Chapter 4.25

From: This Man By: Thomas Leslie Mather

• 35 min. read • grade level: 9

The Hind of the Morning

“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" that crowning cry of the Lord's seven sayings on the cross was anticipated in Scripture long before Jesus was born. Psa. 22 opens with those prophetic words. David, the shepherd boy who became king, was also the sweet psalmist of Israel. The cluster of psalms from 21 to 24 may well rank among his sweetest. David's theme in these psalms is Christ, the True Shepherd and King, of whom he was only a figure. Perhaps Psa. 22, whose inspired title is "the hind of the morning" is the heart of these psalms, for it is the 1 Peter 1:11¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (1 Peter 1:11) prophecy of "the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." Christ who was both David's son and David's Lord, said, in Luke 24:44⁴⁴And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luke 24:44) "these are the words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.”

The Wine of Astonishment

Although Psa. 22 is about Christ, its inspired title is more suggestive of nature. It reads "to the Chief Musician. Upon Aijeleth Shahar i.e. according to the hind of the morning. A psalm of David." We have introduced the subject of the hind of the morning here because it is a prophetic forecast of the theme which opened this book the God of light and His counsels, and the darkness opposing them. His counsels are unveiled in this prophecy about Christ, His cross, Israel and the Church. The darkness too is exposed the Jew and the Roman uniting to put Christ to death. Then in triumph the hind leaps out of the darkness into the resurrection morn.

As a shepherd, David was a keen observer of nature. He observed this leaping habit of the hind a female red deer at the break of dawn. The hind would lie in the underbrush as it sensed the night was ending, stirring restlessly. As soon as the first rays of the morning sun burst on the earth, the hind would leap up like an arrow from a bow. There was no waiting no indecision the bound was immediate from darkness to morning light.

The hind of the morning is never mentioned directly again in this psalm after the title heading. No wonder David wrote "Thou hast showed Thy people hard things Thou hast made us drink the wine of astonishment" Psa. 60:3³Thou hast showed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. (Psalm 60:3). There is still further wine of astonishment for the reader to drink in Psa. 22. For up to and including Verse 21, God does not answer Christ's pleas for deliverance on the cross, although He is His only One. Why?

We cannot find the answer to such questions with the mind of man. It becomes wine of astonishment a stupefying portion if we try to do so. But there is divine wisdom and guidance for believers in the Scriptures. To these then we will turn for the answer, remembering the Lord's words in resurrection "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" Luke 24:25-27²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25‑27).

Christ's Opening Appeal to God Not to Forsake Him

Psa. 22 opens with these words "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou far from My Salvation, from the words of My groaning? My God, I cry by day, and Thou answerest not, and by night, and there is no rest for Me. And Thou art holy, Thou that dwellest amid the praises of Israel." Every Christian should recognize these opening words "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" as among the last of the Lord's seven sayings on the cross. Next come words which Christ did not speak on the cross, but which are really a prophecy of what His thoughts and feelings would be during His crucifixion. So here we are admitted into a secret previously known only to God the secret of how Christ privately reviewed His whole life with God, including the woes of the cross, before entering into death.

The question raised in Verse 1 is a penetrating one "why?" Why had God forsaken Him? Clearly God HAD forsaken Him for He was far from delivering Him, from the groans He uttered in sheer physical pain. Three times He speaks to God. On the third occasion He tells Him that He cried by day and night. The hours on the cross seemed like days and nights to the Lord, so prolonged and acute were His sufferings. He cried by day the time when God works but God, though hearing Him, did not answer. This was grievous to Him. He cried by night symbolically the time of Satan's power but there is no rest for Him. Why?

The answer comes from the Lord Himself "Thou art holy." How could there be rest for anyone under the judgment of a holy God? He had taken our place as the sin bearer God "hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Cor. 5:21²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). So the question is closed as soon as the words are uttered. This is important to see. Christ justified God in everything that had been done to Him. Then He goes on, in this Psalm, to make two further appeals to God, not because He questions the righteousness of His judgment in any way He has just vindicated that but on other grounds.

