TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 22:1–10. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Some think they find Christ in the title of this psalm, upon Aijeleth Shahar - The hind of the morning. Christ is as the swift hind upon the mountains of spices (Sol 8:14), as the loving hind and the pleasant roe, to all believers (Pro 5:19); he giveth goodly words like Naphtali, who is compared to a hind let loose, Gen 49:21. He is the hind of the morning, marked out by the counsels of God from eternity, to be run down by those dogs that compassed him, Psa 22:16. But others think it denotes only the tune to which the psalm was set. In these verses we have,
I.A sad complaint of God's withdrawings, Psa 22:1, Psa 22:2.
1.This may be applied to David, or any other child of God, in the want of the tokens of his favour, pressed with the burden of his displeasure, roaring under it, as one overwhelmed with grief and terror, crying earnestly for relief, and, in this case, apprehending himself forsaken of God, unhelped, unheard, yet calling him, again and again, "My God," and continuing to cry day and night to him and earnestly desiring his gracious returns. Note, (1.) Spiritual desertions are the saints' sorest afflictions; when their evidences are clouded, divine consolations suspended, their communion with God interrupted, and the terrors of God set in array against them, how sad are their spirits, and how sapless all their comforts! (2.) Even their complaint of these burdens is a good sign of spiritual life and spiritual senses exercised. To cry out, "My God, why am I sick? Why am I poor?" would give cause to suspect discontent and worldliness. But, Why has though forsaken me? is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. (3.) When we are lamenting God's withdrawings, yet still we must call him our God, and continue to call upon him as ours. When we want the faith of assurance we must live by a faith of adherence. "However it be, yet God is good, and he is mine; though he slay me, yet I trust in him; though he do not answer me immediately, I will continue praying and waiting; though he be silent, I will not be silent."
2.But is must be applied to Christ: for, in the first words of this complaint, he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross (Mat 27:46); probably he proceeded to the following words, and, some think, repeated the whole psalm, if not aloud (because they cavilled at the first words), yet to himself. Note,
(1.)Christ, in his sufferings, cried earnestly to his Father for his favour and presence with him. He cried in the day-time, upon the cross, and in the night-season, when he was in agony in the garden. He offered up strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him, and with some fear too, Heb 5:7.
(2.)Yet God forsook him, was far from helping him, and did not hear him, and it was this that he complained of more than all his sufferings. God delivered him into the hands of his enemies; it was by his determinate counsel that he was crucified and slain, and he did not give in sensible comforts. But, Christ having made himself sin for us, in conformity thereunto the Father laid him under the present impressions of his wrath and displeasure against sin. It pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief, Isa 53:10. But even then he kept fast hold of his relation to his Father as his God, by whom he was now employed, whom he was now serving, and with whom he should shortly be glorified.
II.Encouragement taken, in reference hereunto, Psa 22:3-5. Though God did not hear him, did not help him, yet,
1.He will think well of God: "But thou art holy, not unjust, untrue, nor unkind, in any of thy dispensations. Though thou dost not immediately come in to the relief of thy afflicted people, yet though lovest them, art true to thy covenant with them, and dost not countenance the iniquity of their persecutors, Hab 1:13. And, as thou art infinitely pure and upright thyself, so thou delightest in the services of thy upright people: Thou inhabitest the praises of Israel; thou art pleased to manifest thy glory, and grace, and special presence with thy people, in the sanctuary, where they attend thee with their praises. There thou art always ready to receive their homage, and of the tabernacle of meeting thou hast said, This is my rest for ever." This bespeaks God's wonderful condescension to his faithful worshippers - (that, though he is attended with the praises of angels, yet he is pleased to inhabit the praises of Israel), and it may comfort us in all our complaints - that, though God seem, for a while, to turn a deaf ear to them, yet he is so well pleased with his people's praises that he will, in due time, give them cause to change their note: Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him. Our Lord Jesus, in his sufferings, had an eye to the holiness of God, to preserve and advance the honour of that, and of his grace in inhabiting the praises of Israel notwithstanding the iniquities of their holy things.
