The Secrets Of Psalm 22 – A Dive into David’s Prophecy
In a recent episode of “Pod for Israel,” Dr. Seth Postell took a deep dive into the fascinating and prophetic Psalm 22. This Messianic Psalm has garnered attention due to its misinterpretation by the Jewish “anti-missionary” groups, the self appointed stumbling blocks to the Gospel.
Dr. Postell calls out Rabbi Tovia Singer who has gained notoriety for his clever, deceptive explanations of Messianic passages within the Old Testament, dismantles their objections in a clinical fashion and presents mind-blowing parallels between Psalm 22 and the New Testament account in the Gospel of Matthew.
Objection #1 : Psalm 22 is not messianic, because it is a song
Rabbi Tovias mocks Christians who view Psalm 22 as a messianic prophecy noting it is a Psalm (a song) after all. However, he, though being a teacher, overlooks the connections between prophecy and music that runs throughout the Bible. Here are a few examples :
- Elisha and the Minstrel: 2 Kings 3:15: “But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him)
- Saul’s meeting with prophet Samuel: 1 Samuel 10:5:And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying.”
- Exodus 15:20: Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1: “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.“
- Prophetic Poetry: Most of the books of the prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, conveyed their messages through poetry and lyrics.
Dr. Postell, proves from the Bible that there is clear evidence of a strong connection between prophecy and music.
Christian Dr. Seth Postell : ✅. Anti-Missionary Rabbi Tovia Singer : ❌
Objection #2 : Psalm 22 is not messianic, because it is David crying out to God.
The fact that Jews canonized these Psalms underscores their recognition of them as God’s Word and not mere man’s word (or just David cries to God).
It is remarkable that Psalm 22 is not the odd one out; it appears alongside other Messianic Psalms. The 18th Psalm ends with God’s promise of the Messiah. Psalm 20 and 21 are clearly Messianic, and then we have Psalm 22.
Those (the so-called Rabbis) who dismiss this Psalm as mere words of David to God reveal a shallow understanding of the Bible.
Christian Dr. Seth Postell : ✅. Anti-Missionary Rabbi Tovia Singer : ❌
Objection #3 : Christians have two separate Messiahs.
They say Christians have two Messiahs – a suffering one and a royal figure (the son of David). Dr. Postell shoots down this objection with relative ease using Psalm 22. You do not typically associate suffering with royalty. yet King David is the quintessential Old Testament example of a suffering royalty. And then, the Bible tells us that David was a prophet in 2 Samuel 23: 1&2. On closer observation of this Psalm you will soon find out, it transcends from a lament to.a prophecy. They did not cast lots for David’s garments. They did not pierce David’s hands and feet. He was prophesying about the Suffering Messiah, the Son of David.
Christian Dr. Seth Postell : ✅. Anti-Missionary Rabbi Tovia Singer : ❌
Objection #4 : Masoretic Text
Verse 6 : For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Some critics cite a flawed Masoretic Text claiming that the word “lion” should replace “pierced.” They argue that Christians tampered with Verse 6 to insert Jesus Christ into the Psalm.
This is a meritless argument that demonstrates these so-called scholars lack fundamental textual criticism . “they pierced lion my hands and my feet” would render the sentence nonsensical.
Christian Dr. Seth Postell : ✅. Anti-Missionary Rabbi Tovia Singer : ❌
Uniqueness of Psalm 22
The Book of Psalms have different genres of Psalms including Hymns, Lament, Wisdom, Acrostic, Praise etc. Psalm 22 is an interesting one as it merges two genres into one Psalm – the first half is a lament and the second half morphs into a praise.
It starts with the famous line “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” and from there it goes on as David laments – I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. they gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. (the laments goes on till verse 21).
A marked shift occurs in Verse 22. In Verse 24 we see a direct response to the question in Verse 1 : “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” Verse 24 answers He never forsook me. Did not hide his face and He heard my cries… The climax is reached in Verse 27 and 28 where the Psalms takes a triumphant tone prophesying- all the ends of he earth will turn to the Lord and all the families of the nations will worship.. He rules over the nations…
How can one reconcile horrific suffering and terrible death of the King in the first half of the Psalm with the second half which is a complete opposite. It appears as if the Abrahamic covenant finds fulfillment through the tragic death of the King of Israel.
Parallels That Will Blow Your Mind
The Gospel of Matthew portrays the crucifixion of our Lord in the light of Psalm 22. The writer has a sophisticated understanding of Hebrew poetry and the parallels drawn between crucifixion account in Matthew 27 and Psalm 22 is nothing short of astonishing,
Matthew 27:35 – They crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots:
Psalm 22 :18 – They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Matthew 27:39 – And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, saying
Psalm 22: 7 – All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they wag their heads, saying,
Matthew 27:43 – He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Psalm 22: 8 – He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
Matthew 27:46 – And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Psalm 22:1 – My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Side Note : Even today Jews when they talk about a passage in the Torah or Psalms do not use the Chapter and verse numbers, they instead use the few words of the section. Christians are no different, they often refer to the hymns with the first few words rather than by the hymn number. In the case of “My God, My God why hast thou forsaken” our Lord was directing his hearers the Psalm we refer to as Psalm 22. So this was not a cry of dereliction or abandonment, it was a cry of fulfillment of David’s prophecy.
Conclusion : The Most Interesting Part Of The 22nd Psalm
Psalm 22 takes two distinct genres of Psalms and sews them together – a lament Psalm of horrific suffering and death and an eschatological, praise Psalm (where there’d be universal praise of God during Messiah’s reign).
The hinge that connects both genres is found in Psalm 22:22 “I will tell your name to my brethren,” transitioning the Psalm from lament and death to world wide praise and the reign of Messiah,
Matthew 28, specifically verses 8 through 10 depicts the resurrection of Jesus. “And as they went to tell his disciples (of Jesus’ resurrection), behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.”
This is the first time and the only time Jesus Christ refers to his disciples as “my brethren” — This is not only amazing but these words are spoken strategically. By virtue of the fact that our Lord uses this specific phrase, he unlocks the mystery of Psalm 22. The verses that follow “my brethren” is all about the triumph of resurrection and will encompass all nations. Hebrews 2:10 and following corroborates that the phrase”my brethren” is tied to Christ’s resurrection. And sure enough Matthew ends the chapter with the Great Commission.