Psalm 22 Devotional:

1 David complained because he was brought into such extremities that he was past all hope, but after he had rehearsed the sorrows and griefs, wherewith he was vexed. 10 He recovereth himself from the bottomless pit of tentations, and groweth in hope. And here under his own person he setteth forth the figure of Christ, whom he did foresee by the spirit of prophecy, that he should marvelously, and strangely be rejected, and abased, before his Father should raise and exalt him again.

To him that excelleth upon Aijeleth Hashahar. A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But thou art holy, and dost inhabit the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help me.

Previously we saw in the Psalm the great humiliation that David was put through in the person of Christ, and how that our advocate and example underwent great afflictions at the hands of men for our salvation. For never before in the history of the world or now to this day did sinful men ever abuse an innocent to such a monstrous degree as to put their hidden malice on full display even against the Son of God who gave His life for His own people. For when our Lord Christ hung on the cross they railed on Him and called for Him to come down and save Himself while in the very business of saving His people. So that when He cried to His Father, “if it be possible, let this cup pass” the answer was that it was not possible for us to be saved except Christ die for our sins and satisfy the justice of God. Therefore just as Christ’s affliction was acute, so also was their blasphemy, inasmuch as they mocked Him for refusing to deliver Himself from death, while He performed that very work that procured salvation for His elect people. They said, “come down from the cross and save yourself” and he refusing saved us. Even as it is written, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” and again, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” and again, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” and again, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed it to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” showing that Christ did not deliver Himself that we might be effectually delivered. Let this keep us humble and patient under trial and refuse deliverance that God might be glorified and His will be done. But we also ought to note the change in tune, where David saith, “but thou art He who took me out of the womb” etc. For we are encouraged to plead with God in prayer using arguments of past deliverance, and looking back on this, to be comforted thereby. For God has not only been our God after conversion after our justification, or after we have done such works that please Him, but it was He who took pity on us when we were helpless sinners and delivered us from the womb, which is a tomb to many who never see the sun. And inasmuch as God has brought us out of innumerable afflictions, temptations, trials and even dangers unknown, so we ought to give Him thanks and praise for His works towards us, and question within ourselves why we should be distressed when Jehovah is our God? And so like a musical piece that descends to a low note and evokes feelings of distress, then the progression of tension until a lovely and charming melody brings the listener back to a state of peace and joy, so doth the Psalmist pertaining to the soul. He was in distress, now comforting Himself in God. He was ready to sorrow unto despair, but grace within prevented him. He was beyond all hope if he trusted in men or his own means, but by the power of God he believes against hope saying, “there is none to help me.” knowing that this is an effectual means of calling out to God for His own special deliverance. For it is certain that until we confess that we cannot save ourselves, we surely cannot be saved. The Christian confession therefore is low and broken, and does not rest in the strength of man, but in the help of God. Let this Psalm therefore teach us to pray in humility.

Calvin,
David again here raises a new fortress, in order to withstand and repel the machinations of Satan. He briefly enumerates the benefits which God had bestowed upon him, by which he had long since learned that he was his father. Yea, he declares that even before he was born God had shown towards him such evidence of his fatherly love, that although now overwhelmed with the darkness of death, he might upon good ground venture to hope for life from him. And it is the Holy Spirit who teaches the faithful the wisdom to collect together, when they are brought into circumstances of fear and trouble, the evidences of the goodness of God, in order thereby to sustain and strengthen their faith. We ought to regard it as an established principle, that as God never wearies in the exercise of his liberality, and as the most exuberant bestowment cannot exhaust his riches, it follows that, as we have experienced him to be a father from our earliest infancy, he will show himself the same towards us even to extreme old age. In acknowledging that he was taken from the womb by the hand of God, and that God had caused him to confide upon the breasts of his mother, the meaning is, that although it is by the operation of natural causes that infants come into the world, and are nourished with their mother’s milk, yet therein the wonderful providence of God brightly shines forth. This miracle, it is true, because of its ordinary occurrence, is made less account of by us. But if ingratitude did not put upon our eyes the veil of stupidity, we would be ravished with admiration at every childbirth in the world. What prevents the child from perishing, as it might, a hundred times in its own corruption, before the time for bringing it forth arrives, but that God, by his secret and incomprehensible power, keeps it alive in its grave? And after it is brought into the world, seeing it is subject to so many miseries, and cannot stir a finger to help itself, how could it live even for a single day, did not God take it up into his fatherly bosom to nourish and protect it? It is, therefore, with good reason said, that the infant is cast upon him; for, unless he fed the tender little babes, and watched over all the offices of the nurse, even at the very time of their being brought forth, they are exposed to a hundred deaths, by which they would be suffocated in an instant. Finally, David concludes that God was his God. God, it is true, to all appearance, shows the like goodness which is here celebrated even to the brute creation; but it is only to mankind that he shows himself to be a father in a special manner. And although he does not immediately endue babes with the knowledge of himself, yet he is said to give them confidence, because, by showing in fact that he takes care of their life, he in a manner allures them to himself; as it is said in another place, “He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry,” (Psalms 147:9.) Since God anticipates in this manner, by his grace, little infants before they have as yet the use of reason, it is certain that he will never disappoint the hope of his servants when they petition and call upon him. This is the argument by which David struggled with, and endeavored to overcome temptation.

