Psalm 22 is a Messianic psalm written by King David that prophetically points to the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Verse 20 of this psalm says, “Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.” This verse is speaking poetically of David’s enemies that surrounded him, seeking to destroy him. However, it also foreshadows the forces of evil led by Satan that surrounded Jesus at the cross.
The “power of the dog” in this verse refers to forces of spiritual darkness, led by Satan, that were ultimately behind the human agents who crucified Jesus. Throughout Scripture, dogs are often used as symbols of evil, impurity and spiritual corruption. For example, Philippians 3:2 warns believers to “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation.” Revelation 22:15 also associates dogs with those outside God’s kingdom, saying “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
Satan is sometimes depicted as a prowling, howling dog in Scripture. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The “power of the dog” in Psalm 22:20 points to the prowling evil spiritual forces led by Satan himself, who brought about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Though humans physically nailed Jesus to the cross, the spiritual powers of darkness were truly behind Christ’s persecutions and death.
Colossians 2:15 says that through His death on the cross, Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them.” By willingly laying down His life on the cross, Jesus broke the power of Satan and sin over mankind. Though the “dogs” surrounding Christ sought to destroy Him, He emerged victorious over the forces of spiritual darkness by rising from the dead.
The human agents who crucified Jesus – including the Jewish leaders, Roman authorities, and crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” – were merely tools being used by the unseen spiritual forces of evil. As Jesus said while on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The humans crucifying Christ did not fully realize they were being manipulated by Satan’s schemes. The true power behind the crucifixion was the “power of the dog” – Satan and the demonic realm carrying out warfare against God’s Messiah.
Psalm 22 gives a prophetic glimpse of the spiritual battle taking place at Calvary. Though Jesus was surrounded by evil forces seeking to kill Him, He had the ultimate victory by conquering death itself. The “power of the dog” was broken forever when Christ rose victorious over Satan, sin and death on the third day. Jesus endured the forces of darkness at Calvary in order to redeem mankind from bondage to evil. He died and rose again so that all who put their faith in Him could have eternal life.
So in summary, the “power of the dog” in Psalm 22:20 refers to the evil spiritual forces led by Satan that brought about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christ endured this spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness in order to achieve victory over them through His death and resurrection. This verse points prophetically to the spiritual battle taking place at Calvary between the forces of good and evil. Jesus emerged triumphant, breaking the power of Satan so that all who believe in Christ can have forgiveness, salvation and eternal life by grace through faith.
Psalm 22 gives us insight into the spiritual realities behind Christ’s suffering and death. Though the forces of evil surrounded Jesus at the cross, seeking to destroy Him, He rose victorious over them and now offers redemption to all who call upon His name. The “power of the dog” ultimately refers to the defeated kingdom of darkness led by Satan, whom Christ overcame decisively through His finished work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.
So in summary, the “power of the dog” in Psalm 22:20 refers to the evil spiritual forces led by Satan that brought about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christ endured this spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness in order to achieve victory over them through His death and resurrection. This verse points prophetically to the spiritual battle taking place at Calvary between the forces of good and evil. Jesus emerged triumphant, breaking the power of Satan so that all who believe in Christ can have forgiveness, salvation and eternal life by grace through faith.
The Messianic Nature of Psalm 22
Psalm 22 is considered a Messianic psalm because it contains several prophecies that were specifically fulfilled by Jesus Christ during His crucifixion. Though written by David approximately 1000 years before Christ, Psalm 22 precisely describes the events surrounding the crucifixion centuries in advance. Here are some of the key Messianic prophecies in Psalm 22:
– The opening cry of desperation in verse 1 (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) was uttered word-for-word by Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:46).
– Verse 7-8 describes the mockery Christ endured from the crowd: “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” This was fulfilled when the chief priests and scribes mocked Jesus while He was on the cross (Matthew 27:39-43).
– Verse 16 prophetically describes the crucifixion, saying “they have pierced my hands and feet.” Christ’s hands and feet were pierced by nails during His crucifixion.
– Verse 18 mentions the casting of lots for Jesus’ garments, fulfilled when Roman soldiers divided up His clothing (John 19:23-24).
Because Psalm 22 contains so many specific predictions fulfilled centuries later during Christ’s death, it is clear this psalm has strong prophetic and Messianic overtones. Thethemes of persecution, bodily suffering, mockery of onlookers, and desperate cries to God point to the Messiah’s ultimate rejection and death at the hands of sinful men. Yet this psalm also contains glimpses of hope and confidence that God will ultimately deliver and vindicate His Holy One.
