's Cross

Read Psalm 22.

David described his suffering to be so intense it was like being put to death by his enemies.  Anyone who is familiar with the New Testament cannot help but see how prophetic this picture is of the crucifixion of Jesus.  Though on his own David certainly was not writing about Messiah directly (a thousand years in advance), the typology is there.  The Holy Spirit gave David the poetic descriptions of his circumstances and the Gospel writers got to see its ultimate fulfillment in the passion of Christ.

1. The cry of Christ (vv.1-2)

These are the exact words that Jesus used hanging on the cross (Matthew 27:46).  It came in the very moment that God, the Father, laid the sin of the world upon the Savior.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

2. The criticism of Christ (vv.6-8)

Amazingly, in the fulfillment of God's prophetic word, the unbelieving crowd did not realize they were quoting these verses as they ridiculed Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:39-44).

About 500 years in advance Isaiah wrote, "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3)

3. The crucifixion of Christ (vv.14-18)

There is no mention of crucifixion in David's day.  It was the Romans who used it to publicly humiliate those who dared oppose them.  The prophetic typology was fulfilled to the last detail, including the soldiers gambling for his garments. (Matthew 27:35)

Obviously, David did not die in this instance.  God answered his prayer.  Though Jesus died on the cross and was buried, He rose from the grave in proof that He is God.  In Acts 2:27, the Apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16:10 as a prophetic word concerning the resurrection of Jesus.  "For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption."

David's deliverance caused him to praise the LORD and want to tell others about it (v.22).  In addition, he looked forward to a day when "all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you." (v.27)