Psalms 22, 23, 24
For all of my articles I use The Old Scofield Study Bible, Rev. C. I. Scofield and eight other Bible scholars consulted with him to bring out the best possible understanding of the Word of God. The 1st copyright was 1909, and I personally believe this is a more accurate writing and understanding of the Bible by far than for example the (NIV); the (NIV) it has incorporated more traditional beliefs of this day than what Christ and the Apostles taught. I don’t agree with all of Rev. Scofields beliefs but I do believe we are in the Last Days before the 2nd coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I also believe that the closer the Kingdom is to come the more God through his Holy Spirit will reveal the truth to His servants. Romans 15:13 states “Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit that God placed in us at baptism that gives us the understanding of the Bible, NOT man’s wisdom. That is why some people hear the word and say “that sounds crazy”. They can’t understand (at this time) about the full message of the Bible, please read my article on “Are you being called” to get more understanding on this. Without God’s Holy Spirit in us we are truly lost, No Holy Spirit, No understanding the Bible. With that said, let’s get into the Bible and understand more fully what Psalms 22-24 reveals.
I am going to start where it all began, at the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. In Mathew 27:46 it states, “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 have you forsaken me? This is the very first sentence at the beginning of Psalm 22:1-31. One question, why would he say this? Two, was Jesus losing his faith in God? Absolutely not, Jesus was pointing us to the exact scripture that told of a Righteous one to come and to save His people. Psalm 22 was written 1000 years before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ happened. Jesus was saying, “This is me”. The Psalm describes to perfectly how Jesus’ crucifixion happened. (Scofield states), “Psalm 22 is a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. The bones (of hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis) out of joint (v. 14); the profuse perspiration caused by intense suffering (v.14); the action of the heart affected (v. 14) strength exhausted, and extreme thirst (v. 15); the hands and feet pierced (v. 16); partial nudity with the hurt to modest (v. 17), are all incidental to that mode of death”. The accompanying circumstances are precisely those fulfilled in the crucifixion of Christ. The desolate cry of verse 1 and (Mathew 27:46) the periods of light and darkness of verse 2 and (Mathew 27:45), all were literally fulfilled. Another interesting thought to prove that the crucifixion that was prophesied in Psalm 22 was Christ, All through to New Testament Jesus when He prays Says, My Father, NOT My God, My God, He always said My Father. That’s why in his last breathe of life He pointed to the prophecy about him to show He was the Savior that Psalm 22 predicted. What a Savior, Jesus never lost sight of His mission for mankind at any point. Praise Him Praise Him is all I can say. I will add here that Message of Hope Ministry teaches that through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , not only is he saving his called out ones (the Church,) but that in time Jesus the Savior of the World as John 1:29 states. “Behold the Lamb of God, who lakes away the sin of the World”. Let’s see what verse 27 of Psalm 22 states, “All the ends of the world shall remember and TURN unto the Lord: and all kindred’s of the nations shall worship before him. Also in verse 29 “All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust (the people who have died throughout the ages) shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. (They all will be judged and given the chance to except Christ.) Again, what a Savior mankind has…
Let’s now move to Psalm 23 and see what it has in store for us. Now because Jesus has paid the price for our sins, Please remember God is dealing with the Church in this Age, the after the Church age, there will be the 1,000 year reign of Jesus in His Kingdom and beyond that, the rest of mankind will have their opportunity to be saved. So now that Jesus has died and is resurrected Psalm 22,, and is seated at the right hand of God, Hebrews 1:3 states, “ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,(that is the Father) and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” because of this he has now become our shepherd for the called out ones (the Church) of this Age. As the Shepherd of the flock takes care of his sheep, this is what Psalm 23, is all about. Let’s read it, Psalm 23:1-6 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures’ he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” How lovely is that description of Psalm for the Church, and then after the Church Age, in the Kingdom Age and beyond this scripture will apply for the rest of mankind. What a Savior, what a soon coming King.
Now let’s finish with Psalm 24, it is all about the King of Glory coming to His Kingdom; which can be no other than Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. Let’s just read the Chapter together, starting in verse 1; “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness there of; the world, and they that dwell therein. (That’s all of us); for he (Jesus) has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his Holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. (Jesus is the only one that I know did this), v. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (From God the Father), v. 6, this is the generation of them that seek him that seek your face, O Jacob. Selah. (The Kingdom Age), Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be you lift up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up you heads, O you gates; even lift them up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
I will close with Rev. Scofields comments that sum up these 3 chapters in Psalms. “Psalms 22, 23, and 24, forms a trilogy. In Psalm 22 the good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. (John 10:11) “Jesus speaking here” I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” In Psalm 23 the great shepherd, brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant see (Hebrews 13:20), tenderly cares for his sheep; and in Psalms 24 the chief Shepherd appears as King of glory to own and reward the sheep (1 Peter 5:4). “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, (His 2nd coming) you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.” (The Church)
He died, he was resurrected, and he will return to set up the Kingdom of God, first to reward the Church, and then continue on saving the rest of mankind. What a wonderful King, what a wonderful Savior, what a wonderful God who we serve. God Bless you, keep in his word, the new Age of the Creation (God’s Kingdom) is coming soon. As it states in Revelation 22:20 (The last promise and the last prayer of the Bible) “He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus”. How wonderful is that? Pastor Mark
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