The caption for these documents are the words used to describe those four great Psalms that describe the sufferings of Christ, by a very dear old Bible Teacher. I have taken the liberty also to add to these, Isaiah 53, which is really a Psalm. This dear brother, (Mr. Joseph Thorne), used to point out that three of the Sorrow Psalms, close with the mention of a "Seed". In Psalm 22:30, a "Serving Seed" is mentioned; in Psalm 69:36, an "Inheriting Seed"; and in Psalm 102:28, a "Continuing Seed". Then in Isaiah 53:10, "His Seed" is mentioned, and the pleasure that they bring to His great heart of love. Thus we shall see their importance as we go along.

Though the sufferings of Christ, and His deep feelings and sorrow at being delivered up by the traitor, Judas Iscariot, are referred to in many places in the Old Testament, there are four Psalms, and Isaiah chapter 53, that are almost wholly given up to the occupation with this subject. It is quite remarkable that the Psalmist was led by the Holy Spirit to make use of the very utterances that the Lord Jesus made, while hanging on the cross. To the lover of Christ, this is all we need, (though there is so much more supplied), to convince us of the authority of the Bible, and the fact that it is the inspired Word of the Living God. Having said so much, let us now look at Psalm 22.

This Psalm describes in great detail, the sufferings that are associated with the terribly cruel death by Crucifixion. It begins with the description of the agony felt by Christ as Man, as He suffered at the hand of God, His awful unmitigated wrath against our sin. Thus we might describe the Psalm as bringing out the dreadful atoning sufferings of our Blessed Substitute.

First we should note the heading of the Psalm. It is dedicated to the Chief Musician, who to us represents the Holy Spirit. He loves to take what the Scriptures say about the Sufferings, the Person, and the worth of Christ; and to use them to move the hearts of those who love the Lord Jesus, to worship, Him and the Father whom He revealed. Then it is mentioned that it is on "Ajaileth Shahar", (or according to the Hind of the morning). This title suggests a crisp and boundless energy, showing that the contemplation of what is brought out in what follows, is meant to produce, a spontaneous outburst of pure worship from the heart of the Lover of Christ.

Also we need to realise that there must have been some experience in the life of David that led him to write this beautiful poem. So that the language that he uses expresses his own deep feelings. As well as this the Psalm expresses the deep feelings of the remnant of the nation of Israel, as they experience the wrath of God, when passing through the terrible days of the great tribulation. The Lord Jesus not only bore our sins, and the judgment due to us, but He also suffered on Israel’s behalf, and tasted the wrath of God that was due to them.

Other Scriptures lead us to think that though David and others wrote so expressively about all that the Lord Jesus felt as He passed through the experiences that they prophesied, yet they themselves did not fully know what they were writing about. (1Peter 1:10-11). To them it was perhaps just beautiful poetry, and making use of such lovely language. Yet withal there remained on their spirits a very deep sense of the wonder of something that they did not fully understand, so because of this the compositions were used in the worship of God.

Though we live on this side of the cross, and though we are indwelt by the very same Holy Spirit who moved them to write as they did, yet even we, fail to comprehend the wonder of the Sufferings of Christ. The depth of what He passed through on our behalf will ever remain a mystery to us, (even in eternity). Thus the Hymn writer expressed his thoughts:

Deep Thy sorrow then Lord Jesus,

Deeper far than thought can reach;

Grief intense and suff’rings holy

Far beyond all tongues to teach,

None could follow there blest Saviour,

When Thou didst for sin atone;

For those suff’rings deep unfathomed,

Were, Lord Jesus, Thine alone.

Thou didst measure then sin’s distance,

Darkness, Curse and wrath, were Thine;

Man-betrayed, by God forsaken;

Thus we learn Thy love divine!

Thus with feet unshod, and with heads and hearts bowed in Holy wonder we enter now upon the contemplation of what is so holy. We would remind ourselves of the words of the Eternal Jehovah, "The ground whereon thou standest is Holy Ground".

