Psalms 21-23

Thoughts

Psalm 21

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

• The king celebrates God’s strength, not his own.
• Psalm 20’s petitions have been answered.

For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great through your salvation;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
For you make him most blessed forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the LORD,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

• Honor, glory, and majesty come from God, not human works
• God’s presence is the king’s deepest joy.

Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you.
You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,and fire will consume them. You will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of manThough they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.For you will put them to flight, you will aim at their faces with your bows..

• God personally confronts and defeats every enemy of His kingdom.
• Opposing God’s anointed is opposing God Himself.

13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.

The psalm ends with worship

Psalm 22

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

• These are the very words Jesus speaks on the cross.

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

• Israel’s history proves that God is trustworthy

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

• David shows humiliation, pain, and isolation.
• Many details here match the crucifixion of Jesus (mocking, piercing, casting lots).

But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

• David begs God to draw near after describing total helplessness.
• Despair turns to hope.

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!

• God hears us 
• The afflicted are welcomed and satisfied in God’s presence.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

• Deliverance leads to worldwide worship.
• God is revealed as King over all nations and generations.
• Even future people “yet unborn” will hear of His righteousness.

Notes on Matthew 27:46 (ESV) and Crucifixion:
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is,“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(אֵלִיאֵלִילָמָהעֲזַבְתָּנִי)

The entire psalm describes suffering, mockery, pierced hands and feet, and then ends in victory (!)

Examples: 
Psalm 22:
“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him!’ ”

• People passing by wag their heads (Matt. 27:39).
• Chief priests say: “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now” (Matt. 27:43).

“I am poured out like water… my heart is like wax… my strength is dried up… my tongue sticks to my jaws.”

 “…they have pierced my hands and feet.” 

“They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

“… a company of evildoers encircles me.”

Ends in hope though!
“I will tell of your name to my brothers…”
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD.”
“…he has done it.”

• Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22

Psalm 23

The Lord is My Shepherd-A Psalm of David

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

• Sheep only lie down when they’re safe. David is saying God gives him that kind of peace.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

• “Shadow of death” in Hebrew is tsalmavet (צַלְמָוֶת)  it means deep darkness.
• David stops saying “He” and switches to “You.”
• “Rod” = protection and “staff” = guidance. God defends you and directs you.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

• This is no longer a shepherd scene, but now it’s God acting like a generous host.
• “Anoint with oil” is a hospitality custom 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

• “Follow me” in Hebrew is stronger , radaph (רדף), it means “pursue, chase down, hunt.”
  

Questions

Application

Psalm 21 is a picture of looking back and seeing how God has worked your story. We can celebrate all the ways God has shown up. Psalm 22 is for when God feels quiet or far away. But we should remember that feeling abandoned isn’t the same as being abandoned. God does hear us, even if His plan seems slow. Lastly Psalm 23 gives us reassurance that God gives us protection and peace.