April 3 2017

As we are coming up to Good Friday I have been doing a study on Psalm 22. My son actually put me onto a particular line and some fascinating info which I'll share as I go on. Some of you have probably heard it before but it was new to me.

The first verse of this psalm starts with the words Jesus spoke from the cross. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Interesting that the suffering Christ should speak words of the old testament as He hung on the cross. (Matthew 27:46). I have heard teaching that He was actually pointing out those words to those at the crucifixion who would know the scripture. That He was pointing out to them the the picture of the cross and Messiah.

I love verse 5: “To You they cried out and were delivered; In you they trusted and were not disappointed.” The holy one who is enthroned upon the praises of Israel, the One whom they trusted, delivered them. They cried out and were delivered. Then it says, “In You they trusted and were not disappointed.” What a wonderful God we serve. He will not disappoint us, as we keep our eyes on Him and listen to His voice.

Now verse 6 is the interesting bit that my beautiful son pointed out to me. It says “For I am a worm and not a man.” The Hebrew word for “worm” or “maggot” is “Tola”, or Crimson Worm. It is the Crimson Worm that was spoken of in this verse and a prophecy pointing again to the Messiah and the cross.

This Crimson worm looks more like a grub than a worm. When it is time to reproduce, which is done once in a lifetime, the worm finds the trunk of a tree, attaches her body to that wood and makes a hard crimson shell. She is strongly and permanently stuck to the wood and the shell can never be removed without tearing her body completely apart and killing her. She lays her eggs under her body and the protective shell, and when the babies hatch, they stay under the shell and the mother's body provides them with living food. Does this remind you of the communion words “eat my flesh, drink my blood?”

In just a few days the babies grow and the mother dies. As she dies, she oozes a crimson red dye which stains the wood she is attached to and the young children. They are coloured scarlet for the rest of their lives. After three days the Crimson worms body loses it's colour and turns into a white wax which falls to the ground. One of the ways a crushed worm was used in the old days of Israel was to make medicine that helped the heart beat smoothly. As you contemplate the analogies of this little tidbit know that the whole of nature declares the glory of God, the works of His hands and the the revelation of Jesus in all things.

Verses 9 and 10 tell us that the trust Jesus had in the Father was from the womb. “Upon You I was cast from birth. I couldn't help but think about the protection of the baby Messiah from birth, when the family had to run and move to get away from the plan of the enemy. How the Father rescued them again and again and kept them safe. And how Jesus astounded the teachers and priest of the synagogue at the age of 12. He truly did have a trust of the Father and His plan from the beginning.

As we move onto the next section it is a description of the pain of the cross and the spiritual assault of Jesus. It speaks of strong bulls of Bashan, a roaring lion, and dogs. I read a piece on this on a site called Truthworks that said, bulls charge, lions pounce and dogs bark and bite. It was a combined assault on the Saviour from the demonic realm.

“But you, O LORD, be not far off”, verse 19.

God heard the cry. He delivered. He broke the power of death. He released ressurection power and life through the obedience and faithfulness of Jesus.

This psalm ends with most encouraging statements. “All the families of the nations will worship before you. For the kingdom is the LORD'S.”

All the prosperous of the earth, all those who are oppressed and bowed over, even those who are approaching death and cannot same themselves will worship the LORD. He will be told of to coming generations and they will declare His righteousness. It will be told to those not yet born that He has performed it.

Praise God.


I hope you have a revelatory Good Friday and see something of Jesus that you never saw before. I am so grateful for the cross. And may you have a fantastic resurrection Easter Sunday filled with joy and hope in Him.