Ps. 22 THE ARGUMENT That question mentioned Acts 8:34, is very proper here. Of whom speaketh the prophet this (Psalm)? of himself, or of some other man? It is confessed that David was a type of Christ, and that many Psalms, or passages of the Psalms, though properly and literally understood of…

My God; whom, notwithstanding thy forsaking me, I heartily love, and in whom I trust; who art my Friend and Father, though now thou frownest upon me. My God; the repetition notes the depth of his distress, which made him cry so earnestly, and the strugglings of his faith with his fears and sorrows.

i.e. I continue praying day and night without intermission. Or thus, I have no silence, i.e. no quietness or rest, as this word signifies, Judg. 18:9; in which respect also the sea and waves thereof are said to be silent, i.e. still and quiet, Ps. 107:29, Mark 4:39.

Thou art holy, i. e just and true in all thy ways, and therefore hearing prayers, and keeping thy covenant; a true lover of holiness, and of all holy men. This he adds, either, 1. To aggravate his misery, that such a God should neglect and forsake him. Or rather, 2.

This he adds for the reasons mentioned in the first note, Ps. 22:3.

i.e. Not disappointed of that for which they prayed and hoped.

Our fathers were honoured by thee and by others, because of thy appearance for their defence and deliverance; but I am treated like a worm, i.e. neglected and despised, both by thee, who dost not afford me help, and by the men of my age and nation, as it follows. For the phrase, see Job 25:6, Isa.

Laugh me to scorn; instead of pitying or helping, deride me, and insult over me; such is their inhumanity. They shoot out the lip; they gape with their mouths, and put forth their tongues, in mockery. See Job 16:10, Isa. 57:4. They shake the head; another posture of scoffers. See Job 16:4, Ps.

He trusted on the Lord; he rolled himself upon the Lord; where they seem to scoff not only at the thing, but at the expression. Their sense is, He pretended that he did wholly lean, and rest himself, and cast his cares upon God, and quietly and confidently commit all his affairs to his providence,…

This is noted as an effect of God’s wonderful and gracious providence. And although this be a mercy which God grants to all mankind, yet it may well be alleged here, partly in way of gratitude for this great, though common, mercy; nething being more reasonable and usual than for David and other…

I was like one forsaken by his parent, and cast wholly upon thy providence. I had no father upon earth, and my mother was poor and helpless.

Be not far from me, to wit, as to affection and succour. Trouble is near at hand, and ready to swallow me up; and therefore if thou dost not speedily deliver me, it will be too late; which is an argument that David oft useth, as Ps. 6:5, Ps. 88:11;c.

Bulls; wicked, and violent, and potent enemies; for such are so called, Ezek. 39:18, Amos 4:1. Strong bulls of Bashan, i.e. fat and lusty, as the cattle there bred were, Deut. 3:13, Deut. 32:14, and therefore fierce and furious.

Partly to affright me, and principally to tear and devour me, as the following metaphor explains it. Otherwise it might be understood of their crying out with loud and earnest voices, that he might be condemned and put to death.

I am poured out like water; my heart faileth, my spirits are spent and gone like water, which once spilt can never be recovered; my very flesh is melted within me, and I am become as weak as water. See the like phrase Josh. 7:5, 2 Sam. 14:14, Job 14:11.

I have in a manner no more radical moisture left in me than is in a dry potsherd. My tongue eleaveth to my jaws, through that excessive thirst and drought. See John 19:20.

He calls his enemies dogs for their vileness and filthiness, for their insatiable greediness and implacable fury and fierceness against him. He explains what he means by dogs, even wicked men, who are oft so called, not some few of them singly, but the whole company or congregation of them; whereby…

I may tell all my bones; partly through my leanness, caused by excessive grief, which is much more credible of Christ than of David; and partly by my being stretched out upon the cross. They look and stare upon me, to wit, with delight and complacency in my calamities, as this phrase is used, Ps.

This also cannot be applied to David without an uncouth and strained metaphor, but was literally fulfilled in Christ, Matt. 27:35, John 19:24.

From the sword, i.e. from the rage and violence of mine enemies, as the next clause explains it, and as the sword is oft taken in Scripture. See Jer. 25:16, Jer. 25:27, Jer. 25:29, Ezek. 38:21. My darling, Heb.

The lion; either the devil, that raging and roaring lion, who did many ways assault and annoy him; or his lionlike enemies. Heard me, i.e. answered and delivered me. Unicorn; a strong, and fierce, and untamable wild beast; though the learned are not agreed about the kind of it. See of it Deut.

I will declare, i.e. publish or celebrate it; when thou hast delivered me, thou shalt have the glory of it, as now thy honouris eclipsed by my calamities. Thy name, i.e. that power, and faithfulness, and goodness, and those perfections which thou hast manifested on my behalf.

Praise him; partly for my sake, and chiefly for your own benefit received by my deliverance. All ye the seed of Israel: the two universal particles seem to intimate that he speaks not only of the carnal, but also of the spiritual seed; which also is more than probable, by comparing this with Ps.

He hath not despised: I was despised by the people, Ps. 22:6, but not by God. Nor abhorred, i.e. he did not turn away his face from it, as men do from things which they abhor, but looked upon it with compassion.

In the great congregation; either in the general assemblies of the Israelites at their solemn feasts; or in the universal church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, as the following verses explain it. My vows, i.e.

The meek, i.e. faithful or godly persons, who are frequently called meek ones, as Ps. 25:9, Ps. 76:9, Ps. 149:4, Isa. 11:4, Isa. 61:1, Zeph. 2:3, because the grace of God doth soften and sweeten the hearts of sinners, and subdues their pride, and passion, and rebellion against God, and their…

All the ends of the world, i.e. all nations, from one end of the world to the other. So this is an evident prophecy of the calling of the Gentilesto the knowledge of God and Christ by thy gospel, and consequently a clear proof that this Psalm doth directly and immediately speak of Christ; to whom…

This is added as a reason why the Gentiles should be converted, because God is not only the God and Lord of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, and of all nations, Rom. 3:29–30.

All, i.e. many of them, as the word all is oft used, as Ps. 72:11, Matt. 3:5, Matt. 17:11, Luke 6:26, John 3:26, 2 Tim. 3:9. They that be fat upon earth, i.e. kings and princes, and the great men of the world, who are oft described by this metaphor, as Ps. 78:31, Isa. 10:16, Job 15:27, Ps.

Christ shall not want a seed or posterity, Heb. 2:13; for though the Jewish nation should generally reject and forsake him, which may seem to be here implied, Christ shall have many disciples or followers, and the Gentiles shall come in their stead.

They; either the converts and worshippers, ver. Ps. 22:27, Ps. 22:29; or their seed last mentioned, Ps. 22:30. Or this may be indefinitely spoken, as such verbs are oft used, they shall come, i.e.