Psalm 22 (21):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is advisable to amend the text based on the original Latin. They sneered and shook their heads (Matthew 27:39), declaring, ‘He put his faith in the Lord; let Him rescue him.’ This was the message they conveyed, expressed verbally from their lips.

I am but a worm, not a human being. He instructs us to practice humility, especially those who approach God. The scorn from others and the degradation experienced by humanity. The Evangelist distinctly states that this was manifest in Him during His crucifixion, when those who walked by shook their heads at Him and reviled Him, saying, “But if you are the Son of God, ... save yourself” (Matt. 27:40; Mark 15:30).

This is recorded in the sacred Gospel. It is stated: ‘Those who passed by’ remarked, ‘He has rescued others; can He not rescue Himself?’ (Matthew 27:39, 42)

Place your faith in the Lord for His rescue, so He may save him according to His will, for He delights in him. This sentiment is reflected in the Gospel of Matthew, which states, “But those who passed by blasphemed Him... saying, ‘He that destroyeth the temple, and in three days buildeth, save Himself... He trusted in God; let Him now deliver him, if He favoureth Him’” (Matthew 27:43). In the Gospel of Luke, it is recorded that the onlookers observed and the leaders derided Him with the taunt, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, His chosen one” (Luke 23:35). The sheer ignorance of the Jewish people is remarkable, as their inability to grasp the significance of these words spoken against them in Christ’s name, while witnessing Him on the cross, illustrates their arrogance, consistent with prophecy.

They proclaimed with their lips and gestured with their heads, uttering, “Let him deliver himself.” This was enacted by the Jewish people against Christ, as you are well aware. When he was being crucified, they moved their mouths and shook their heads, saying, “Having brought the dead back to life, let him save himself.”

Psalm and Gospel These statements carry profound evangelical importance, as the Jewish onlookers remarked while He was crucified: He trusted in God; let Him now rescue Him, if He desires (Matt. 27:43). O divine completeness! Does it not feel as though we are engaging with not just a psalm, but the Gospel itself? This has been realized with such accuracy that it appears to describe not merely what is to come but what is happening in our very midst.

In these statements, he clarifies the preceding message. He illustrates how he faced scorn from individuals of the lowest and most despicable character, revealing the nature of the ridicule directed at him by these same people. Many, dissatisfied with mere taunts, escalated their mockery through exaggerated gestures, such as opening their mouths wider or shaking their heads—expressions that are characteristic of those who scorn others. A particularly grievous aspect is when these dishonorable figures accused him, suggesting that God, whom he had always recognized as his Father, had forsaken him. It is evident that David, despite being unjustly condemned by the world, consistently turned to God, trusting in Him alone for refuge as someone with a clear conscience.

Despite the accusations leveled against Christ by the Jews, He placed His unwavering faith in God the Father, believing that He would resurrect Him with splendor from the grave.