Wednesday

Psalm 22:22-31 - The Messiah's reign

Peter describes the work of Christ as his suffering and the glory that would follow. Psalm 22 focuses on both those areas and verse 22 begins the section that describes his reign.

Jesus speaks twice in this section (vv. 22, 25) and in each verse he speaks to the Father. Verse 22 is quoted in Hebrews 2:12 as the words of Jesus. In each of the verses, he says that he will be with his people: in verse 22 he is the prophet who teaches them about the Father; in verse 23, they observe him keeping his vows.

Those vows were his commitments he made in the eternal covenant within the Trinity that was concerned with the provision of salvation for sinners and their participation in the kingdom of God. 

This section of the psalm also highlights that the suffering Saviour will become the king. In verses 27 and 28, his global reign fulfils the promise contained in the covenant with Abraham that the nations would be blessed through one of his descendants. Those who submit to his rule will be provided for (v. 29), and his kingdom will last from generation to generation (v. 30).

Believers are encouraged to praise the Father in verses 23 and 24 because he did not despise the sufferings of his Son but answered his prayer for deliverance. They are further encouraged to praise him for the spiritual food that they are given (v. 26). 

Among other descriptions, those believers are said to be the brothers of Jesus, fearers of God, the offspring of Jacob, the meek, worshippers of God, and seekers after God. They are also described as people with a message (vv. 30-31): they pass on the gospel from generation to generation, and some of them do so by preaching his salvation to sinners. They are the ambassadors of the King who suffered in their place on the cross and who will be their instructor and worship leader for ever.

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