In the remainder of verse one, we are permitted to listen to the "Abandoned Cry", of our Lord Jesus. Some would argue that this cry proves that He was not God, but those that argue thus fail to understand the wonder of His Holy work of redemption. His cry, "My God, my God", bring before our souls, the wondrous fact that though He was very God of very Gods, yet He was also truly Man, and it was as Man that he did the work of our salvation. It was man who had sinned, and it was man that must pay the price of sin. No Angel could accomplish our redemption, because Angels do not die. It was because of this, that the Lord Jesus was made "a little lower than the Angels", on account of the suffering of death. (Or so that He might die). The Bible tells us that "By man came death, and by man came also the resurrection of those that are dead". (1Corinthians 15:21) Thus as we stand amidst the darkness on Golgotha’s hill, and we listen to his awful cry, our hearts would break. The verse of the Hymn says

Then the darkness came down,

And the rocks rent around.

And a cry pierced the grief-laden air:

‘Twas the cry of my KING,

Who received death’s dark sting,

All to save ME from endless despair!

There in that cry of the deepest agony He rightly asked the question, "Why has Thou forsaken ME?" You and I, my brother or sister, have the answer to that question. It was because of the Holiness of God, and because He took our place there, that He was abandoned there.

These verses are the language used by the Godly remnant of Israel, as they pass through the terrible days of the Great Tribulation in a day soon to come. Another has said of them, describing the agony through which they will yet pass. "Whose only hope is in Israel’s God, yet they are abandoned by Him".. What a terrible time awaits that lovely little nation?

This verse is so interesting, not only for the humility of the Lord Jesus, in speaking of Himself as something less than a man, (though this is truly moving), but because of the insect referred to as a worm. It was no worm of the earth but a humble creature whose life and death cycle is full of instruction for us.

The worm referred to here is the Tolah, (and here I quote from Strong’s comments) "or the crimson grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith: - crimson, scarlet, worm."

It seems that this worm referred to here has the practice of attaching itself to the tree on which it lives and feeds. When it reaches the end of its cycle, the female emits a scarlet fluid and then lays its eggs in that scarlet fluid, which, (though it stains the limb on which it dies), yet the eggs are secreted beneath the body of the female which then dies. Once the eggs hatch they young then eat their way out, but the dead body of the caterpillars are then gathered and from them a scarlet dye is made which is very strong, and has been used from ancient times for the dyeing of cloth. I am sure that you will agree that these details are full of significance for us. Because it is the precious blood of Christ that gives us life. It colours everything for us during our life here

In these verses we are able to look at the facial expressions of the Christ rejecter, and to listen to their words as they heaped reproach on our blessed Lord Jesus. They reproached Him for the very things that they should have praised Him for. Yet all was recorded more than a thousand years before it actually took place. This brings to light once again the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God. These wicked men were not compelled to say what they said, but God knew exactly what they would say. Christ was the perfect example of obedience, and of absolute dependence.

Poor wicked and independent men love to trust in themselves. They love to do their "own thing", (their own will). But the blessed Lord Jesus, (The Perfect Man), did not come to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him forth amongst men. How those words of wicked men, must have stung Him, as He hung there amidst the terrible darkness! God had testified, (even publicly), that He had found all His delight, (not just some of it), in the lovely person of His Son. But now He was alone amidst that terrible darkness, and there was no deliverance for Him.

His abandoned cry was an indication that He was terribly alone there. The Holy Spirit, by whom He was conceived in the womb of Mary, (and was the power behind every action of Christ) had left Him now. The Father whose will He came to do had also withdrawn, and there, "By Himself". All alone he purged our sins. He did the work of our redemption. It all seemed to be so unjust, but there He suffered for sins, "The Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God". He was the One of whom the Prophet said, that He was, "Mighty to save". And it was His own arm that enabled him to finish the work; it was His own arm that brought Him salvation. Though men chided Him, and heaped reproach upon Him, yet He did not deviate from the path of perfect obedience, and of absolute dependence.

