Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

• Bones- “ …and all my bones are out of joint. ” Crucifixion stretches the ligaments until all of the bones are painfully dislocated. • Heart- “ My heart is like wax, melting within me.”(14) Literally the heart loses its ability to pump the blood and fails. Figuratively the courage of the crucified melts like wax in the hot sun. • Strength- “ My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.”(15) There is nothing left to draw upon, the crucified person is like a broken piece of burnt pottery. • Tongue- “ My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. ” It can no longer articulate anything; it is swollen and parched beyond speech or prayer. • Death- “ You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.” (15) “ My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count every bone in my body. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my clothes among themselves and throw dice for my garments. (v. 16-18) The crucifixion scene now makes mention of the ‘dogs’, a probable reference to the Gentile Roman soldiers who fulfilled this prophecy of the psalm: “ After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gam- bled for his clothes by throwing dice.” (Mt. 27:35) The prophet Zechariah also predicted that the Mes- siah would be ‘pierced’ and eventually his people, the Jews, would recognize their horrible mistake in crucifying their savior: “ They will look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son.” (Zech. 12:10) “ O Lord, do not stay away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Rescue me from a violent death; spare my precious life from these dogs. Snatch me from the lion’s jaws, and from the horns of these wild oxen. [You have answered me. NKJV] Jesus carried the sins of the world upon his heart and in his body. His agony was incomparable; his isolation from God was total. The Light of the World descended into complete darkness and paid the full price for our salvation. “ By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone…Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands! ‘ And with those words he breathed his last.” (Lk. 23:44-46) . It is clear from these verses in Luke that God received the Spirit of his Son into his hands and snatched him from the dogs, the jaws of the lions and from the horns of the wild oxen. The deer is about to reappear in the dawn of the resurrection! The Dogs Close In- 16-18 Final Prayer From the Cross- 19-21

II THE WONDER OF YOUR NAME - The Song and the Crown- v.22-31

Christ Praising in the Midst of His Church.

“ Then I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people.” (22)

The writer to the Hebrews made it very clear that Jesus is the one speaking to us in this psalm: “ So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God, ‘I will declare the wonder of you name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people.’” (Heb. 2:11,12) We would hear a far greater voice than our own in times of worship if our ears could tune to the heavenly frequency! Worship is always the first response to an encounter with the resurrected Christ: “ And as they went [Mary Magdalene and Mary at the tomb] Jesus met them. ‘Greetings!’ he said. And they ran to him, held his feet, and worshiped him.” (Mt. 28:9)

“Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him rever- ence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored the suffering of the needy. He has not turned and walked away. He has listened to their cries for help.” (23,24)

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