The key thoughts in each of these appeals are contained in the opening plea we have just considered. One appeal is based on His sufferings incomprehensible because He is God's only One forsaken by God though He trusted in Him; the other appeal is that God did not forsake Israel who also suffered, although differently. God was not far from them. He was so close that they praised Him and He dwelt amid their praises. The Psalm continues on to expand these two themes.

Christ Reminds God of His Faithfulness in Delivering Israel From Their Trials and Sufferings

“Our fathers trusted in Thee; they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them. They cried unto Thee, and were delivered; they trusted in Thee and were not confounded." God had heard their groaning Ex. 6:5⁵And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. (Exodus 6:5) when they had to make bricks without straw in the iron furnace of Egypt in anguish of spirit and cruel slavery. He sent His plagues on Pharaoh and desolated the land of Egypt. When the children of Israel left Egypt and Pharaoh's armies pursued them, they were afraid. They cried out to the Lord. God was a delivering God then "Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy" Ex. 15:4 6. They built a tabernacle for the Lord in the desert and a Temple for Him in the land. Then they forgot the Lord and He allowed His holy and beautiful House to be destroyed and His people carried away captive to a far land. But not all the people forgot their ancient Deliverer. There was a godly remnant who trusted Him. They represented the people as a whole in God's eyes. Daniel belonged to this godly remnant. Just as a woman would cherish a remnant of her wedding dress if most of it were burnt in a fire, so the godly remnant reminded God of what Israel once was. And Daniel stood foremost for God among the godly remnant, representing all that Israel should have been to God. He suffered along with the Jews who had given God up. Not only that, but he confessed their sins before God, acknowledging that he had part in them and interceding for the people before God Dan. 9:15-19¹⁵And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. ¹⁶O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. ¹⁷Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. ¹⁸O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. ¹⁹O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. (Daniel 9:15‑19). He prayed toward Jerusalem three times a day Dan. 6:10¹⁰Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Daniel 6:10). If the Passover and the Red Sea spoke of the beginning of Israel's history, then Daniel in the lion's den spoke of their end. Had God ever forsaken them? Not a bit. At the very end He said "I have loved you saith the Lord" Mal. 1:2²I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, (Malachi 1:2).

And what memories would be stirred in the heart of a godly Jew by the Lord's plea for deliverance from the dog and the lion. The dog and the lion these animals were prominent at the beginning and ending of Israel's history their leaving Egypt and (in the person of Daniel) their entering the lion's den. In Egypt at their beginning a dog did not bark at them Ex. 11:7⁷But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. (Exodus 11:7); in the end the angel of God shut the lion's mouths Dan. 6:22²²My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (Daniel 6:22). This makes the cry of Christ most piteous. For the mouth of the dog and the lion, which God shut for Israel, were opened against Christ at the cross v 13, 16.

Like Israel He put His trust in God from beginning to end. "But Thou art He that took Me out of the womb Thou didst make Me hope when I was upon My mother's breasts. I was cast upon Thee from the womb." And God had not failed Him from the beginning. Herod tried to kill Him when He was a young child, but God warned Joseph to escape to Egypt with Him see Matt. 2:13¹³And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. (Matthew 2:13). So God delivered Him from Egypt at the beginning of His earthly days, just as He delivered Israel out of Egypt at their beginning Matt. 2:19-21¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. ²¹And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. (Matthew 2:19‑21). Surely God will deliver Him at His end-deliver Him from those who gaped upon Him with their mouth like a ravening and roaring lion just as He delivered Israel at their end in the lion's den. He points out His hopeless position to God hopeless from man's viewpoint "but I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people." How this humiliation of the Savior agrees with what was prophesied about Him "He is despised and rejected by men a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief" Isa. 53:3³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3). Man of sorrows indeed! "All those who see Me laugh Me to scorn they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him." The record of the crucifixion in the gospels is the mirror image of these words. Christ's pleas end with the words "be not far from Me" v 11. It was the distance, the separation from God because of being made sin, that Christ felt most keenly.