In these verses we have the language of the absolutely dependent One. These verses would show us a little more, the wonder of the incarnation of Christ. Who can tell what it meant to Him, who was the mighty God, the creator of everything, the One upon whom every living thing depended; to become a tiny, helpless human infant? In these verses He even attributed His birth to the Father’s. Hands in His great goodness. "Thou art He that took Me from the womb:" "Thou art My God from my mother’s belly". As He suckled the breasts of Mary, He learned the great lesson of trust, of absolute dependence. Not only did He trust in His Great Eternal God, but He trusted also in her that bore Him! What a wondrous mystery this is? Who can fathom the depths of His mighty love, that led Him to take this way?

Yet in those fateful hours, that help which He had depended on absolutely from the moment of His birth, was withdrawn. "Be not far from Me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help". His disciples, on whom He had bestows such love, labour and patience, had all forsaken Him and fled. The dear Sisters had remained faithful, (bless them), but though they wept unashamedly, they were powerless to help. He was thus terribly alone. There it was, during those three terrible hours that He "Drank up", our eternal Hell. .Hell is not only Eternal torment and suffering, but also Eternal Loneliness. Careless and wicked men may joke, "If I go to Hell, I will have plenty of friends", the once rich man in the story that the Lord told, had no friends in Hell, nor did he want any. His experience was so terrible that he prayed to Abraham, that his own brothers would not join him there.

These verses speak to us of the Jews, and particularly of their religious leaders. Bashan was that rich grazing area across the Jordan, on the East side. Up towards the country of Gilead. Og was its ancient king, and we are not told much about him, except that his bedstead was made of iron, and that it was a huge size, (about fourteen feet in length). The Jewish religious leaders opposed the Lord Jesus from the very beginning of His public ministry. They were glad when through the treachery of Judas Iscariot they had him within their power. The Lord Jesus said to them, "This is your hour, and the power of darkness". (Luke 22:53) They had fattened themselves on the best of God’s Offerings, and now they clamoured for His blood. The hymn-writer put it this way.

Priests that should plead for weakness

Must Thine accusers be;

A Judas only owns Thee

That Thou might’st prisoner be!

The Lord Jesus loved those men, yet He hated their hypocrisy, yet here they were surrounding His cross, and feasting their evil eyes on his torments, gloating over their apparent success, (which was really their defeat). They drew their energy from the "Roaring lion, "(Satan). And all that they did was done in his power.

These verses describe the horror of death by crucifixion, and the raging thirst that accompanied such a death, Several times He said "I thirst" But when at the beginning of His ordeal they offered Him "vinegar mingled with gall"’, He refused to take it, because He knew that it possessed sedative properties, and to receive it would mitigate His holy sufferings. His courage was such that He was not afraid of the physical sufferings, and He wished to bear all that the wrath of a Holy God required. He saw the "Dust of death" lying immediately before Him, but He willingly accepted all from the hands of an angry God.

The dogs referred to in verse sixteen were the unclean, but ferocious Roman dogs, (the Roman soldiers). The Jews did not crucify the Lord Jesus. Crucifixion was a cruel Roman method of execution. It was the "Princes of this world" who crucified Him. but they would not have done so, if they had known who He was. (1Corinthians 2:8) It was the Romans that pierced His hands and His feet. They pierced those blessed hands that had ministered in love to so many. They drove the cruel spikes through those beautiful feet, which had walked the dusty roads of Palestine, that had brought the good news of the Gospel to so many there. While they did put His own clothes on Him when they led Him away to crucify Him, yet they took them away from Him, before they nailed Him to the tree. This added to the humiliation that He bore so patiently.

