Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm written by King David that points to the suffering and death of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. The very first verse of this psalm says “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – words that Jesus would later quote while on the cross (Matthew 27:46). The full verse in Hebrew is:
אֵלִי אֵלִי, לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי; רָחוֹק מִישׁוּעָתִי, דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי.
Transliterated into English, this verse reads:
Eli, Eli, lama azavtani? Rachok mishuatecha, divrei sha’agati.
The phrase “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” is found in the subtitle or superscription of this psalm, which reads:
“To the choirmaster: according to Aijeleth Ha-Shahar. A Psalm of David.”
So what does “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” mean and why is it significant?
The Meaning of Aijeleth Ha-Shahar
The Hebrew phrase “אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר” (ayyelet hashachar) literally translates to “hind of the dawn” or “doe of the morning.” It is most likely referring to a musical term or tune that this psalm was originally supposed to be sung to. The psalm subtitles often contained musical directions such as this.
There are a few possibilities as to the meaning behind this particular term:
- It may describe the tune as light-footed and graceful like a female deer at dawn.
- It may be referring to the lifting up or crying out of the voice at the dawning of a new day.
- It may evoke the image of a deer longingly crying out for water at daybreak.
Overall, the phrase paints the picture of an innocent hind yearning and crying out to God in the early morning light. The psalm itself echoes this longing and crying out to God in a time of despair and darkness.
Foreshadowing Jesus, the Messiah
Considering that Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm about the suffering of the Messiah, the subtitle “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” likely carries even deeper symbolic meaning.
The hind was considered a graceful, innocent, and vulnerable animal. This makes it a fitting representation of Jesus who though perfect and innocent, was made vulnerable, taking on the sins and suffering of the world.
The dawn or morning light is also symbolic of new beginnings and the coming Messiah who would bring light and salvation to the world (Isaiah 9:2, Luke 1:78-79). Jesus even refers to himself as the “morning star” in Revelation 22:16.
So “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” evokes the picture of the innocent, suffering Messiah crying out for deliverance in the darkness before the dawn. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, bore the sins of the world and cried out on the cross as he experienced separation from the Father before his resurrection and the dawn of new life for all who believe.
Though written hundreds of years earlier, David’s psalm prophetically gives voice to the anguish and longing of Christ. The beautiful imagery of “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” richly conveys the Messiah’s anguish and the promise of redemption to come.
The Significance of Aijeleth Ha-Shahar
So in summary, here are some key reasons why the phrase “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” is significant in Psalm 22:
- It is a musical term that captures the essence and mood of this prophetic psalm.
- It evokes the image of an innocent deer longing and crying out to God, foreshadowing Christ.
- It connects to the dawning of a new day, representing the coming of the Messiah as light to the world.
- It beautifully encapsulates the suffering and anguish of the Messiah, giving voice to the inner turmoil of Jesus before the cross.
- It transitions from darkness and despair to the promise of hope and redemption in God.
Though a short phrase, “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” contains rich theological meaning and imagery when considered in light of the full context of Psalm 22 and the Crucifixion story. It signifies the depth of agony Christ endured for us before the joy of resurrection andnew life. This simple subtitle to a psalm ultimately points to the beauty of the Gospel itself.
Further Analysis of Psalm 22
Since Psalm 22 is a key messianic prophecy that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s Crucifixion, it is worth looking at the overall content and structure of this psalm more closely.
Psalm 22 divides into two main sections:
- Verses 1-21: The anguish and mocking of the Messiah
- Verses 22-31: From despair to praise and the spreading of the Good News
Verses 1-21:
This first section centers on the Messiah’s cry of being forsaken by God and the mocking and despair he endures. Some key points include:
- vs 1 – The heart-wrenching cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
- vs 6-8, 12-13 – He is scorned and mocked by others.
- vs 14-15 – He experiences intense thirst and joint pain.
- vs 16-18 – His hands and feet are pierced.