Christ Tells God of His Sufferings; He Is Not Delivered Although He Is God's Only One

Christ never thought of Himself always of others. As we are abiding in Him, so will this be true of us. Before going to the cross He said, "Let not your heart be troubled" John 14:1¹Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1). His soul was troubled as the anguish of the cross loomed ahead John 12:27²⁷Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. (John 12:27) but His first concern was for His own. So here. Israel was the apple of God's eye. In the first appeal He recalled Israel's history to God. Now He tells Him about His own great sufferings.

The agony of crucifixion is given to us vividly in these words—I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint...My heart is like wax...it is melted in the midst of My bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd...and My tongue cleaveth to My jaws...and Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death...they pierced My hands and My feet...I can count all My bones...they look and stare upon Me...they part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture." Even the piercing of the Lord's side by the Roman soldier after death is covered... "the horns of the Reem"(1) as earlier the piercing of His hands and feet when He was nailed to the cross. No detail is omitted of the sufferings of Christ. Now while it is true that other men have suffered comparable physical agonies from the awful death of crucifixion, they suffered justly, as the thief who was crucified with Christ admitted, but He had done no wrong Luke 23:41⁴¹And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (Luke 23:41). More importantly, He is God's Darling His only One. His great physical sufferings were intensified by the knowledge that God had forsaken Him.

This plea closes the same way as the first one "be not Thou far from Me." He appeals for deliverance from the sword the power of Rome and from the dog Gentiles generally but here specifically the Roman soldiers v. 16-18. "Save Me from the lion's mouth" is a closing appeal for deliverance from Satan's power. The further words "yea from the horns of the Reem hast Thou answered Me" are clearly not part of the appeal. They are an answer to it, and properly introduce the next division of the Psalm the divine answer to Christ's appeals.

The Divine Answer to the Seven Sufferings of Christ

We are all familiar with the seven sayings of Christ on the cross words like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times Psa. 12:6⁶The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6) but are we equally familiar with His seven sufferings? To the Father, on whose throne He has sat down as the Great Overcomer Rev. 3:2²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (Revelation 3:2)1 This theme is infinitely precious. Should it not be to us too, for "to you therefore who believe, He is precious" 1 Peter 2:7⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (1 Peter 2:7).

Broadly speaking the seven sufferings are divided between His sufferings from God on one hand and His sufferings from Satan and man on the other. Now the essence of His sufferings from God was that God, who is good, was far off. The essence of His sufferings from Satan and man was that they, who were evil, were near. So His appeal to God is for nearness to Him, and for deliverance from the power of Satan and man pressing on Him.

The Divine Answer to Christ's Sufferings From Satan and Man

Satan tempted the first man Adam in the best of circumstances in a garden in Eden; he tempted the second Man, Christ, in the worst of all circumstances a wilderness. Satan overcame Adam, secured the power of death over him, and brought the Adam race into bondage to him. Christ however overcame Satan in the temptation. Frustrated, Satan "departed from Him for a season" Luke 4:13¹³And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. (Luke 4:13) only to return at the cross where he brought all the forces of evil to bear against Him. These were "strong bulls of Bashan" the Jewish religious establishment "dogs" the Roman soldiers and "the lion's mouth" the power of Satan himself. The role of "the strong bulls of Bashan" is well defined in the New Testament... "when the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the Governor" Matt. 27:1, 2¹When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: ²And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. (Matthew 27:1‑2). The "dogs" (the Roman soldiers) are easily identified too, for Matthew cross references his gospel to our Psalm "and they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet "they parted My garments among them and upon My vesture did they cast lots" Matt. 27:35³⁵And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. (Matthew 27:35). "The lion's mouth" is Satan, the last enemy here "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with Me" Psa. 23:4⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4). It was in Psa. 23 that David reviewed the ways of God with him that led him from the valley of the shadow of death to the blessed portion of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever. "The valley of the shadow of death" to David was the valley of Elah, where he fought Goliath 1 Sam. 17. In that encounter Goliath is a figure of Satan, David of Christ. David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword as Christ destroyed him who had the power of death by dying to sin and rising again "that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" Heb. 2:14,15¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15). So Christ reviews the ways of God with Him at the cross. There was no shadow in the valley for Him He tasted death for every thing see Heb. 2:9⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9). But neither was there any fear of evil. He counted on God's presence being with Him at the end "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort Me" this is true dependence when every man was against Him, urged on by Satan.

