Don’t despair. God is closer than you think.

Psalm 22 is a lament song written by David.

vv. 1–10—David cries out in despair over the absence of God.

—He prays to God day and night with no relief.
—He recalls the accounts of his ancestors and their faith in God. They were not disappointed. They trusted in the Holy One.
—But David is a worm (gross, worthless, an insect)—despised and mocked.
—Still, David has always trusted in the Lord, even from birth

vv. 11–21—Twice, David cries out to God not to be far away as his enemies close in.

—David uses several metaphors to describe his situation—bulls, lions, dogs, wild oxen. His life is poured out like water, his heart is wax, and his strength a dry clay pot.
—David believes that God, the sovereign One, is ultimately responsible for David going down to death.
—His enemies divide his clothes as spoils of the dead.
—v. 21 should be read—”Save me from the lion’s mouth, from the horns of wild oxen. You answered me!”

vv. 22–31—God answered David’s cry for help, and now David is calling on all God’s people to worship Him.

—”The assembly” is an Old Testament term for church. It is a congregation of believers/God-fearers.
—Israel and the nations are to come together to praise God.
—From the healthy to the dead, everyone is to praise God.
—The young generations and future generations are to hear what God has done and put their trust in Him.
—The last word of the psalm connects back to the last word of v. 21—”He has done it!”

Prophetic fulfillment—Jesus does not only identify with this psalm, He fulfills it.

—Matthew 27:35–46
—Mark 15:24–34
—Luke 23:34
—John 19:23–24, 30
—Hebrews 2:12