Post by kandace on Mar 29, 2024 10:34:43 GMT -5
Psalm 22: Messianic Psalm with Prophecy of the Savior on the Cross
Background: Psalm 22; Mark 27:39-44; Mark 15:27-32; Luke 23:32-39; John 19:16-30
Focus Verse: Psalm 22:1
Psalm Type: Prayer for Rescue. Psalm 2:1, 10:1, 13:1-2, 52:1, 74:1
King David: Warrior, Psalmist, King, Prophet
As we discussed in our prior lesson, “Messianic House of David,” David was anointed by the
prophet. Samuel to be king of Israel after God rejected Saul due to his disobedience. I Samuel
16:13. I Samuel 15:26. David was a great warrior before and after becoming king. I Samuel
17:8-51. I Samuel 18:5-7. II Samuel 8:1-14. Davis was a Spirit-filled musician who composed
numerous psalms, many of which are recorded in Scripture. He was called “the sweet psalmist
of Israel.” II Samuel 23:1
David endured much suffering during the days when he was on the run as a fugitive from a mad
king Saul, and many Psalms reflect the anguish and desperation he experienced during those
trying times in his life. In addition to being a warrior, king, and psalmist, David was also a
prophet. He is called a prophet by the Apostles Peter (Acts 2:29-31) and Paul (Acts 13:32-37),
as well as the by the non-Christian Jewish historian Josephus (Josephus, Antiquities of Jews,
6.166).
In his prophetic role, David’s Psalms would sometimes go beyond his own sufferings and
prophesy the future sufferings of the promised Redeemer.
Meaning of the Title
The entire title is, To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Doe of the Morning.” or sometimes
“The Deer of the Dawn.” In the KJV, the literal title is used, Aijeleth (hind or doe) Ha-Shahar
(of the dawn or of the morning) (Al-Aijeleth Ha-Shahar).
Deer are crepuscular worlddeer.org/are-deer-nocturnal/
That means they are most active during the times of dim sunlight, in the dawn and the dusk.
The eyes of deer are adapted to dim light whereas the eyes of their predators are less effective
in dim light. Also, the ancient Hebrews likened the first rays of the dawn sun to the antlers of a
stag (male deer).
The meaning of the doe metaphor is twofold. David viewed himself as a hunted deer, in
particular, a doe, which as a female lacking the antlers of a male stag, would be most vulnerable
to the hunter. But also, and more importantly, David viewed the dawn, which was associated
with the deer, as a time to pray, give praise to, and to seek the Lord. Psalm 5:3, 59:16, 88:13,
92:1-2, 119:147, 143:8
Animal Metaphors: Culture of the ancient Middle East.
The ancient Middle East was an agrarian, rural, non-industrial culture. Few people lived in cities,
and even people in cities had close ties with and dealings with the very nearby rural
countryside. People lived close to nature, and did not idealize animals as the cute, fluffy, almost-
human pets that our Disney-influenced modern culture has conditioned us to imagine animals
are. Animals were mostly beasts of burden, dangerous predators, or at best pests and
nuisances. Psalm 22 reflects its culture in its use of animal metaphors. David implicitly viewed
himself metaphorically as a hunted deer, and he also used other animal metaphors to describe
his enemies.
In ancient Israel, dogs were viewed as unclean, devourers of carrion (dead flesh unfit for human
consumption). I Kings 14:11; 16:4, 22:38. Revelation 22:15. Dogs were also symbols of Gentile
power, as Romans used dogs in their warfare, something Jews would find abhorrent. Cane
Corso - History of the Roman Dog of War (worlddogfinder.com). It was not surprising that Jews
adopted the term “dog” as a slang term for Gentiles, who were ritually unclean under the Mosaic
law. Mark 7:26-27
Bulls were sources of wealth as cattle, and the bulls of Bashan were exceptionally prized for
their high value. Deuteronomy 32:14-16. However, the wealthy of Bashan, secure in their wealth
from their cattle, became arrogant and godless and oppressed the poor. Amos 4:1. So, the
Bulls of Bashan embodied arrogant wealth opposed to the downtrodden.
Lions were symbols of royalty throughout the ancient Middle East and Africa. Indeed, the Lord
Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, as befits His kingly status. Revelation 5:5.
Genesis 49:8-10. However, there is also a negative symbolism associated with the Lion in
scripture, that of a dangerous predator (Proverbs 28:15) , and in that regard the lion is also used
as a metaphor for the Devil. I Peter 5:8. The negative lion metaphor is intended here.
Tradition of Time: Quote opening word for whole passage.
It was a tradition of this time for a teacher of scripture to begin a lesson by quoting the first part
of a passage of scripture. So in quoting the first lines of Psalm 22 from the Cross, Christ
was emphasizing how his ordeal was prophesied by the entire Psalm.