2.He will take comfort from the experiences which the saints in former ages had of the benefit of faith and prayer (Psa 22:4, Psa 22:5): "Our fathers trusted in thee, cried unto thee, and thou didst deliver them; therefore thou wilt, in due time, deliver me, for never any that hoped in thee were made ashamed of their hope, never any that sought thee sought thee in vain. And thou art still the same in thyself and the same to thy people that ever thou wast. They were our fathers, and thy people are beloved for the fathers' sake," Rom 11:28. The entail of the covenant is designed for the support of the seed of the faithful. He that was our fathers' God must be ours, and will therefore be ours. Our Lord Jesus, in his sufferings, supported himself with this - that all the fathers who were types of him in his sufferings, Noah, Joseph, David, Jonah, and others, were in due time delivered and were types of his exaltation too; therefore he knew that he also should not be confounded, Isa 50:7.
III.The complaint renewed of another grievance, and that is the contempt and reproach of men.
This complaint is by no means so bitter as that before of God's withdrawings; but, as that touches a gracious soul, so this a generous soul, in a very tender part, Psa 22:6-8. Our fathers were honoured, the patriarchs in their day, first or last, appeared great in the eye of the world, Abraham, Moses, David; but Christ is a worm, and no man. It was great condescension that he became man, a step downwards, which is, and will be, the wonder of angels; yet, as if it were too much, too great, to be a man, he becomes a worm, and no man. He was Adam - a mean man, and Enosh - a man of sorrows, but lo Ish - not a considerable man: for he took upon him the form of a servant, and his visage was marred more than any man's, Isa 52:14. Man, at the best, is a worm; but he became a worm, and no man. If he had not made himself a worm, he could not have been trampled upon as he was. The word signifies such a worm as was used in dyeing scarlet or purple, whence some make it an allusion to his bloody sufferings. See what abuses were put upon him.
1.He was reproached as a bad man, as a blasphemer, a sabbath-breaker, a wine-bibber, a false prophet, an enemy to Caesar, a confederate with the prince of the devils.
2.He was despised of the people as a mean contemptible man, not worth taking notice of, his country in no repute, his relations poor mechanics, his followers none of the rulers, or the Pharisees, but the mob.
3.He was ridiculed as a foolish man, and one that not only deceived others, but himself too. Those that saw him hanging on the cross laughed him to scorn. So far were they from pitying him, or concerning themselves for him, that they added to his afflictions, with all the gestures and expressions of insolence upbraiding him with his fall. They make mouths at him, make merry over him, and make a jest of his sufferings: They shoot out the lip, they shake their head, saying, This was he that said he trusted God would deliver him; now let him deliver him. David was sometimes taunted for his confidence in God; but in the sufferings of Christ this was literally and exactly fulfilled. Those very gestures were used by those that reviled him (Mat 27:39); they wagged their heads, nay, and so far did their malice make them forget themselves that they used the very words (Mat 27:43), He trusted in God; let him deliver him. Our Lord Jesus, having undertaken to satisfy for the dishonour we had done to God by our sins, did it by submitting to the lowest possible instance of ignominy and disgrace.
IV.Encouragement taken as to this also (Psa 22:9, Psa 22:10):
Men despise me, but thou art he that took me out of the womb. David and other good men have often, for direction to us, encouraged themselves with this, that God was not only the God of their fathers, as before (Psa 22:4), but the God of their infancy, who began by times to take care of them, as soon as they had a being, and therefore, they hope, will never cast them off. He that did so well for us in that helpless useless state will not leave us when he has reared us and nursed us up into some capacity of serving him. See the early instances of God's providential care for us,
1.In the birth: He took us also out of the womb, else we had died there, or been stifled in the birth. Every man's particular time begins with this pregnant proof of God's providence, as time, in general, began with the creation, that pregnant proof of his being.
2.At the breast: "Then didst thou make me hope;" that is, "thou didst that for me, in providing sustenance for me and protecting me from the dangers to which I was exposed, which encourages me to hope in thee all my days." The blessings of the breasts, as they crown the blessings of the womb, so they are earnests of the blessings of our whole lives; surely he that fed us then will never starve us, Job 3:12.
3.In our early dedication to him: I was cast upon thee from the womb, which perhaps refers to his circumcision on the eighth day; he was then by his parents committed and given up to God as his God in covenant; for circumcision was a seal of the covenant; and this encouraged him to trust in God. Those have reason to think themselves safe who were so soon, so solemnly, gathered under the wings of the divine majesty.