He refers to His naked ness in verse seventeen, when He says, "I may count all My bones, they look, they stare upon Me". His lovely body had never been deformed by disease, because He was perfect. It had never been indwelt or defiled by sin, because He was sinless. "In Him sin was not", and "He did no sin". Yet such was the horrible agony that He passed through, it seemed that His very bones were visible through His skin. From Nine AM, until Twelve PM, He was able to see Himself, and those who stood by His cross, also all those that passed by. It added to His misery when wicked men and also women, stared at Him as He hung naked on that cruel cross. The hymn-writer seems to think that the blood that He had shed earlier, as the result of the brutal scourging, when His back was flogged, and torn to ribbons, until the flesh hung from His bones, and His back resembled a ploughed field. The cruel thorns plaited into a crown, were pressed down into his forehead, by the constant beatings that He received, would have caused the blood to pour from the scalp wounds that they had made. "His dying crimson, like a robe, spread o’er His body on the tree". Thus it is possible that the dried blood that he had earlier shed may have helped to hide his nakedness and shame from the evil eyes of those that passed by. Most did not merely pass by, and cast a passing glance at Him, but they stood and they stared at Him. This would have added to the shame that He felt. He who shed the blood of the innocent, the sinless animals. He who made for our first father and mother, coats of skin and clothed them. As He did that, He knew full well, that one day His naked body would hang on the Cross-at the place called Golgotha. He also knew that those wicked men and women that He came to save, would look upon His shame, they would even stare at Him. The rough, cruel evil soldiers, took the only things that He possessed, (His clothes), they parted them amongst themselves, and they gambled, (cast lots), for His vesture, (His body coat, or Singlet). Then we are told in the New Testament, that after they had done this, ("Sitting down, they watched Him there). They feasted their evil eyes on His torments.

He might easily have given up then! He could rightly have said to His Father, (as once suggested by Dr. A. W. Tozer), "Father the mankind that You sent Me to redeem are just not worth it, I am coming home!" But such was His love, that He went on loving vile, lost, men. As Satan spared no effort to bring out all that was worst in men; as he poured the flood of mans utter, malign bitter, wretchedness, upon the flame of His love, he could not extinguish that flame, he could not drown it. (Song of Songs 8:7)

These verses bring out in added fullness the deep feelings of loneliness that were felt by the Lord Jesus, as He became our substitute. Though the crowds of idle spectators were milling around, yet as He hung on that cross, surrounded by that terrible darkness, which must have been like the plague of darkness in Egypt, (a darkness that could be felt): He was totally alone. He cried once more within His great heart of love, (Psa 22:19) "But thou, Jehovah, be not far from me ; O my strength, haste thee to help me". (Darby trans). But He cried in vain. That Divine presence that had been with him during the past thirty-three and a half years of His human experience; the strength on which He had totally relied, was removed now. He was left to Himself, and there by Himself He purged our sins. The arm of His own Holy Might, was sufficient to bring salvation to him, (for us). "Deliver my soul from the sword; my (Thine), only one (Darling) from the power of the dog";

The sword was the sword of Divine Justice and judgment, (Zechariah 13:7) The dog. Was the Roman dog, the Lion’s mouth, was the awful fury of Satan. But there was no deliverance from these, until the work was done. It is such a comfort to know that the Lord Jesus had the answer before He died. As it is told us in the latter part of verse twenty one, "Thou hast heard Me from the horns of the unicorns, (Wild buffalos, (or wild, Furious), oxen)".The Lord Jesus died knowing that the work was done. He cried "It is finished", (blessed words). Communion between Him and His Father was restored, because when He died He did not say, My God, as in the abandoned cry, but "Father into Thy hands I commit my spirit"

The statement in verse twenty one, "Thou hast heard me, from the horns of the unicorns," does not mean that He was seated there, but impaled there, those horns were goring Him. He received the Divine answer while enduring the most excruciating agony. Thus at the time of His deepest, greatest agony, He received the answer. He thus knew that the wrath of a Holy God had been exhausted. The work was done, there was nothing left for guilty man to pay, so in mighty triumph He shouted, "It is finished". Blessed be His Holy Name! Let us quote here a couple of verses of a beautiful Hymn.

Death and the curse were in our cup,

O Lord ‘twas full for Thee!

But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,

‘Tis empty now for me.

That bitter cup, Love drank it up;

Left but the love for me.

The tempests awful voice was heard:

O Lord it broke on Thee.

Thine open bosom was my ward,

It bore the storm for me.

Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;

Now endless peace for me.

Do you wonder that I love Him?

