Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 22 "To the Chief Musician. Set to 'The Deer of the Dawn.' A Psalm of David."
Day 161 – Psalm 22
“To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘The Deer of the Dawn.’ A Psalm of David.” Psalm 22
SUPERSCRIPTION
1. Author is identified as David.
2. ‘The Deer of the Dawn’
a) This is most likely the name of the tune.
b) It is a unique title.
c) Unfortunately we are not able to discover how Psalm 22 was to be sung to this tune.
3. The Chief Musician
a) One of his tasks would be to file each Psalm carefully.
b) Another task would be to teach people how to sing this ‘Deer of the Dawn’.
A MESSIANIC PSALM
Psalm 22 is another “Messianic Psalm”. There are a number of references that only the Messiah Himself could and did fulfill! The more famous lines include the following:-
1. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Psalm 22:1)
2. “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him” (Psalm 22:8)
3. “They pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16)
4. “They divide My garments among them” (Psalm 22:18)
TWO MOVEMENTS NOTED
Psalm 22 features two very distinct movements:-
1. Lamentation (Psalm 22:1-21)
2. Praise (Psalm 22:22-31)
AN INTENSELY PERSONAL PSALM
We are not able to discover the historical circumstances under which this deeply moving psalm was written. The imagery employed would indicate a time of tremendous distress for David. Nevertheless his trust in God won the day!