Psalms 22

To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.

In graphic delineation of Messiah’s sufferings, this psalm stands side by side with Isaiah 53:0. It belongs to the hour of David’s greatest perils and suffering, probably to the peril narrated in 1 Samuel 23:25-26. This is the opinion of Delitzsch. The cliff in which David had then taken refuge as a last retreat was called Selaham-mahlekoth the rock of escapes. Psalms 22:28. His sufferings were made the occasion and medium of a prophetico-typical view of the agony of Messiah, to which, however, “they bore but a remote resemblance.” Thrupp. The psalm is bipartite; the first part (Psalms 22:1-21) is descriptive of Messiah’s sufferings; the second, (Psalms 22:22-31,) of his triumphs. In the first part, Psalms 22:1-11 set forth his sufferings in general terms, and Psalms 22:12-21 enter more into particular descriptions. “In the whole psalm the most glorious contrast is presented of the Redeemer’s sufferings and triumphs that the whole Book of Psalms affords.” Bishop Jebb. “David descends with his complaint into a depth that lies beyond the depth of his affliction, and rises, with his hopes, to a height that lies far beyond the height of the reward of his affliction.” Delitzsch. But in the interpretation the historic outline, however faint, must not be lost sight of, while, guided by New Testament authority, and in conformity to all laws of Messianic prophecy, the excess of meaning which cannot be absorbed into the experience of David, nor resolved into hyperbole, must find its realization in Christ.

TITLE:

Upon Aijeleth Shahar Literally, Upon (or after) the hind of the earliest dawns, or day streaks. As it is a direction to the precentor for the performance of the piece, it seems most natural to understand “hind of the morning” as the name of a lost poem or song, to the melody of which this was to be chanted. On the “hind,” noted for her quick motions, see Song of Solomon 2:8. On such a poetical title given to a poem or song, see 2 Samuel 1:18, where David’s elegy upon Saul and Jonathan was called “The Bow,” because (Psalms 22:22) the bow of Jonathan was celebrated. Or, Aijeleth hashahar (according to Ibn Ezra, quoted by Furst) might have been the beginning of a lost poem, according to the Hebrew custom of naming books by their initial words. In our psalm, Psalms 22:1-21 are elegiac, like the deepest night, while Psalms 22:22-31 are like the breaking of morning.