The Kingdom of Jesus (Psalm 22:22-31)
As we consider the second section of Psalm 22 we can see some differences between it from the first section. The first section describes an event that is past, the death of the Messiah, whereas the second section describes the present and the future, which means that the second section is describing us at times. We can also see that the first section has one speaker whereas the second section has that speaker speaking and the psalmist speaking. The Messiah speaks in verses 22-25 and David speaks in verses 26-31. We can entitle the first section as The Consecration of the Messiah and the second section as The Conquests of the Messiah.
The consecration of the Messiah
This section has two subsections. In verses 22-24, the Messiah promises to tell the name of God to his brothers. Since we know that the Messiah is the Son of God, this means that the name he will teach about is the name of the Father. This verse is cited by the author of Hebrews in his second chapter to explain what the Son of God will be engaged in after his time on the cross.
This passage stresses the importance of the doctrine of adoption. The author of Hebrews points out that this doctrine shows that Jesus is not ashamed to regard his people as his brothers. Instead, he wants them to know who the Father is and discover what is involved in family membership. Adoption into the divine family is a very rich doctrine, with many spiritual comforts connected to it.
Jesus also points out that he intends to be both a prophet and a priest. As a prophet he aims to teach his people about the Father and as a priest he intends to lead their praise of the Father. As we think about that intention, we can ask where he is going to do this. From one point of view he is going to do it in heaven and on earth because that is where his people will be found. Yet he also mentions that there is only one group, which he calls the congregation in verse 22 and the great congregation in verse 25. The congregation are the same as the family.
It is amazing to think about this activity of Jesus. Spurgeon commented in a sermon on this verse: ‘As God, He is praised forever – far above all worshipping – He is Himself forever worshipped! But as Man, the Head of redeemed humanity, the ever-living Priest of the Most High God, I believe that He praises Jehovah in Heaven. Surely it is the office of the Head to speak and to represent the holy joys and devout aspirations of the whole body which He represents. In the midst of the congregations of earth, too, is not Jesus Christ the sweetest of all singers? I like to think that when we pray on earth our prayers are not alone, but our great High Priest is there to offer our petitions with His own.’
Another question that arises from this divine intention of the Son, which is how long he will engage in this activity. The answer is that he will be doing this forever, which is a reminder to us of the bigness of the subject (the name of the Father) and the blessing of worship.
We can also ask about what Jesus will teach about the Father. The answer to this question is that he will teach his brothers, his people, the congregation, to esteem and worship the Father because of what he did at the cross. Jesus points out that he was afflicted on the cross and how some despised and abhorred him when that occurred (we can read about them in the first section of the psalm). But the Father did not do so, even although he was the one who had forsaken Jesus because he was paying the punishment for his people’s sins. Although the Father’s presence could not be sensed by the Son, there never was a moment when the Father did not intend to answer the prayers of the Son on the cross.
We are called to worship the Father because of what occurred at Calvary. In verse 23, believers are given different titles and various exhortations. As we consider them, we can see that we are being taught by Jesus how to worship the Father. His people are the covenant people, and they reverence the Father, they extol the Father, they are enthralled by the Father, and they are overwhelmed by the riches of his grace. That surely is the proper response to what the Father did at the cross.
In verse 25, the Messiah speaks to the Father about what he shall do as part of the great congregation. He says that he will praise the Father for what came from the Father, which is probably a reference to his eternal plan. In that plan, there were roles for the Son to perform, and some of those roles are described in the psalm. He was called to be the Sufferer who would lovingly bear penalty due to his people and then become their teacher and praise leader. His description here shows that the Son was delighted with those roles and states that he will keep his vows whenever the congregation gathers, which is another way of saying that he will do so forever. He mentions that they will see him keep his vows. One question that arises may be to ask when he made them, and I would suggest that the answer is that he did so in a past eternity.
The conquests of the Messiah (vv. 26-31)
In this section, David speaks about what would happen during the period after the cross. The first matter that he highlights we can call the riches of divine grace (v. 26). He speaks about the brothers of the Son and describes them as those who are afflicted, which is a term that indicates they are under spiritual assault from their spiritual foes.
We know who these opponents are – the world, the flesh and the devil. Yet the psalmist knows that no matter how powerful those enemies are they cannot prevent the brother of Jesus from receiving divine sustenance from God. He will provide them with what their souls need, and this provision will cause them to praise the Lord, and the fact that they praise the Lord is evidence that they are experiencing the teaching of Jesus.
The psalmist points out that the afflicted know where to go when they are under spiritual assault – they go and seek the One described in the previous verse. They hurry to Jesus, the one who is the distributor of divine blessings, and who with the Father has sent the Spirit to bring those rich provisions to their souls. He has enough resources to ensure that they will live forever.
It is the case that the term translated as afflicted also can be translated as meek. This is a reminder that troubles have very different effects on believers than they may have on others. Their spiritual afflictions cause them to become Christlike, like the One who was meek and lowly in heart.
In verses 27 to 29, David mentions a second activity that will take place after the cross and we can see from his words that this activity is a global phenomenon. We can describe it as geographical and historical success. It is extraordinary that the One who was alone on the cross is going to become so attractive to people from all periods and places. Yet we know that this has been the story of the last two thousand years.
We can identify some features of the growing kingdom. First, the members are marked by repentance – they remember and turn to the Lord. I suspect that the word ‘remember’ points to thinking about a message they have heard, and when they think about it as they should, they turn in repentance to God. They come to him as sorrowing sinners, thankful for the invitation to do so.
Second, they are marked by unity. This kingdom is the opposite state of affairs to what had occurred at Babel when all the families of the earth were separated from one another because of their rejection of God’s requirements. In the kingdom, those who once fought each other now worship together. The words of the psalmist also show that in this kingdom the great promises to Abraham about his seed bringing blessing all the families of the earth will be fulfilled. And that is what is taking place today.
Third, there is recognition of the sovereignty of the king. In fact, the members of the kingdom realise that there is only one permanent king. This has been their outlook throughout the years of the existence of the kingdom. It was the accusation made against the early church that they declared another king, Jesus, and it was a true accusation because that is what they did say about their Master.
Fourth, the membership of this kingdom is status-free. In verse 29, the rich and the poor are mentioned, and they are equal beneficiaries of his kingdom. The reality is that all of them are completely dependent on the king for their survival. Without him they can do nothing.
In verses 30 and 31, the activities of the church are described. What does the church do in any period of the kingdom’s existence? They tell the next generation about the King and his achievements. In particular, they speak about his righteousness, which is another way of describing his salvation. The psalmist indicates that proclaimers of the gospel will come, and through their message the kingdom will grow. This is the story of the future, and nothing can stop it happening because the King is in control.
Some applications
First, we should bear in mind how amazing is the contrast between the sufferings and the glory of Christ. Second, we should think big when thinking about the kingdom of Jesus – the fact is that it is much bigger than you and I are capable of realising. Third, this description of the glory of Jesus reminds us that we can pray boldly when praying for the coming of his kingdom. Fourth, anticipate great things for the kingdom because Jesus reigns and he will gather in his brothers into the great congregation.