May 31, 2022: Day 116 – Psalms 22-24 and Proverbs 9

This is an interesting compillation of Psalms.  We begin with a Psalm of lament that gives us the words that Jesus uses when he is on the cross and his cry of desperation as he cries out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.”  There is then a listing of grievances that this person crying out has suffered including in vs.16 – “they have pierced my hands and my feet.”  This is a very clear reference to what Jesus underwent when he was on the cross.

From this very clear lament that raises up points of contact, many of them, with Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion we have one of the most well known Psalms, if not the most well known, in Psalm 23 where we find images of docile and pascal scenes that puts a mind to ease.  What a difference it is from Psalm 22.  We really go from persecution to almost a scene of resurrection.  Certainly a scene of comfort and care which is a direct contradiction to the previous psalm.

Then Psalm 24 gives us insight into a triumpant victory that will take place at the hands of the Lord.  All who come to God will receive a blessing and that blessing is a result of the Lord being the king of glory.  From there we go to Proverbs 9 that shows us a battle between wisdom and folly.  That battle rages in our own lifetime.  I love the line in vs.7 “whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse…rebuke a wise man and he will love you.”