4.In the experience we have had of God's goodness to us all along ever since, drawn out in a constant uninterrupted series of preservations and supplies: Thou art my God, providing me and watching over me for good, from my mother's belly, that is, from my coming into the world unto this day. And if, as soon as we became capable of exercising reason, we put our confidence in God and committed ourselves and our way to him, we need not doubt but he will always remember the kindness of our youth and the love of our espousals, Jer 2:2. This is applicable to our Lord Jesus, over whose incarnation and birth the divine Providence watched with a peculiar care, when he was born in a stable, laid in a manger, and immediately exposed to the malice of Herod, and forced to flee into Egypt. When he was a child God loved him and called him thence (Hos 11:1), and the remembrance of this comforted him in his sufferings. Men reproached him, and discouraged his confidence in God; but God had honoured him and encouraged his confidence in him.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sceptre of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although He might have done so, but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him. For He says, "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have declared [our message] in His presence: He is, as it were, a child, and like a root in thirsty ground; He has no form nor glory, yea, we saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness; but His form was without eminence, yea, deficient in comparison with the [ordinary] form of men. He is a man exposed to stripes and suffering, and acquainted with the endurance of grief: for His countenance was turned away; He was despised, and not esteemed. He bears our iniquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes; yet we supposed that [on His own account] He was exposed to labour, and stripes, and affliction. But He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; [every] man has wandered in his own way; and the Lord has delivered Him up for our sins, while He in the midst of His sufferings opens not His mouth. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before her shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. For the transgressions of my people was He brought down to death. And I will give the wicked for His sepulchre, and the rich for His death, because He did no iniquity, neither was guile found in His mouth. And the Lord is pleased to purify him by stripes. If you make an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed. And the Lord is pleased to relieve Him of the affliction of His soul, to show Him light, and to form Him with understanding, to justify the Just One who ministers well to many; and He Himself shall carry their sins. On this account He shall inherit many, and shall divide the spoil of the strong; because His soul was delivered to death, and He was reckoned among the transgressors, and He bare the sins of many, and for their sins was He delivered." [Isaiah 53:1-12] And again He says, "I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All that see me have derided me; they have spoken with their lips; they have wagged their head, [saying] He hoped in God, let Him deliver Him, let Him save Him, since He delights in Him." [Psalm 22:6-8] You see, beloved, what is the example which has been given us; for if the Lord thus humbled Himself, what shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace?
For they shook their head in derision, saying, "He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him:" [Matthew 27:43] "let Him save Him, since He desires Him" [Psalm 22:8]. These were their words; but they were spoken "with the lips."
These words are in fact specifically found in the Gospel, for when Christ was hanging on the cross, the Jews were saying: “He hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him now, if he wants him.” O heavenly wholeness! Do we not here seem to be going through the Gospel rather than a psalm, since these things have been fulfilled with such accuracy that they seem to have been enacted rather than about to take place.
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Summary
Psalms 22:8 vividly portrays the profound anguish and steadfast faith of a righteous sufferer facing cruel mockery. This verse captures the cynical challenge of onlookers who twist the sufferer's confident reliance on God into a basis for derision, daring God to deliver him if He truly delights in him. It underscores the deep spiritual and emotional pain of apparent abandonment and misunderstanding, while simultaneously serving as a powerful prophetic foreshadowing of the Messiah's ultimate suffering and unwavering trust.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 22 is a deeply prophetic and intensely personal lament of David, often referred to as "the Psalm of the Cross" due to its striking parallels with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The psalm begins with the iconic cry of abandonment, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Psalm 22:1, and continues to describe the psalmist's profound physical and emotional torment, including being surrounded by enemies, experiencing extreme thirst, and having his hands and feet pierced. Verse 8 falls within the initial section of the psalm (verses 1-11), which is dominated by the psalmist's desperate plea and vivid description of his suffering and the taunts of his adversaries. The mockers' words in verse 8 are a direct response to the psalmist's expressed trust in God, turning his faith into an object of scorn and challenging God's very character and willingness to intervene. This sets up the profound theological tension that is ultimately resolved in the psalm's latter half, which shifts dramatically to praise and confident expectation of God's ultimate deliverance and universal worship, as seen in Psalm 22:22-31.