John Trapp on Psalms 22:1

PSAL. XXII.

UPon Ajeleth Shahar] Or, The morning-Hart or ſtag; ſuch an one as the huntſman ſevereth out in the morning from the reſt, to hunt for that day. It ſheweth, ſaith One, Davids and Chriſts early and unceſſant perſecution and hunting (by thoſe doggs, verſ. 16.) till they came to their Kingdomes. David had his ſhare of ſharp afflictions, doubtleſſe, when hee penned this Pſalm; witneſſe that graphicall deſcription of his greateſt grief in all parts and powers of body and ſoul, Verſ. 14, 15, 16; &c. But his mind and thoughts were by Gods holy Spirit carried out to Chriſts moſt dolorous and inexpreſſible ſufferings; to the which all his were but as flea-bitings, as the ſlivers or chips of Chriſts Croſſe; and this was no ſmall mitigation of his miſery. When the Jews offered our Saviour gall and vinegar, hee taſted it, but would not drink. Thereſt hee left for his people, and they muſt pledge him, filling up that which is behind of his ſufferings, Col. 1.24. though for a different end, as for exerciſe, example, triall, witneſſe of truth, &c.

Verſ. 1. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee?] David had prayed, Oh for ſake mee not utterly, Pſal. 119.8. In part and for a time hee knew God might forſake him, to his thinking at leaſt. But what ſaith Auſtin? Non deſerit Deus etiamſi deſerere videatur; non deſerit etiamſi deſerat; God forſaketh not his, though hee leem ſometimes to do ſo; hee leaveth them ſometimes, but forſaketh them never: as in an eclipſe, the earth wanteth the light of the Sun, but not the influence thereof. David could at the ſame time call God, his God thrice over, which are words of faith, and do plainly evince that this deſertion under which hee groaned, was neither abſolute nor reall, but only that hee was in a great diſtreſſe and perplexity;Plat. in Phaed ſo that hee did beleeve, and yet not beleeve (Plato though a Heathen could ſay that a man may do ſo.) See the like, Pſal. 31.22. Jon. 2.4. See the Note there. Our Saviour in his deepeſt diſtreſſe on the Croſſe, when coping and conflicting with the wrath of his heavenly Father, who (beſide the wrath of men, and rage of Devills in that three houres darkneſſe eſpecially) fought againſt him with his own bare hand, hee ſuffered more than can bee imagined, took up this patheticall exclamation, and as ſome think, repeated this whole Pſalm. Then it was that hee felt in ſoul and body the horrour of Gods diſpleaſure againſt ſin, for which he had undertaken. Then it was that the Deity (though never ſeparated from his Humanity, no not in death when ſoul and body were ſundred for a ſeaſon) did [non-Latin text not transcribed] (as a Father ſpeaketh) ſuſpend for time the influence of its power, and lye hid as it were, neque vires ſuas exſerebat, not putting forth its force, as formerly. Hilary hath a good Note upon this part of Chriſts paſſion; Habes conquerentem relictum ſe eſſe, &c. Here thou haſt him complaining as forſaken of God; this ſheweth him to have been a man; but withall thou haſt him promiſing paradiſe to the penitent theef; this ſpeaketh him God.

Why art thou ſo farre from, &c.] I roar and am not relieved, as to eaſe; God will have his people feel what an evill and bitter thing ſin is, Jer. 2.19. and therefore he holdeth them eftſoones long upon the rack. Chriſt alſo, under the deep ſenſe of our ſins, for which hee ſuffered, offered up prayers, with ſtrong crying and tears to him that was able to ſave him from death, Heb. 5.7.