Yes, Satan marshaled all his forces "the assembly of the wicked" against Christ. They pierced His hands and His feet. However, this was the worst Satan could do. The most ancient of all prophecies had to be fulfilled that the serpent should bruise Christ's heel Gen. 3:15¹⁵And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15). And so it was. Satan's enmity was the cause of the Lord's bodily anguish on the cross and there can be no doubt that he stirred up the reproach of men. The Lord prayed for deliverance from all this. What was the divine answer?

To His bodily sufferings there could be no answer but resting His blessed Head on the cross when His work was finished. The reproach of men yielded to the acclaim of God "honor and majesty hast Thou laid upon Him" Psa. 21:5⁵His glory is great in thy salvation: honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him. (Psalm 21:5). As for the enemies who surrounded Him at the cross, God would take care of them in His own time "sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" Psa. 110:1¹<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1). "Thine hand shall find out all Thine enemies Thy right hand shall find out those who hate Thee Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of Thine anger" Psa. 21:8,9⁸Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. ⁹Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. (Psalm 21:8‑9). "All thine enemies" includes Satan, who once boasted that he would give Christ all the kingdoms of the world and their glory if He would worship him. But in the day when Christ's enemies are subdued, men will know that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" Psa. 24:6⁶This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6).

The Divine Answer to Christ's Sufferings From God.

Christ suffered three ways from God being made sin, being abandoned by God, and accepting death as the just judgment of sin. Think what must have passed across His holy soul when He, who did no sin 1 Peter 2:22²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:22) in whom is no sin 1 John 3:5⁵And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5) and who is without sin Heb. 4:15¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5:21²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). But when this happened darkness replaced the day a darkness over the whole land. And God, who is of too pure eyes to behold iniquity, abandoned Him. This was marked by the cry "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Finally He accepted the judgment of our sins which He had assumed "in that He died He died unto sin once" Rom. 6:10¹⁰For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:10).

Now let us consider the divine answer to Christ's sufferings. First, what was His reward from His Father for the awfulness of being made sin? Was it not in bringing many sons to glory? "For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" Heb. 2:10¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10). "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him He hath put Him to grief when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied" Isa. 53:10, 11¹⁰Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. ¹¹He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10‑11). So the divine answer here is "behold I and the children whom God has given Me" Heb. 2:13¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13). The second question concerns the opening verse and central theme of our psalm-why had God forsaken Christ. The Father always heard Him John 11:42⁴²And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 11:42) why then had He not answered His question and His twofold appeal not to be far from Him? From the gospel record it is clear that the Father answered Him before He laid down His life, for He addressed Him as "Father" once more the cry of relationship and not "My God." "Thou hast made Him most blessed forever Thou hast made Him exceeding glad with Thy countenance" Psa. 21:6⁶For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. (Psalm 21:6). The third question is better put in the language of Scripture "who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living" Isa. 53:8⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8). It can also be answered from Scripture "He asked life of Thee and Thou gavest it Him, even length of days for ever and ever" Psa. 21:4⁴He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. (Psalm 21:4). Here we are admitted into a divine secret that Christ asked God for life as Man in resurrection also that His petition was granted "Thou hast given Him His heart's desire, and hast not withheld the request of His lips" Psa. 21:2²Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. (Psalm 21:2). And in that resurrection life God acclaims Him as the rightful King alone fit to receive the Kingdom setting a crown of pure gold on His head.

