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

Rescue my spirit from the disputes of tongues. Save me from the melodies of my only Son. And shield your Church from the might of those who bark for their traditions.

Let each person contemplate their soul in such a manner as to despise selfish desires, which are undoubtedly fleeting, and to cherish the communion and unity described as having one heart and one soul in God. Your soul is not solely your own; it belongs to all the brothers and sisters whose souls are also part of you. More accurately, together with yours, these souls form not individual souls, but the singular soul of Christ, which intercedes in the Psalms for liberation from the grasp of the wicked. Thus, it becomes straightforward to develop a disdain for death.

Rescue my soul from danger. Through these instruments, signified by the melody of a song, the roar of a lion, and the strength of a unicorn, He conveys the malice and folly of the Jewish people. The adversary, who persistently seeks to harm, may also be regarded as a tool. He refers to His soul as uniquely begotten, indicating its distinction from all other souls, for while all others succumb to sin, it remains free from transgression. This unique soul, in constant hypostatic union with God the Word, is united with the flesh. In Christ, we see the perfect harmony of the divine and human natures. Although He remains separate from sinful souls, He approaches them.

In his words, he appeals for assistance, expressing that in the absence of human aid, he wishes for your plea on his behalf, seeking liberation from both them and from the one who operates through them, approaching him like a dog and a lion. The imagery of a lion, a dog, and a unicorn refers to the one whom the Apostle described as possessing "the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14). Even amid His suffering, this adversary confronted Him like a wild beast, leading to death. The Lord also 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 again: "The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he shall find nothing" (John 14:30). Despite not discovering what he sought—namely, the shame of sin—he unscrupulously and exceedingly unjustly orchestrated His execution. Thus, He faced injustice in order to abolish the common fate of death.

The Lord refers to the Roman soldiers as instruments of war, emphasizing their role as armed men wielding swords. Additionally, He designates them as "dogs," reflecting their status as unclean due to their Gentile origins, as previously mentioned. The Lord describes His soul as "only-begotten," signifying its uniqueness; for Christ’s soul stands alone among all human souls as free from sin and in a personal union with the Son of God. One interpretation suggests that the Lord uses "only-begotten" to denote His soul as cherished and esteemed. Just as the only-begotten from the Father is deeply loved, so too is the influence of the dog a representation of Satan’s power.

In these statements, David presents a noteworthy example of his faith. His heartfelt prayers clearly demonstrate his trust in God and his patience as he waits for relief from his trials. With this hope, he revisits the supplication he made in the psalm's opening verse, echoing his plea in the tenth verse as well. After detailing his suffering, he cries out to God for aid and swift rescue from his adversaries. The imagery of weapons, the song of the hand, the mouth of the lion, and the horns of the unicorn conveys the clear and varied threats posed by death. From this, we recognize that, despite being ensnared by death, David remained hopeful, drawing strength from the Lord and thereby preserving his life.

The lament of the Son of Man is a powerful statement. Humanity's adversary is death. The dog symbolizes a demon, and its grasp is representative of hell. Furthermore, the hand of this demonic creature reflects the hand of the unholy assembly opposing the faithful. It is stated that the Only Begotten represents the Church of Christ, which remains unified across the cosmos. Through the transformative power of Christ's Resurrection, it has been liberated from all wickedness, ensuring that even the gates of hell will not overcome it.

The term weapon here refers to an aggressive confrontation. The Savior refers to His soul as the only begotten, signifying both His humanity—being the sole Son born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the one true man—and His divinity: He is the uniquely begotten Son of God. The Psalmist employs this phrase in various contexts (Ps. 24:18; Ps. 34:17). In the latter instance, the holy prophet speaks prophetically about the suffering Savior. It may be that he identifies the soul as singular to convey how the Savior faced abandonment by all (John 14), as He alone overcame the flames of suffering (Is. 63).