Psalm 22 therefore provides a unique prophetic glimpse into both the sufferings and the glories of the Messiah. Both the agony of the cross and the hope of final victory are captured in this psalm. When read in light of Christ’s crucifixion, Psalm 22 powerfully testifies that Jesus was the promised Messiah who fulfilled Old Testament prophecies through His sacrificial death on the cross. The strong parallels between Psalm 22 and the Gospel accounts confirm that Jesus was the suffering Servant the psalmist David wrote about centuries prior.
The Spiritual Forces At Work During the Crucifixion
During Jesus’ crucifixion, there were several key spiritual forces at work beyond just the physical human agents directly involved:
**1. God’s divine plan of salvation was unfolding:** From the very beginning, it was God’s determined plan that Jesus would die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for sins (Acts 2:23). Though the crucifixion was carried out by evil men, God was sovereignly working through it to fulfill His divine purposes of redemption.
**2. Satan and the powers of darkness were inflicting persecution:** Though God was in control, the powers of darkness were also present during the crucifixion, inflicting suffering onto Jesus. Satan was working through unbelieving men under his influence to persecute and kill the Messiah. The “power of the dog” in Psalm 22:20 refers to these evil spiritual forces attacking Christ.
**3. Jesus willingly gave His life:** Though despised and rejected by men, Jesus willingly went to the cross in humble obedience to the Father so that Scripture would be fulfilled (Mark 14:49, John 10:17-18). He did not resist evil but entrusted Himself to God.
**4. God temporarily forsook Jesus:** As Jesus bore the sins of the world, the Father turned away and poured out His wrath, resulting in Christ’s agonized cry of being forsaken (Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22:1). This reflected the spiritual separation from God that sin causes.
**5. Principalities and powers were disarmed:** Colossians 2:15 says Christ triumphed over the rulers and authorities of darkness at the cross. His death delivered a death blow to Satan’s power and paved the way for the Kingdom of God to advance.
So in summary, the crucifixion involved an intricate clash between God’s divine plan, Satan’s evil schemes, Jesus’ willing obedience, the Father’s wrath against sin, and Christ’s decisive victory over the powers of darkness. All of these spiritual forces were at work together at Golgotha, each playing a unique role in God’s dramatic plan of redemption through the death of His Son.
David’s Prefiguring of Christ’s Suffering in Psalm 22
Though Psalm 22 contains many specific prophecies about Christ’s crucifixion, the psalm still arose out of King David’s own life experiences of intense persecution. David was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this psalm, likely reflecting on a time when his own life was in grave danger from enemies seeking to destroy him.
However, David’s sufferings and experiences were ordained by God to foreshadow the suffering of the greater David – Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. There are several key parallels between David and Christ that explain why God used David’s life to prefigure the suffering and victory of His own Son:
– **Rejected by their own people:** Both David and Jesus were rejected and betrayed by their own people, the Jews. David was persecuted by King Saul who sought to kill him, just as Jesus was rejected and delivered up by the Jewish leaders.
– **Endured hatred and plots:** Both faced bitter hatred and conspiracies to kill them – Absalom rebelled against David just as the Pharisees plotted against Jesus.
– **Suffered intense loneliness:** David was abandoned by friends when he had to flee Jerusalem. Jesus was left alone as His disciples deserted Him after His arrest.
– **Hunted by enemies:** Both were hounded by enemies seeking their lives. David was often on the run from Saul just as Jesus was pursued by the Pharisees seeking to kill Him.
– **Trust in God despite trials:** Both maintained strong confidence in God during their fiery trials. They trusted God would ultimately deliver them, no matter the intensity of persecution they faced.
– **Merciful toward persecutors:** They exhibited mercy during persecution, with David sparing Saul’s life twice and Jesus asking forgiveness for those crucifying Him.
– **Delivered out of suffering:** God ultimately delivered both from death – David from Saul/Absalom and Jesus from the grave through resurrection.
So David serves as a forerunner and preview of the suffering and victory of Christ. David’s wide-ranging experience with enemy persecution, betrayal, loneliness, trust in God, and ultimate deliverance points forward to the Messiah’s experiences. Psalm 22 captures both the depths of persecution David faced and the glorious hope of redemption through the suffering Messiah.
Jesus’ Use of Psalm 22 During His Crucifixion
The Gospels record Jesus directly quoting Psalm 22:1 while in agony on the cross. The verse says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” By reciting this verse out loud in His native Aramaic, Jesus was invoking the entire Psalm 22 passage, which the Jews surrounding the cross would have immediately recognized.