The night of weeping is now past; the morning of joy has come. Our blessed Redeemer enters into the enjoyment, of "The joy that was set before Him". It was for this that He endured the cross, and despised the shame. (Hebrews 12:2) And now He is seated at the Father’s right hand, in heavenly Glory. As the result of His atoning sufferings, and His completed Redeeming work, he has forged a relationship that is both intimate and eternal, with the saints who compose His Church. In the midst of that great congregation of saved, of blood-bought individuals, He now loves as man, to sing the praise of Him whose righteous wrath He bore. Not only had He completed the work of our Redemption, not only had He fully met the claims of Divine Justice, but He had glorified God in the way that He has done it.

In verse 23, He invites us the poor fallen sons of guilty Jacob, the seed of the Israel of God, to join Him in praising the One whose will He came to do, and whose Name He had glorified on the earth. What wondrous grace is this? That we the fallen sons of Adam; His fallen creatures, should now become the vessels of His praise.

The Justice of God has been fully met now. But such was the infinite Grace of our Loving God, that he did not demand one whit more than would fully meet the claims of His Justice. "He hath not despised the affliction of His Afflicted One, neither did He hide His face from Him forever". But once the debt was paid He heard His cry, and communion was then restored between the Father and His Son. Only then was the magnificence of the Father’s sacrifice, the infinite greatness of His Gift revealed; and the wonder of His great love revealed!. Then and only then was it known that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son". Now because of this, we can joyfully proclaim to men wherever they are, and whomever they may be, that "Whosoever believeth on Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting Life".

These verses reveal a little of the spoils of His great victory. Not only does He delight to praise the Father, in the midst of His own, but also the Father loves to praise the Person of the Son. All is done through the Power of the Holy Spirit, thus the Persons of the Godhead, rejoice together in all that the Lord Jesus has done. He has surely paid His vows. He finished the work that God gave Him to do. He came voluntarily to do the Father’s will, and He did that will so fully and perfectly. By that "One offering He has perfected forever, those that are sanctified". The result of His sacrifice is that there are now a great host of those who can be described as Meek. The meaning of that word in the Hebrew is given hereafter, (‘needy, especially saintly): - humble, lowly, meek, poor`). What a transformation the Grace of God has wrought?

These taste the sweetness of the spoils of that great victory. They eat and are satisfied, and they give expression to that deep inner satisfaction by uniting their hearts in praising the Lord. They go on to enjoy the greatness of what is eternal. The things that are hidden from those that are occupied with the things that are seen. (2Corinthians 4:18).

Then in verses 27-29, we see the tremendous scope of the sacrifice of Christ. It is on the basis of His perfect offering, that the whole universe will be reconciled to God, and brought back into the enjoyment of the thoughts that were in the heart of God, when He created this world. How wonderful it is to know that He who hung on that cruel cross, and silently bore the jeers, the taunts, the railings and the blasphemies of that mocking crowd, shall yet be enthroned, (both on the throne of David, and on the throne of the universe). All the ends of the earth shall wonder, as they remember what He has done, and who He is, and shall come and worship at His feet.

He above whose head it was written, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews", will yet be Governor amongst the nations. All who partake of His abundant provision, and who will be made fat thereby, will come and bow down in worship before Him. Poor and mortal though they are, yet they shall be delivered from the curse that Adam brought upon all his descendants.

These verses refer to a seed, a serving seed. While we await the fullness of what will follow His coming, this seed are serving Him now. You and I, (my brother and sister), belong to that seed. How do we serve Him? First by worshipping Him, and daily bringing glory to His great and holy name. Then by declaring His righteousness, telling others that He has finished the work of our redemption, to a generation that are not yet born. We are accounted to Him as a generation; we enjoy the closest, the most intimate relationship with Him. We are of His body and His Bride, We are of His flesh and His bones. Let us not fail Him in performing this service of honour and of love for Him. Let us tell all with whom we come in contact, that the work is done, and that He has done it. Let us share the good news with those of our own day so that they too can enter into the enjoyment of knowing that their sins are forgiven, and so much more than that. Through faith in the Lord Jesus, and by trusting in Him, and His finished work.

May His Holy Name Be Glorified!