- vs 19-21 – His garments are divided and lots cast for his clothing.
This aligns closely with Jesus’ Crucifixion experience as recorded in the Gospels. It powerfully conveys his suffering both externally and internally as he bore the sins of the world.
Verses 22-31:
This second section transitions to praising God and the proclamation of his deliverance to future generations. Some key points include:
- vs 22 – The Messiah declares he will “tell of your name to my brothers”.
- vs 27-31 – Because God has not hidden his face or abandoned him, the Messiah vows to proclaim God’s name and salvation to all.
- vs 31 – “They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn”. This points to the spreading of the Gospel.
Jesus frequently spoke of proclaiming the Father’s name after his resurrection (John 17:6, 17:26) and commissioned his followers to spread the Gospel to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Overall, this section connects Christ’s suffering to the hope and redemption found in Him.
The Surrounding Context
Looking at the psalms before and after Psalm 22 also provides some additional relevant context:
- Psalm 21 – Discusses the blessing and victories given to the King, foreshadowing Christ’s resurrection and exaltation.
- Psalm 23 – The iconic psalm describing God as a good shepherd who comforts, provides for, and guides his people.
These psalms expand the narrative around the Messiah’s suffering. Despair transitions to glory and the Shepherd remains present through it all. This context enriches the unfolding story in Psalm 22.
Psalm 22 and the Crucifixion in the New Testament
There are many allusions and direct quotes to Psalm 22 found in the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ Crucifixion. Here are some of the key connections:
- Jesus’ Cry – As Jesus hung on the cross, he cried out “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). This mirrors Psalm 22:1.
- Mocking and Insults – The crowds insulting Jesus yelled things like “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now!” (Matthew 27:43). This aligns with Psalm 22:7-8.
- Thirst – Jesus says “I thirst” (John 19:28). This reflects Psalm 22:15.
- Garments and Casting Lots – Roman soldiers divide Jesus’ garments and cast lots for his tunic (John 19:23-24). This fulfills Psalm 22:18.
Clearly, New Testament writers saw Jesus’ crucifixion through the lens of Psalm 22. By quoting this messianic psalm, they emphasized that Christ’s suffering and death occurred in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Jesus and the Image of the Hind
While Psalm 22 itself does not explicitly mention a hind, the subtitle “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” evokes the metaphor of an innocent deer longing for the dawn. In the New Testament, Jesus also uses the imagery of a hind and dawn to refer to himself:
But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power… (1 Corinthians 15:38-43)
Here Paul contrasts the natural earthly body with the resurrected spiritual body using astronomical imagery. Some scholars connect the “heavenly body” to the radiant glory of Christ and the “earthly body” to Christ’s state when he came as a suffering servant. The resurrected body is then like the first light of the approaching dawn.
This passage creates resonances with the hind image of Psalm 22, representing the suffering servant Messiah who endures the darkness before the coming dawn of his resurrection glory.
Conclusion
In closing, “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” is a poetically evocative phrase that condenses rich theological meaning about the Messiah into three words. By linking the grace of the hind and imagery of the dawn, it captures both the agony and the hope surrounding Christ’s crucifixion.
King David powerfully foreshadowed the inner anguish and mocking the Messiah would face, giving voice to the trauma later experienced by Jesus. Yet the psalm does not end in despair, but transitions to proclaiming the name and salvation of God to all nations.
Psalm 22 stands as a testament to God’s redemptive plan at work even in the darkest hour. The subtitle “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar” distills this message of suffering, redemption and new beginnings into a striking poetic picture. It is a testament to the artfulness of the Psalms in conveying layers of prophetic significance in just a few words.
When Jesus cried out the opening line of Psalm 22 on the cross, he was invoking this rich context and fulfilling the multi-layered prophecy of the whole psalm. Ultimately “Aijeleth Ha-Shahar”, though a small detail, provides a window into the incredible intricacy of Biblical prophecy regarding the Messiah.