Psalm 22:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.

NIV: for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.

NASB: For the kingdom is the Lord’S And He rules over the nations.

CSB: for kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules the nations.

NLT: For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations.

KJV: For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.

NKJV: For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations.

David pays tribute to God's sovereignty. The Lord is above all kings and in control of the nations. Someday Jesus will rule the world with justice and righteousness, and peace will characterize the planet (Isaiah 9:7). When Jesus returns, He will destroy His enemies, His robe will display the inscription, "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16).

Although the Lord chose to relate to Israel in a special way, He is also the God of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29). Revelation 1:5 describes the risen Lord Jesus as "the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth." Someday He will rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5). Psalm 96:10 anticipates the Lord's reign over planet Earth. This verse commands: "Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.'" Verse 13 states, "He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness." The time of Jesus' universal kingdom rule is still future, but it is certain.

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.

Accessed 5/19/2024 6:30:24 PM