"I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." [Psa 22:22]
When Jesus said truthfully upon the cross, “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring,” [Psa 22:1] what was His reaction? When “it pleased The LORD to crush Him,” [Isa 53:10] and Jesus bore the full brunt of God’s wrath, what was His attitude? Through the Psalmist, Jesus cries out, despite the injuries and judgment of the cross, “but thou art holy , O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” [Psa 22:3] And when Jesus was being dashed to smithereens by the Father’s heavy foot – for Jesus was as the promise regarding our sins, “He will trample under foot our iniquities.” [Mic 7:19] – yes, when Jesus was smitten of God and bruised to no end, beyond the appearance of a human, [Isa 52:14] He joyfully exult, “therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope.” [Acts 2:26] It was Jesus’ joy to go to the cross, as Hebrews says, “for the joy being set before Him [He] endured the cross,” [Heb 12:2] and as such His attitude, words, and actions proved it. There was no point during His afflictions and suffering that Jesus cursed God, but said very much in spirit with Job, “blessed be the name of The LORD,” and, “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” [Job 1:21; 13:15] And whereas Job’s servants were in error saying, “the fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them,” [Job 1:16] (for such things had come of satan), yet, with Jesus it was not so: the affliction and suffering was laid upon Him from The Father alone. And so, Jesus’ proclamation of joy and trust rise higher than a thousand responses from righteous Job, for Jesus sinlessly suffered at the hand of His Father.
With these thoughts, let us therefore read again our verse, keeping in mind that what Jesus says here through David, comes after His suffering. His words come after He said truthfully,
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” [Psa 22:14-15]
Jesus said therefore in spirit to God, the one who smote Him, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” [Psa 22:22] Herein lies our great comfort, and the glory of God to a thousand generations. For these things are easy to say when one bears well from God. But on the cross Jesus bore only evil, hatred, and a great tempest. Yet even still, Jesus pointed others, and points us still, to God The Father. Jesus, with all love and with all faith, in all integrity, though punished of God for our sins, though smitten sore by His Father, zealously and eagerly points all to The Father.
Have you been afflicted, dear reader? Has God saw it fit to try you? Have you been in such a case as Peter describes, saying, “though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold trials[?]” [1 Pe 1:6] And if so, what is your countenance like? Do you shine as Christ, zealous to point others to Him, even though He has harmed you? Or do you sulk and whine, and fear to give others over to the King of all kings? My brethren, today may we do such no longer. Let us be as Jesus; let us reflect His glory and point others to Him no matter what, for as it is written,
“Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.” [1 Ch 29:11]
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