Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 22:11-21

"Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gape upon me with their mouth, [As] a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. I may count all my bones; They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, And upon my vesture do they cast lots. But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion`s mouth; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me." — Psalms 22:11-21 (ASV)

In these verses, we see Christ suffering and Christ praying, which directs us to expect suffering and to look up to God amidst it. The specific manner of Christ's death is described, even though it was not a method of execution used among the Jews. They pierced His hands and His feet, which were nailed to the accursed tree, and His whole body was left hanging to suffer the most severe pain and torture.

His physical strength failed, consumed by the fire of Divine wrath that preyed upon His spirit. Who then can stand before God's anger? Or who knows its power? The life of the sinner was forfeited, and the life of the Sacrifice had to be the ransom for it. Our Lord Jesus was stripped when He was crucified, so that He might clothe us with the robe of His righteousness.

Thus it was written; therefore, thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer. Let all this confirm our faith in Him as the true Messiah and stir up our love for Him as the best of friends, who loved us and suffered all this for us. Christ in His agony prayed, prayed earnestly, prayed that the cup might pass from Him. When we cannot rejoice in God as our song, let us still rely on Him as our strength and take comfort in spiritual supports when we cannot have spiritual delights.

He prays to be delivered from the Divine wrath. He who has delivered, does deliver, and will continue to do so. We should reflect on the sufferings and resurrection of Christ until we feel in our souls the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.