So there was a divine answer for all Christ's sufferings from God because of the work of the cross. Nearness was restored, He was given life in resurrection and children after a new order. The Father's love was fully tested at the cross. The beauty of the divine bosom in all its richness and loveliness shone out there. He must declare it to others that they might know it, too. Nobody could declare it who had not tasted it. But Christ had experienced its sweetness, for He was the Son of the Father's love. This brings us back to the heading of our psalm "the hind of the morning.”

The Leap of the Hind of the Morning

At the beginning of this study we were confronted with two problems why David called his psalm "the hind of the morning" but did not directly refer to the hind again, and why the Father, who had heard Christ's appeals, did not answer them at once. Borrowing the language of Scripture we called this question "wine of astonishment." But we have studied this psalm sufficiently to arrive at an answer to the difficulties.

In nature the hind patiently waits for the end of the night. It is not disappointed. When the first rays of the morning break, it bounds off in joy. Well, Christ fulfilled the figure of the hind of the morning. He entered into the darkness of death and rose out of it. It is the morning of His resurrection now. His first and greatest joy is that the Father who previously had heard His appeals has now answered them. Resurrection is the proof of that. "Yea, from the horns of the Reem hast Thou answered Me" is the Lord's rejoicing cry in resurrection. This cry of our precious Savior should not be included in Verse 21. It stands in startling contrast to the plea "save Me from the lion's mouth" just as the hind leaping in the morning is in dramatic contrast to the hind waiting for the morning. Properly it is the commencing verse of the second division of our psalm. It is a beautiful verse, this declaration that He has been answered from the horns of the Reem. The horns are the piercing force of an animal and answer to the piercing of the Lord's side on the cross the last indignity to His body. It stands out in bold relief from the opening of the first division of our psalm "Thou answerest not." The Father's answer centered on His resurrection. Like the rays of the rising sun to the hind, the Father's answer is the source of all joy and praise for everything which follows. As the hind is seen in activity in the morning so is Christ in the morning of His resurrection. He opens to our vista succeeding waves of blessing, each larger in extent than the previous one all the fruit of His work on the cross. Everything ends in praise.

The Risen Lord's Message to Mary Magdalene That He Has Brethren in Resurrection

Now let us turn to a resurrection scene. It is a morning scene, suited to David's title "the hind of the morning." At the sepulcher the Lord appears to Mary Magdalene, anxious to declare the Name of the One who answered Him from the piercing of the cross. This was the first thing on His heart v 22 "I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren." And so at the sepulcher the risen Lord said to Mary "Go to My brethren and say to them I ascend to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God" John 20:17¹⁷Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17). The question which might arise in our hearts who are Christ's brethren is very simply answered. "Ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus...there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" Gal. 3:26,28²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28). Just as my natural brother shares a common life with me, so is a brother in Christ the sharer of Christ's life with me "he who believes on the Son has eternal life" John 3:36³⁶He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36). Paul picks up this theme in Hebrews "for both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren" Heb. 2:11¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11).

Marvelous as this message of unity was, the setting of it in a garden and the manner in which it was delivered to a woman, give fresh luster to the ways of God. For it was in another garden the garden in Eden that another woman, Eve ignored the voice of the Lord God and listened instead to the voice of the serpent. She ate the forbidden fruit and brought sin and death into the world. So it was fitting that in this garden a woman should listen to the voice of the Lord God, and tell the story of His triumph over the serpent's power. The message of Christ's coming ascension was to be told to His brethren men and women who are sharers of His life eternal life.

The Risen Lord Becomes the Leader of Praise and Song in the Midst of the Church

After the Father's Name is declared the language of verse 22 quickens "in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee." So it was on the evening of the same day that Mary Magdalene delivered the Lord's message that Jesus came and stood in the midst of the assembled disciples. True, the Church was not yet formed that had to await the Day of Pentecost but our psalm is a prophecy of the conditions that should apply when it was formed. The Lord's appearance in the midst was, then, a foreshadowing of Church conditions, when He blesses His own with His presence. Referring to our psalm the Epistle to the Hebrews makes it clear that the Lord in the midst becomes the Leader of our hymns of praise "I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren, in the midst of the Church WILL I SING PRAISE unto Thee" Heb. 2:12¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Hebrews 2:12). Thus Christ becomes, to the Church, not only the Leader of our praise but the Leader of our songs of praise. This theme is emphasized in the beautiful lines of Mrs. J. A. Trench:

“Now He praises, in the Assembly,

Now the sorrow all is passed:

His the earnest of our portion

We must reach the goal at last.

