For the chief musician: Upon Sunrise (Ayeleth Shahar), a psalm of David:
My G-D! My G-D! Why have You forsaken me? (Eloi! Eloi! L’mah sh’vaktani?) Why are You so far from saving me, and from the words of my roaring? My G-D, I cry out to You by day, but You don’t answer me, even in the night, and I am not silent. Nevertheless, You are Holy, You Who inhabit the praises of Isra’el. Our Fathers trusted in You. They trusted and You delivered them. They cried out to You and were saved. They trusted in You and were not disappointed.
But I am a worm, not a man, scorned by men, despised by the people. All who see me jeer at me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “He committed himself to Adonai, so let H-M rescue him. Let H-M set him free, since HE delights in him.”
But You are HE Who took me out of the womb. You made me trust when I was on my mother’s breasts. From the womb I was thrown upon You. You are my G-D from my mother’s belly. Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none other to help.
Many bulls surround me. Strong bulls of Bashan close in on me. They gaped at me with open mouths, as a ravenous, roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melted in the middle of my bowels. My strength is as dry as a pot shard, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have brought me into the dust of death. The dogs have surrounded me. A crowd of the wicked encloses me. They pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. They stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among them, casting lots for my clothing. But You, Adonai, don’t be far from me! My strength, come quickly to help me! Deliver my life from the sword, my life from the grip of the dog! Save me from the lion’s mouth, for You have heard me from the horns of wild bulls.
I will declare Your Name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will praise You. You who fear Adonai, praise H-M! All descendants of Ya’achov, glorify H-M! Revere H-M, all you seed of Isra’el! For HE has not despised or disdained the afflictions of the afflicted, neither has HE hid H-S Face from him. But when he cried out to H-M, HE heard his cry.
By Your Gift I will praise You in the vast assembly. I will fulfill my vows before those who fear H-M. The poor will eat and be satisfied. Those who seek Adonai will praise H-M! Your hearts will rejoice forever! All people of the Earth shall remember and turn to Adonai, and the families of all nations will worship in Your Presence.
For the Kingdom belongs to Adonai, and HE rules the nations. All who prosper on the Earth will eat and worship. All who sleep in the dust will kneel before H-M, those who can’t keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him, and all generations will be told of Adonai. They will come and proclaim H-S righteousness to a people unborn, that HE has done this.
No chapters of Tanakh (Old Testament) more aptly describe the Passion of Christ, the sacrificial death of Yeshua HaMashiakh, as this one does. In his “Gospel of Mark” message on September 8, 2012, Teacher David Harris, speaking to the congregation of Albuquerque’s Adat Yeshua, explained how King David prophesied Yeshua’s suffering and humiliation in this psalm.
The first eight verses describe Yeshua’s Human confusion in his physical suffering, Harris said, while verses nine through twenty describe his pleas for relief from pain, as “I need you, please come here,” as any son in need would ask from his father. The last section of verses confirms that G-D will fulfill H-S Promise to us, and that Messiah’s destiny will not only be remembered, but will be praised.
The phrase “I am a worm” is quite noteworthy. In Aramaic, the word “worm” is tolat, a worm dried and ground up for dyeing fabrics scarlet/purple. David (Harris) reminded us that this was the color of Yeshua’s robe when he was mocked by Roman soldiers. What an image! Thank you, David!
Most significant to me from this passage is that G-D’s Greatest Gift to us was the Holy Ghost of H-S Son, Yeshua, our Salvation, who was despised, scorned by men, and suffered, no bones broken, but given quick relief in death. He was sent as a Light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6) but is being revealed today to his people Isra’el, the promised remnant enumerated as the 144,000 of Revelation 7:3-8. These are likely Messianic Jews, but G-D will welcome all of Hebrew blood who honor H-M in Torah, into the millions, also the rest of us Gentiles, even those of other WORDs (John 12:47-48).