Christian Reflection and Prayer

Read Psalm 69.

TEXT: But I am a worm and not a man (see Psalm 22:6).

Psalm 22 is a fascinating prayer. Our Lord Jesus Christ
keeps going back and forth in His prayer. First, He's
sharing His troubles with God; then He's listening as God
speak to Him through His word, the Bible. First, Jesus
spoke about being forsaken and God not listening; then
He recalled the times God faithfully delivered the people
of Israel who called upon Him in their need. Now Jesus
goes back to sharing His pain and sufferings with His God.

In these verses we see the incredible accuracy of this
psalm as detail after detail of Jesus' crucifixion unfolds,
beginning with Jesus calling Himself a worm and not a man.
If you were to stand and watch a person hanging from a
cross you would be reminded of a worm wriggling and
writhing in pain. The crucified victim twists and turns His
body seeking some relief from the excruciating agony.

Yet the prophecy goes far deeper than Jesus' physical
sufferings. It speaks how His enemies think of Him. They
refuse to treat Him with the common decency and dignity
any human deserves, treating Him instead as though He
was a contemptible worm to be crushed underfoot.
 
When the mighty Son of God became man He was already
taking an incredible step down. But when He surrendered
Himself to arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He stepped
even lower-exposing Himself to mockery, scorn, torment,
torture, even crucifixion itself.
 
He humbled Himself in loving obedience to His Father's will,
and in an undying concern for your salvation.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, You are Lord and God of all. Yet, You
humbled Yourself as though You were a worm, not even a
man. Receive my humble gratitude and praise. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)