Psalm 22:24-25

second-coming224 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; 

and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, 

when he cried to him. 

25 From thee comes my praise in the great congregation; 

my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 

When the afflicted cry to Him, He heres their cry. We forget this because in general we no longer experience great affliction. True, loved ones die, jobs are lost, houses go into default, however we no longer face the fire, dungeons, and swords that the father’s of our faith were often exposed to. Our poverty is spiritual and not economic. Our afflictions are self inflicted.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. 2Cor. 1:8 

For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2Cor. 4:17

. . . for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. 2Cor. 8:2

. . . sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. Heb. 10:33

We to are told to follow our Lord’s example and care for the afflicted. We can only meet physical needs He can meet spiritual , emotional and physical needs.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27 

From thee comes my praise, Our praises come from him because we are responding to His great work of removing our afflictions. This praise is to be made in the great congregation. In the New Testament the congregation or ekklesia was translated into church erroneously. We are not a building or a place, we are a congregation, free to move about and make disciples where ever we go. (See Also: Ekklesia)

Vows must be payed. We often forget that a true vow is made publicly before witnesses and paper work is signed. The only such vow many of us ever make is a marriage vow. Although there are preachers out there that encourage people to do such foolish things as make a vow to read the Bible everyday, unless there is signed papers with witnesses it is not considered a vow.

FYI: The only vow in the Bible that does not have such witnesses is the Vadar covenant in. [Gen 15 c.f. Jer. 34:18-19; Song 2:17] The blood of the animals was the witness. (See Also: The Vadar Covenant)

Those who fear him. Many today have lost their fear of God. The Spiritual Leaders  of the post modern church have made God into some kind of buddy or myth. There is no fear so there is no wisdom.

Teach me thy way, O LORD, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Psa. 86:11 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures for ever! Psa. 111:10

Psalm 22:22-23

22 I will tell of thy name to my brethren; second-coming2

in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee: 

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! 

all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, 

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel! 

After the humiliation and rejection of the crucifixion, we join the triumphant praise and exaltation section of this Psalm. It starts with a line that is repeated in the book of Hebrews. Where it states that He is not ashamed of us, even though in our weakness we are often ashamed of Him.

10  For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,  saying, “I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.” Heb. 2:10-12 

His name is to be proclaimed. Not by ministers or priests but rather by “I” and the proclaiming is in the piel infinitive tense, which means “I” is caused to proclaim, recount, relate this information forever. We cannot stop, we must speak out. The only people who are mad at us for speaking the truth are those people who are living a lie. Keep speaking the truth.

I will praise Him in the congregation. It is only in the congregation that our admiration and reverence for His great act of love is even understood. (See Also: The Ekklesia)

The Psalm sounds as though it is restricted to just the children of Israel, however the writer of Hebrews is clear that all are children of God.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. Is. 8:16-18

This was the declaration given to the shepherds. The joy would not longer be extended only to the children of Israel but it would be for ALL people.

And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; Luke 2:10

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Instead of our faith bing inherited through the blood line of Abraham our faith is now based on pleasing Him. To have peace with our maker is an act of obedience. The door is open too all.

I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9

Fear the Lord

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! 

all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, 

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

The post modern inherited churches have forgotten to stand in awe of God. The churches sing of an awesome God as if this word means some kind of casual greatness, or beauty. However to be in awe of something or someone is to be terrified or in dread. This new culturally sensitive theology has God as either their best buddy or a myth, either way there is no need to fear Him.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures for ever! Psa. 111:10

When we are young we often think that the older people in the congregation are old and stogy. We make light of all things holy. We laugh and play with our grace, almost to the point of being sacrilegious. But as one gets older we often examine that tear in the vale of grace, and are terrified by what we perceive is there. Yes, indeed, God is awesome, and our souls are spared only because of that curtain of grace. Our suffering Redeemer earned our awe. When we step back and consider this curtain, we see that it is made of our Redeemer’s own blood.

We stand in holy awe, and fear for the ignorant young people.

Psalm 22:20-21

crosstwilight20 Deliver my soul from the sword, 

my life from the power of the dog! 

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion, 

my afflicted soul from the horns of the wild oxen! 

Deliver my soul from the sword, cannot mean just any sword. Swords take lives not souls. This must be referring to the sword of God, that flaming sword of His divine wrath, which is the word of God. [Gen. 3:24; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 19:15] As our Lord hung there dying His personal human fear was that all the sin of the world that was being laid upon Him might not be forgotten.

Save me from the mouth of the lion, is a reference to our oldest enemies Satan, who prowls like a roaring lion. [1Pet. 5:8] Here it is, in the fullness of time, or the mo’ad that the original promise is fulfilled, as Messiah’s own death destroys Satan’s kingdom and his claim to it.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; John 14:30

FYI: If you are reading the King James Version it is a unicorn that afflicts His soul. [See Also: Unicorns in the Bible]

It is the children of Israel that are the horns of the wild oxen.

God brings them out of Egypt; they have as it were the horns of the wild ox. Num. 23:22

Their rejection of Messiah truly afflicted His soul as just before His arrest He had stated.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Matt. 23:37 

Psalm 22:18-19

crosstwilight18 they divide my garments among them, 

and for my raiment they cast lots. 

19 But thou, O LORD, be not far off! 

O thou my help, hasten to my aid! 

For those who do not believe that Yeshua/Jesus was not who He said He was and that He arranged to fulfill all these odd prophecies, How did He arrange this one? How did he get Roman soldiers to preform this act?

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom;  24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfil the scripture, “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” John 19:23-24

This prophecy was written one thousand years before the events described. There is just no way to have faked or arranged this. It stands as one of the great proofs that He was who He said He was. The other is Daniel 9.

As our Lord was dying they were casting lots for his clothes. So His call for help is one of promise. The deed was done. His humanity now reminds God of the three day deal. Be not far off, hasten to my aid. There is just that shadow of not quite doubt, just a need for reassurance. His deity knew He had the victory His humanity was suffering. We all need to be told that it will be ok.