Psalm 22:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

NIV: I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.

NASB: I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

CSB: I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the assembly.

NLT: I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.

KJV: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

NKJV: I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

Having been rescued from death at the hands of his enemies, David plans to testify to God's goodness and praise Him in the assembly of Israel. This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2:12 and applied to Jesus. The writer of Hebrews leans on this verse's connection to the idea of confidence: that God will be praised because He will—ultimately—deliver the one who is praying.

Whereas David's congregation was composed of Israelites, Jesus' congregation is much broader. It is the church, and it includes both Jewish and Gentile believers. Ephesians 2:12 reminds the Ephesians that at one time Gentiles were "separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise." However, according to Ephesians 2:13, in Christ the Gentile believers are "brought near by the blood of Christ." As a result, in Christ, believing Jews and believing Gentiles are one new man (Ephesians 2:14–16). Colossians 1:18 calls this new union "the church."

David called his fellow Israelites, "my brothers," and at His open tomb Jesus instructed Mary to go to His brothers and tell them: "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (John 20:17).

Psalm 22:22–31 focuses on David's praise to God, whereas the earlier passage focused on his prayer to God. We read there that trouble took a heavy toll on David. Here we find David thanking the Lord for the triumph he gave David over his foes. We find a similar contrast in chapters 27 and 28 of Matthew. One records the awful death of Jesus, the other His amazing deliverance out of the grave.

This psalm may be divided into two parts. The first part, verses 1–21, contains an urgent prayer, in which the suppliant questions a holy God's distance from him in his time of suffering. It also contains a graphic description of the Messiah's suffering. Messiah's suffering included humiliation, the taunts of unbelievers, a distressful sense of loneliness, and intense physical pain. The second part of the psalm continues a prayer to be delivered, and includes a glimpse of resurrection and exaltation. The psalm praises God and announces a future time when God will receive worldwide acclaim and worship.

This psalm of David should be understood in association with Psalms 23 and 24. Psalm 22 describes the sufferings of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, for His sheep. Psalm 23 describes His care for His sheep. Psalm 24 describes His return in glory to reward His sheep. Psalm 22 includes prophetic sayings which Jesus uttered from the cross. It also predicts the afflictions he endured there (Matthew 27:27–56; Luke 22:63–65; 23:18–49). Isaiah 53 also prophesies the sufferings that Jesus suffered on the cross.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.