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, public shaming and mockery were potent tools of social control and humiliation. To be mocked, especially in a state of vulnerability or suffering, was to be stripped of dignity, honor, and social standing. The taunt in Psalms 22:8 reflects a common ancient worldview where divine favor was often associated with prosperity and immediate deliverance from hardship, while suffering was sometimes interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure or abandonment. The mockers' challenge, "let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him," taps into this cultural understanding, implying that if God truly favored the sufferer, He would not allow such distress. This cultural expectation makes the psalmist's (and ultimately Christ's) steadfast trust in God, even in the face of apparent abandonment and public ridicule, all the more remarkable and counter-cultural. The setting is likely one of public humiliation, perhaps at the city gates or a place of judgment, where the sufferer is exposed to the scorn of the crowd, echoing the public nature of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Key Themes
Psalms 22:8 contributes significantly to several key themes within the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of the suffering of the righteous, showing how those who trust God can still face intense pain and derision, even from those who claim to understand divine justice. This theme is central to the book of Job, where Job's friends similarly misinterpret his suffering as a sign of divine displeasure (Job 4:7-9). Secondly, it highlights the theme of mockery and scorn, particularly how the faithful are often ridiculed for their unwavering trust in God, especially when circumstances seem to contradict divine promises. This theme is profoundly echoed in the New Testament narratives of Christ's passion, where similar taunts are hurled at Jesus on the cross, challenging His divine sonship and God's willingness to save Him (e.g., Matthew 27:43). Thirdly, the verse directly engages the theme of divine faithfulness and deliverance, as the mockers cynically challenge God's ability or willingness to rescue the one He supposedly delights in. This forces the reader to grapple with the nature of God's deliverance, which may not always align with human expectations of immediate rescue but ultimately culminates in ultimate vindication and salvation, as seen in the broader narrative of God's salvation history.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root means "to roll (literally or figuratively)." In this context, it carries the figurative sense of "to commit" or "to roll upon," implying a confident reliance or casting one's burden upon the LORD. It signifies a deep, unwavering dependence and trust, a complete surrender of one's hope and security to God, despite external pressures or apparent contradictions.
This is the proper name of the covenant God of Israel, often translated as "Jehovah" or "the LORD." It signifies "the self-Existent or Eternal One," emphasizing God's unchanging, sovereign, and relational nature. The psalmist's trust is placed not in a generic deity, but in the personal, covenant-keeping God who has revealed Himself throughout history.
This primitive root means "to incline to; by implication... to be pleased with, desire." It conveys the idea of taking pleasure in someone, having affection for them, or finding favor in them. It speaks to God's loving approval and benevolent disposition towards an individual. The mockers cynically twist this concept, implying that if God truly delighted in the sufferer, He would immediately intervene, thus using the very notion of divine love to undermine the sufferer's faith and God's perceived faithfulness.
Verse Breakdown
"He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him"
This opening clause asserts the unwavering faith of the suffering one. Despite his dire circumstances, he maintains a confident reliance on Yahweh, believing that God possesses both the power and the will to rescue him. This declaration of trust stands in stark contrast to the despair that his situation might otherwise evoke, highlighting a profound spiritual resilience and a deep understanding of God's covenant faithfulness.
"let him deliver him"
This is the core of the taunt and the mockers' cynical dare. It is not a genuine plea for divine intervention but a challenge steeped in sarcasm and scorn, questioning God's ability or willingness to act. Their words constitute a public test, a demand for immediate, visible intervention as proof of the sufferer's claims and God's faithfulness, implying that God is either unable or unwilling to save.
"seeing he delighted in him"
This final clause provides the mockers' twisted rationale for their challenge. They assume that if God truly "delighted" in the sufferer, then immediate deliverance from all suffering would be a necessary and obvious outcome. By pointing to the sufferer's current predicament, they imply that God does not delight in him, thereby invalidating his trust and God's character. This reveals a superficial understanding of divine love and providence, which often allows suffering for deeper, redemptive purposes, ultimately demonstrating a profound lack of spiritual insight.