Ainsworth,
Cast upon: that is, from my infancie committed to thy care and custodie.

Dickson,
Here faith opposeth whatsoever the complaint could import, to the prejudice of confidence, and laboureth to strengthen it selfe by all arguments. Whence learn, 1. As Satan maketh assault after assault, against Faith, upon new representations of calamity and misery; so we should raise bulwark after bulwark for defence; and after we have looked upon other mens experiences before us, we should recount our own experiences of God’s towards us, and should make use of all that the Lord hath done unto us, for our strengthning; for so doth this example teach us. 2. Albeit men in a fit of misbelief, will admit no proofe of Gods respect unto them, except singularities, and wil question also speciall grace, when it is given; yet the humbled believer is so wise, as to make use of the most common benefit which the man hath received from God for confirmation of his owne faith. Even the ordinary work of our conception, frame of body, birth, and education may suffice us to draw in to God who made us, and hath done so much for us (ere we could implore him, or doe any thing for our selves) as may incourage us to come to him, and seek his favour, whatsoever objection can be made to the contrary; for this example teacheth us so to doe. 3. Seeing the Lord doth many things for us, which in the time when he doth them for us, we doe not observe; it is our duty to look upon them afterwards, that they may furnish us with matter of praise to God and faith in him; for so doth this example teach us. 4. Whatsoever instruments and means the Lord maketh use of, the spirituall eye pierceth through them, and looketh on God as worker of all things, for and upon them, from their cradle. Thou tookest me out of my mothers wombe. 5. Children borne within the Covenant have God for their God, from their nativity, and may lay their reckoning so; and whensoever they would draw neer to God, to make use of the Covenant, they may say, Thou art my God from my mothers belly. 6. The approaching of trouble, and neernesse of danger should draw us neer to God; who in an instant can interpose himself between us and the evil: and the lesse help we have beside the Lord himselfe, the more hope may we have to be helped by God; This is the Prophets plea, Be not far from me, for trouble is neer, &c.
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Let us therefore come to God with confidence and sincere affection, knowing that He is our covenant God and He will be faithful to His promises.

Opening Prayer.

Intro.
To the True and Faithful Members of Christ’s Church.
Lesson 2.
The Carping and Cavils of Hypocrites.

1. But as it happened in that temple of Solomon, that all which came thither, came not to pray, but many to prate, some to gaze and see news, others to talk and walk, some to buy and sell, some to carp and find fault, and finally some also at the last to destroy and pluck down, as they did indeed.
i. The nature of the hypocrite.
a. To put on a mask.
b. To imagine you are wiser than God.
c. To pretend religion without doctrine.|
ii. They cannot profit from good who come with a mind disposed to evil.
iii. Hostile and indisposed minds are as swine we do not waste the pearls of the gospel upon.

2. For what is in this world so strong, but it will be impugned? What so perfect, but it will be abused? So true, that it will not be contradicted? Or so circumspectly done, wherein wrangling Theon will not set in his tooth? Even so, neither do I look for any other in this present history: but that amongst many well-disposed readers, some wasps’ nest or other will be stirred up to buzz about mine ears.
i. The behavior of the hypocrite.
ii. They see truth as error.
iii. They contradict the truth despite its clearness.
iv. Opposition from the world is to be expected.

3. Such a dangerous thing it is nowadays to write or do any good, but either by flattering a man must offend the godly, or by true speaking procure hatred with the wicked.
i. The righteous by the grace of God know their works to be good and pleasing to God.
ii. Question: If by truth we offend the wicked, and if by withholding truth we offend the righteous, what is the better way?

4. Of such stinging wasps and buzzing drones I had sufficient trial in my former edition before, who, if they had found in my book any just cause to carp, or upon any true zeal of truth had proceeded against the untruths of my story and had brought just proofs for the same, I could have right well abided it. For God forbid, but that faults, wheresoever they be, should be detected and accused. And therefore accusers in a commonwealth after my mind do serve to no small stead.
i. We are humble and desire to be corrected when wrong.
ii. We are careful not to be wrong.
iii. Those who find error in something that is wanting substance or truth are to be commended.
iv. The gospel contains no error but is perfect and whole. Justification by faith.
iii. Those who find error with the gospel and our ministry are the accusers, the friends of Satan.
iv. Their opinions mean nothing to us.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/5CH_JjIiKFU