This raises a key question – why did Jesus specifically quote Psalm 22 during His crucifixion? There are several important reasons:
**1) To identify Himself as the Messiah:** By quoting this distinctly Messianic psalm, Jesus was effectively saying, “I am the One all these verses are prophetically pointing to – I am the promised Messiah.” It confirmed His identity and the fulfillment of Scripture.
**2) To reveal His intimate fellowship with God:** Though forsaken in that moment, Jesus cried “My God, my God…” revealing His relationship with the Father. He was fulfilling His purpose while still trusting God fully.
**3) To highlight His emotional turmoil:** Psalm 22 expresses the inner agony and turmoil Christ keenly felt during His crucifixion, which His quote encapsulated. He identified with the pain expressed by the psalmist.
**4) To depict His suffering as redemptive:** Psalm 22 highlights that the Messiah’s sufferings are not meaningless tragedies, but events with a redemptive purpose – prophesying the victory over death and the spreading gospel.
**5) To symbolize His trust in God’s final vindication:** Despite the despairing tone at points, Psalm 22 ends on a note of hope and confidence in being rescued and vindicated by God, symbolizing Christ’s trust that God would raise Him back to life.
So in summary, Jesus quoted Psalm 22 to emphasize that He was fulfilling this prophecy about the suffering Messiah who would lay down His life, only to be resurrected and declared righteous by God in the end. It affirmed that Jesus willingly went to the cross trusting that redemption would be accomplished according to God’s good purposes foretold long ago in Scripture.
The Fulfilled Victory Foretold in Psalm 22
Though much of Psalm 22 focuses on the intense suffering and persecution faced by the psalmist, the tone shifts drastically about halfway through into one of hope and confidence in God’s deliverance. Several victorious themes emerge:
– **God’s past faithfulness (v.4-5,9-10)** – The psalmist remembers how God was with Him from birth and did not cut him off despite distress. This fuels confidence God would save again.
– **Hope in the Lord’s deliverance (v.19-21)** – Despite his weak and persecuted state, the psalmist expresses certainty God will deliver, protect and save him.
– **Proclaiming God’s name to “brothers” (v.22)** – After salvation, the psalmist declares he will praise God’s name to the congregation of believers.
– **The gospel impact of the suffering (v.27-31)** – It concludes by describing how the Messiah’s suffering will result in the spreading gospel across all nations, from generation to generation.
These victory motifs directly parallel Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Though Jesus faced hatred, agony, and death on the cross, He maintained trust that God would vindicate and deliver Him, even from death itself. When Jesus rose victorious on the third day, the gospel began to spread worldwide across all generations.
Psalm 22 perfectly captures both the suffering and the subsequent victory of the Messiah. His redemption through horrific persecution would lead to global impact as the good news is shared everywhere. God turned the Messiah’s humiliation into worldwide exaltation. The cross came before the crown. In the same pattern, David endured but was later restored as king.
So in the end, Psalm 22 stands fulfilled. The psalmist’s hope was seen in Jesus – the ultimate innocent sufferer who cried out to God from the cross, was delivered from death itself, and now is proclaimed as risen Messiah and Lord over all the earth. What began in suffering resulted in complete and final victory.
Application of Psalm 22 for Believers Today
For Christians today, Psalm 22 remains deeply relevant and applicable. Believers can receive great encouragement, comfort, and wisdom from this psalm in the following ways:
**1) It reminds us of Christ’s sufferings on our behalf** – Meditating on Psalm 22 spurs us to worship, gratitude and humility as we remember the lengths Christ went to for our redemption. His sacrifice for us was foretold centuries before by King David.
**2) It highlights God’s faithfulness in trials** – This psalm encourages believers undergoing various trials that God will remain faithful, just as He was faithful to both David and Christ in their extreme sufferings. He can be trusted fully.
**3) It fuels endurance and hope of deliverance** – Psalm 22 inspires perseverance in hardship, since we serve the same God who delivered both David and Christ from their lowly estate into victory. He is able to save.
**4) It points to the global impact of Christ’s suffering** – Psalm 22 reminds believers that Christ’s suffering leads to gospel proclamation worldwide. It motivates evangelism and missions, the ultimate fruit of His suffering.
**5) It emphasizes trusting God’s vindication in end** – No matter how bleak circumstances appear, Psalm 22 encourages believers to trust in God’s final deliverance and vindication, demonstrated supremely in Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
In summary, Psalm 22 remains an immensely practical passage for Christians today facing trials and seeking to maintain perspective. It points to Christ’s exemplary faith while reminding believers of His completed redemption. Psalm 22 reminds the Church of the eternal spiritual fruits that flow from the Messiah’s suffering.