Yes, He praises, grace recounting

All the path already trod

We associated with Him

God, our Father and our God.

“Join the singing that He leadeth,

Loud to God our voices raise:

Every step of faith yet trodden

Is a triumph of His grace:

Whether joy, or whether trial,

All can only work for good,

For He holdeth all- who loves us

And hath bought us with His blood.

Christ Resumes His Relationship With Israel As Jehovah

The Church is now left behind and the Spirit of God prophetically moves on to the time when He will begin to revive Israel, when they say "Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for He hath torn, and He will heal us, He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us. In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight" Hos. 6:1, 2¹Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. ²After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hosea 6:1‑2). During the Church period Israel was a valley of dry bones Ezek. 37:1, 2¹The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, ²And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. (Ezekiel 37:1‑2). For God to raise them up there must first be national repentance for the enormity of their sin in crucifying their Messiah. When He appears to them they see the wounds of His crucifixion and exclaim "what are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends" Zech. 13:6⁶And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zechariah 13:6). "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications. And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only Son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as One that is in bitterness for His firstborn...and the land shall mourn, every family apart...and their wives apart" Zech. 12:10-14¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. ¹¹In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. ¹²And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; ¹³The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; ¹⁴All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. (Zechariah 12:10‑14). This, then, seems to be the meaning of verses 23-24 of our psalm. Structurally they follow "the congregation" the Church period but precede "the great congregation" Israel, which is the subject of verses 25 and 26. "Ye that fear Jehovah praise Him" the Psalmist then says in verse 23. "Jehovah" is God's covenant name with Israel, which indicates that they are returning to the Lord. It is beautiful to see that just as the Church period was introduced by the Father answering Christ v 21 so Israel is introduced by the Father hearing Christ verse 24.

Christ Ends His Nazarite Vow and Drinks the Wine of Kingdom Joy With Israel

In verse 25 we find Israel restored to the Lord and praise ascending from the great congregation. But part of the verse "I will pay My vows before them that fear Him" needs to be explained.

In the Upper Room, on the night of His betrayal, the Lord Jesus took the oath of the Nazarite. This oath is described in detail in Num. 6. The Nazarite undertook not to drink wine "all the days of his separation." After that he could "pay his vow" his undertaking would be satisfied and drink wine. Wine is a symbol of earthly joy in the Bible as the Holy Spirit speaks of heavenly joy the two are contrasted in Eph. 5:18¹⁸And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18). The Lord Jesus, then, took the oath of the Nazarite because it was impossible to receive earthly joy from Israel when they were about to crucify Him. The words of His Nazarite oath were "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I DRINK IT NEW WITH YOU IN MY FATHER'S KINGDOM" Matt. 26:29²⁹But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29). In verse 25 of our psalm that time has come and He can pay His Nazarite vow before those who fear Him. He had been in heaven, acting as the Great High Priest of believers during the Church period, and so separated from Israel. But now "the days of His separation" are ended and He will freely drink the wine of kingdom joy with Israel. There is another beautiful figure of the same thing in the marriage supper at Cana of Galilee. There the water of Jewish purifications all that the law could offer is changed into the wine of kingdom joy. The good wine is kept to the end. What truth does this simple figure teach us that the good wine is kept to the end? Is it not that in Christ's 1000 year kingdom men will do whatever He says? see John 2:5⁵His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. (John 2:5). "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" Psa. 110:3³Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. (Psalm 110:3). And this is true earthly joy to the Lord's heart the best wine at the end. "The meek shall eat and be satisfied" verse 26 for the Lord had said that the meek shall inherit the earth see Matt. 5:5⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5). Though Israel's joys are earthly as these figures teach us, they will be very real "blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”

