March 8, 2025 Devo

Psalm 22 may be the most amazing piece of prophetic literature we have in the Bible. When you read it all the way through, you discover that at least 10 verses are direct references to Christ’s crucifixion. From the words that Jesus quotes on the cross to the attitude of the religious leaders to the gambling for His clothes to the piercing of His hands and feet. Amazingly accurate descriptions that were written around 700 years or so before Jesus was born. Let how incredible that fact is sink in for a minute or two. And let it fill you with awe and hope.
One of the results of understanding this truth should be the confidence that it gives you in the Bible being the “inspired” Word of God. Inspired means that it was God Himself who gave the writers what they were to put down. It was their hands who wrote it, but it was God who gave them what to write. When you read this psalm, you recognize right away that David could’ve never come up with this on his own. He had no insight into what the coming Messiah would be like or what kind of death He would die. In fact, his understanding of the Messiah would have been very different from how Jesus actually was. Only God could have given David the images and words. Peter expressed it this way: “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21 NIV)
The other thing that I thought about as I was reading this Psalm today was how far ahead God is looking, thinking, and working. I think I’m doing well when I’m planning sermon series 3 or 4 months in advance. Here God is working hundreds of years ahead! God knew there was a world that needed saving. He also knew that He was going to send His Son as a sacrifice for our sin. So He has David write down words that will be a reminder when it all comes down that the Lord is never caught off-guard. He prepared for this long before.
Let that encourage YOU today, too. God knows your story as well as the story of His own Son. Before you ever got to this day, God was already thinking, looking, and working. He’s there with you today. Right there in the middle of whatever you’re facing. And just as He gave His Son what He needed to endure, He will give it to you as well. He’s the God who was ready before you got there. That’s God’s Word for you today.