Psalm 22 (21):20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But You, O Lord, do not forsake me; You are my strength! Lord, lift me up swiftly, not just in the final days, but in this present moment. Hurry, so that they do not cause Me any harm.

He transforms His words into a plea. He states that through Your assistance and intercession, He will resurrect after three days, demonstrating the futility of their wickedness. In this, He exemplifies for us the way we ought to turn to God during trials, remaining steadfast and not disheartened or diminished by challenges.

He expresses a plea for divine intercession, acknowledging his lack of human support, and seeks liberation from both his adversaries and the one who manipulates them, who approaches him like a fierce dog and a roaring lion. In this context, a lion, a dog, and a unicorn symbolize the adversary who, as stated by the Apostle, possesses “the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Even amidst His suffering, this foe attacked Him like a predatory beast, inflicting death. The Lord proclaimed in the Holy Gospel: “Now is the judgement of this world: now the prince of this world shall be cast out” (John 12:31), and He also said: “The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he shall find nothing” (John 14:30). Despite not discovering any grounds for accusation (He sought the shame of sin), this adversary unjustly orchestrated His death. He endured great injustice in order to abolish the shared dominion of death.

In light of the many afflictions that have befallen me, I beseech you, O Lord, do not withdraw your assistance. Instead, quickly grant me your safeguarding, so that I may experience resurrection on the third day.

In these verses, David presents a profound testament to his faith. His heartfelt supplications clearly demonstrate his reliance on God and his patient anticipation for relief from his hardships. With this hope, he revisits the prayer initiated in the first verse of the psalm and echoed in the tenth and the subsequent verses. After detailing his suffering, he implores the Lord for assistance and swift rescue from his adversaries. When he refers to weapons, the song of the hand, the mouth of the lion, and the horns of the unicorn, he signifies the apparent yet diverse threats of death surrounding him. Thus, we observe that David, even when confronted by death, did not lose hope; instead, he drew strength from the Lord and preserved his life.

The assistance and heavenly intercession of Christ our Lord remain ever-present, for He triumphed over death after three days. The divinity of the Son of God cast darkness upon the earth until the ninth hour, leading the treasurer and others who sought His body to embrace faith while hoping for Judas to approach the cross, repent, and receive forgiveness.