These blessings will be enhanced by an end to carnage in the animal kingdom. The groaning of creation of which Paul speaks in Rom. 8:19 22 will be hushed. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox" Isa. 11:6, 7⁶The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. ⁷And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. (Isaiah 11:6‑7). This change in the habits of the animals is hinted at in Psa. 22 and 23. Up to the end of the first section of Psa. 22 That is the section concerning the cross all the animals mentioned are fierce ones strong bulls of Bashan, a ravening and a roaring lion, dogs, the horns of the Reem. So when the work of the cross ends, the fierce animals disappear from the text. They are replaced by gentle ones, teaching us that the blessings of the kingdom are founded on the cross. First there is the hind of the morning with its symbolic leap out of the darkness of death to the morn of resurrection. Then comes the sheep, the shepherd, the green pastures and still waters.

The Nations of the World Come Under the Sway of Christ's 1000 Year Kingdom

It is beautiful to see the mixture of power and meekness in the coming kingdom. Power will be used to introduce the kingdom and to suppress evil in it once it is established. The nations will be ruled with a rod of iron Rev. 2:27²⁷And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27) but the principles of the kingdom will be those in the Sermon on the Mount. The meek shall truly inherit the earth not those who have filled it with wars and violence. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" Isa. 2:2-4²And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ³And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ⁴And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2‑4). The great men of the world have sometimes used the latter part of the Scripture just quoted to suggest that the wars they waged would be followed by peace. The truth is that only Christ can bring lasting peace to the world. When men acknowledge that the kingdom is the Lord's and He is the Governor among the nations, wars will cease. Those who learned war will come to Jerusalem, to the holy Temple that shall be built there, to learn to worship God instead both the families of the nations and the fat ones of the earth. Then the last words of David will be fulfilled "The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds" 2 Sam. 23:3, 4³The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. ⁴And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2 Samuel 23:3‑4).

The Little Flock

The last two verses of our psalm relate to the people of God generally "a seed shall serve Him it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done it." Then comes the Shepherd Psalm.

“I saw the flock of God, a goodly throng

Of blood- bought people moving fast along

Nor could deceiver ever enter there.”

“Fear not, little flock" the Savior said, "for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" Luke 12:32³²Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32). Men scoff at this because Christianity seems to be in retreat in the world. Even believers can be affected by the growing darkness if they forget that the morning lies ahead. We are warned "because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall grow cold" Matt. 24:12¹²And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12). Don't let that happen to you, dear young believer. Men thought they had Christ secure in the grave with a few soldiers to guard His precious body. Vain thought! To their eye He was a failure, but an unwanted failure. He rose from the dead in power, mocking the will of man. So with the Church today. To man's eye we, too, are a failure, and just as much unwanted as Christ was. Our message is said to be irrelevant. Another vain thought! Those who scoff at the message of the gospel now will tremble in the Day of Judgment.

Let us pay particular attention to the Lord's words "fear not, little flock." There is much in this life to make us fearful, naturally speaking sickness, disease, pain, suffering, the difficulty of earning a living, bereavement, the hatred of the world to name only a few of the trials of everyday life. The lesson of "the hind of the morning" is complete confidence in God when everything is against us. "For we have not a High Priest not able to sympathize with our infirmities, but tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart" Heb. 5:15. We are strengthened in the trials of life by the knowledge that we have a Great High Priest who passed through them all and was delivered out of them. God delivers us from our trials only in His own good time not ours and the end of His ways with us is that we become worshippers. What was the first thing on Christ's lips in resurrection? Was it not the declaration of His Father's Name the One who answered His pleas and delivered Him? Then he becomes the Leader of praise and song in the midst of the Church. That is the culmination of Psa. 22 song, praise, worship, and adoration. Because we read the psalms as prose, we tend to forget that they are metrical and were to be sung. Indeed Psa. 22 is addressed to "the Chief Musician." Little did David know that God's thoughts rose above this man, whoever he was, to His beloved Son, who is to be the Chief Musician of the choirs of the redeemed throughout eternal ages.