MEDITATIONS IN THE PSALMS [An outline of the Psalm, A good devotional study when using the scriptures indicated] Psalm 22, Part 3: Verses 4, 5, 6 A Rule for Encouragement in Times of Trial
“Our fathers trusted in You”; the covenant heads, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is the family rule, “They trusted” brought to our attention three times over in these three verses. ‘Abraham trusted You’ when he left Mesopotamia, Heb. 11:8-9 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out …” ‘He trusted You’ when he took Isaac to Mt. Mariah, Heb. 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac …” And what of Moses, Joshua, and the Judges? “They trusted You and You delivered them.” There is a double emphasis in verse 5; He delivered them redemptively and providentially; “They cried to You and were delivered” as to their persons; “They trusted in You and were not confounded”, their expectation. The Scriptures are a record book of faith; we who are God’s children have an ancestry of “faithers”; and if our fathers trusted and were delivered we should follow their example. “They trusted in THEE”: their God was worthy of trust and He proved Himself so, “… not one thing has failed of all the Lord your God spoke”, Jos. 21:44-45; 23:14. The argument, “Thou didst deliver them” but Thou wilt not deliver me: nay, rather “Thou didst deliver them because thou wilt not deliver me.” “But I am a worm”, a confession of incomprehensiveness; Mr. Spurgeon calls this “A miracle in language.” How could the LORD of glory be brought to such abasement? Lower than the angels is inconceivable, but lower than man? What a contrast “I Am that I Am” and “I am a worm and no man.” How can it be? Remember where our Substitute is this hour; He is in hell God forsakened, trampled under the foot of wrath. There is no exaltation of flesh in hell! Men may be BIG in this world, but in the world of the damned they’re only on the level with the lowest creature. What is a worm but the most helpless creature on earth? What kind of worm? Some believe the reference is to the ‘cochineal insect used in dyeing, purple or scarlet in color which represents Christ in three ways … As covered with the crimson sins of God’s elect. Isa. 1:18, “Come now … though your sins be as scarlet …” sins imputed….As scarlet with His own blood Isa.63, “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah...” He will come in triumph and take vengeance: as yielding by His death that blessed dye which removes all our spots and stains. `The ‘cochineal’ was more valuable in death than in life. It represents those for which He died; men are represented in scripture as worms because of their natural corruption. Here is my hope (Job 17:14; 25:6; Isa. 41:14); Christ became identified with me; “If I called to corruption, ‘you are my father’, and to the worm, ‘you are my mother and my sister,’ where then is my help.” “Fear not you worm Jacob [the Church], You men of Israel [few men]! I will help you,” says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” ~~Terry Worthan, 1938-2022
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