‘All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.” – Psalm 22:27-28
Scripture reading: Psalm 22:22-26
It is all coming to a head. However, in complete contrast to earlier in this psalm when it all came upon the suffering Servant’s head, now we see what was on his head all along because he wears the crown! The suffering Servant is the King!
The previous five verses have quite rightly raised up the thanksgiving of the congregation through the public worship of God’s people then – Israel. The suffering Servant is their ruler – He is ‘The King of the Jews’. Mark 15:26 tells us this was written upon the cross.
Yet Christ was always much more than this. Verse 26 declares that he rules over the nations. The Hebrew word for His ruling here describes a king being exalted above others by virtue of His office. He is the King above all kings, he is the ruler of kings on earth, to quote Revelation 1:5.
The suffering Servant expects that as a result of His rescue, the conversion of the nations will take place. So the work He has done, when it’s proclaimed throughout the nations, will mean many more coming to worship the Lord God through Him.
How much wouldn’t that sound wrong to physical Israel! But how much doesn’t it make us right with God – we, the pagans spread throughout all the nations. This is what David prophesies here, for no other experience of suffering and divine deliverance, other than our Lord’s experience of the cross and resurrection, has had such a universal effect.
Suggestions for prayer
Thank Jesus for His victory over sin, death and hell, which is what we celebrate every Lord’s Day again. Ask for His Spirit’s help to live that truth out in our lives.
Rev. Sjirk Bajema currently serves the RCNZ Oamaru, in Oamaru, New Zealand. Over the past thirty-eight years Rev. Bajema has been privileged to minister with four congregations in Australia and New Zealand. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
