What historical context influenced the writing of Psalm 22:20? Authorship and Dating Psalm 22 is expressly attributed to David (Psalm 22:1 superscription “For the choirmaster. To the tune of ‘The Doe of the Dawn.’ A Psalm of David.”). On a straightforward, plain-sense reading, David’s lifetime places composition c. 1010–970 BC, squarely within the early United Monarchy. Bishop Usshur’s chronology situates this roughly 2960 years after Creation and about a millennium before Christ. No internal evidence contradicts Davidic authorship; the vocabulary, syntax, and imagery correspond with other firmly Davidic psalms (e.g., Psalm 18; 23; 31). Political Context of David’s Reign The early monarchy was characterized by volatile transition from tribal confederation to centralized kingdom. David inherited a fragile national structure beset by Philistine pressure (1 Samuel 13:5), internecine tribal rivalries (2 Samuel 2–4), and lingering loyalty to Saul’s dynasty (2 Samuel 3:6–39). As king-in-waiting or as reigning monarch, David repeatedly faced lethal opposition from Saul (1 Samuel 19–26), Philistines (2 Samuel 5), neighboring Amalekites (1 Samuel 30), and later a full-scale coup by his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15–18). Any of these crises could underlie Psalm 22’s plea: “Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog” (Psalm 22:20). Military and Personal Crisis 1. Flight from Saul (c. 1013–1010 BC): David lived as a fugitive in wilderness strongholds (En-gedi, Maon, Ziph) confronted by Saul’s elite units (“dogs” and “lions,” cf. Psalm 22:13,16,20). 2. Ziklag and Amalek (1 Samuel 30): marauders abducted families, and David’s own men threatened stoning—an existential peril that fits the Psalm’s alternating despair and trust. 3. Absalom’s Revolt (c. 979 BC): David fled Jerusalem, endured public humiliation (2 Samuel 16:5–14), and fought a civil war; the “assembly of evildoers” (Psalm 22:16) aptly describes those who sought his life. Though the precise episode cannot be pinned down with absolute certainty, the consistent element is David’s acute experience of unjust persecution and imminent death. Cultural and Religious Milieu Ancient Near Eastern warfare imagery routinely depicted enemies as ravenous animals (see Ugaritic texts KTU 3.3:9-14). Israel shared this idiom, yet infused it with covenant theology: Yahweh is the deliverer who “answers” (Psalm 22:21). Sacrificial language (“bulls of Bashan,” v.12) tallies with Israel’s Tabernacle system (Leviticus 1-7) then operating at Nob or later at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39). Liturgical headings such as “choirmaster” suggest institutionalized worship forming under David, corroborated by the chronicler’s record of Levite choirs (1 Chronicles 15-16). Literary Parallels and Ancient Near Eastern Background Psalm 22 is a classic individual lament: complaint (vv.1-2), trust (vv.3-5), lament intensified (vv.6-18), plea (vv.19-21), and vow of praise (vv.22-31). This structure mirrors but also surpasses Mesopotamian laments (e.g., “Prayer to Ishtar for Deliverance from Disease,” AO 6764), emphasizing a personal, covenant God rather than capricious deities. The vivid description “they pierce my hands and feet” (v.16, LXX ωρυξαν — “dug”) ingeniously anticipates crucifixion centuries before Persians invented it, underscoring divine inspiration transcending historical knowledge. Messianic and Prophetic Dimensions While rooted in David’s lived distress, Psalm 22 functions typologically and prophetically. New Testament writers cite it of Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:46; John 19:24; Hebrews 2:12). The Spirit-guided authorship (Acts 1:16) presupposes divine foreknowledge, making historical David both sufferer and seer. The historical context therefore serves dual purposes: contemporaneous lament and foreshadowing of the Messiah, validating Luke’s assertion that “all that was written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). Conclusion Psalm 22:20 emerged from David’s tangible encounter with lethal foes within the volatile sociopolitical landscape of early Israelite monarchy. The lament reflects authentic military peril, covenant theology, and Near Eastern poetic forms, preserved with remarkable textual fidelity. Simultaneously it constitutes a Spirit-breathed prophecy of the Messiah’s passion, integrally woven into redemptive history and pointing every generation to the Deliverer who conquered death. |
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