Literary Devices
Psalms 22:8 is rich in Irony, as the mockers' words, intended to shame and invalidate the sufferer's faith, inadvertently highlight the profound depth of his trust and the ultimate truth of God's character. The very challenge they issue ("let him deliver him") becomes a prophetic echo of the ultimate test of faith at the cross, where God's deliverance manifests in a way the mockers could never comprehend. Sarcasm is evident in the tone of the mockers, whose challenge is not a genuine inquiry but a sneering dismissal of the sufferer's belief and a cynical attempt to provoke God. The verse also employs Antithesis, contrasting the psalmist's steadfast "trust" in the Lord with the mockers' cynical "challenge" to God's power and delight. This stark opposition underscores the conflict between faith and unbelief, and between human expectations of divine intervention and God's sovereign, often mysterious, ways. Furthermore, the verse functions as a powerful Prophecy through its precise foreshadowing of the taunts leveled against Jesus Christ during His crucifixion, demonstrating a divine literary and historical continuity that transcends centuries.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 22:8 profoundly illustrates the theological tension between God's delight in His faithful ones and the reality of their suffering. It challenges a simplistic understanding of divine providence, where God's favor is always equated with immediate comfort and earthly prosperity. Instead, it reveals that true faith perseveres even when God's deliverance does not conform to human expectations or timing. The mockers' challenge, "let him deliver him," is a direct assault on the nature of God's faithfulness and His relationship with His chosen. Yet, the psalmist's initial statement of trust ("He trusted on the LORD") stands as a testament to a deeper understanding of God's character, one that transcends immediate circumstances. This verse thus prepares the reader for the profound paradox of the cross, where God's ultimate deliverance of humanity comes not through preventing suffering, but through the suffering of His beloved Son, demonstrating that His delight is not in the absence of pain, but in the ultimate redemption wrought through it.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 22:8 offers a poignant mirror for believers navigating trials and public scrutiny today. It reminds us that our faith in God does not exempt us from suffering, nor does it guarantee immediate, visible deliverance from every hardship. In fact, our very trust in God can sometimes become the target of scorn from a world that does not understand divine ways or God's deeper purposes. When we face ridicule, doubt, or even apparent abandonment, this verse calls us to remember the psalmist's steadfast trust and, supremely, Christ's endurance on the cross. It challenges us to examine the nature of our own faith: do we trust God only when circumstances are favorable, or do we maintain our confidence in His character even when His delight in us seems to be contradicted by our pain? Our ultimate vindication, like the psalmist's and Christ's, may not come in the immediate cessation of suffering, but in God's perfect timing and through His sovereign plan, demonstrating that His delight is not contingent upon our earthly comfort but on our faithful obedience and His redemptive purposes. This verse encourages us to anchor our faith not in fleeting circumstances, but in the unchanging character of the God who delights in His children even through their deepest valleys.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this verse only about Jesus, or does it apply to all believers?
While Psalms 22:8 is profoundly and precisely prophetic of Jesus Christ's crucifixion, its themes of suffering, trust, and mockery also apply broadly to all believers. David, as the psalmist, experienced personal trials that resonated with these words, making it a lament for any righteous individual facing unjust suffering. The New Testament's direct quotation of this verse during Christ's Passion (e.g., Matthew 27:43) confirms its ultimate fulfillment in Him. However, the principles of maintaining trust in God amidst derision, and understanding that God's delight does not always preclude suffering, are universal truths for the Christian walk. Thus, it is both a specific prophecy concerning Christ and a general principle for the life of faith, reminding us that suffering can be a path through which God's glory and our faith are refined.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 22:8 finds its most profound and chilling fulfillment in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The mockers' taunt, "He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him," echoes almost verbatim the words hurled at Jesus on the cross by the chief priests, scribes, and elders: "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God" (Matthew 27:43). This precise fulfillment underscores the psalm's prophetic nature, revealing God's meticulous design for His Son's redemptive suffering. Jesus, the ultimate righteous sufferer, perfectly embodied the unwavering trust described in the first part of the verse, even as He endured the ultimate abandonment and mockery. The mockers' challenge, intended to prove God's disfavor, ironically highlighted Jesus' perfect obedience and the depth of God's love, which allowed the Son to suffer for the salvation of humanity. God's "delight" in His Son was not expressed by immediate rescue from the cross, but by empowering Him to endure it and ultimately raising Him from the dead (Acts 2:24), thereby vindicating His trust and demonstrating His supreme delight in His obedient Son. The cross, therefore, becomes the ultimate paradox: the place where God's beloved Son was seemingly forsaken (Mark 15:34), yet simultaneously where God's greatest act of deliverance was accomplished, fulfilling the very trust that the mockers challenged and securing eternal salvation for all who believe (Romans 5:8).