(22:1) Prophetic Statement - David gave an amazingly accurate description of the suffering the Messiah would endure hundreds of years later. David was obviously enduring some great trial, but through his suffering, he, like the Messiah to come gained victory. Jesus, the Messiah, quoted this verse while hanging on the cross carrying our burden of sin (Matthew 27:46). It was not a cry of doubt but an urgent appeal to God.

(22:6) Promised Hope and Victory - When others despise us and heap scorn upon us, they treat us as less than human. After much degradation, we, like David, can begin to feel like worms. When we feel the sting of rejection, we must keep in mind the hope and victory that God promises us (22:22-31).

(22:9-11) God's Love - God's loving concern does not begin on the day we are born and conclude on the day we die. It reaches back to those days before we were born and reaches ahead along the unending path of eternity. Our only sure help comes from a God whose concern for us reaches beyond our earthly existence. When faced with such love, how could anyone reject it?

(22:12) Bashan - The land of Bashan, located east of the Sea of Galilee, was known for its strong and well-fed cattle (Amos 43) Because of its grain fields, it was often called the breadbasket of Palestine

(22:15) Potsherd - A "potsherd" is a pottery fragment, a piece of clay baked hard by the sun or by fire.

(22:18) Destitute - It is a great insult to human dignity to rob a person of everything, even his clothing, leaving him naked and destitute. Jesus the Messiah would suffer this humiliating experience on the cross (Matthew 27:35). Most of us will never know the shame and suffering of being penniless and virtually naked in a public place, as many of the Jews experienced during the Nazi holocaust, or even the shame of being homeless on the streets of war-torn cities today. But we would feel exposed and naked if some secret sin was uncovered. If this happens, we need to cry out with the psalmist, "O my strength, haste thee to help me" (Psalm 22:10).

(22:22) Praising God - David would praise God among the people because his private deliverance deserved a public testimony. God may wonderfully rescue us in the quiet moments when we are hurting, and we should be prepared to offer public praise for his care.

(22:30-31) Tell our children of the Lord - Unborn generations are depending on our faithfulness today. As we teach our children about the Lord, so they will teach their children and their children's children. If we fail to tell our children about the Lord, we may well be breaking the chain of God's influence in generations to come. We must view our children and all the young people we meet as God's future leaders. If we are faithful in opportunities to speak into their lives today, we may well be affecting the future.

(22:30-31) Teach the Bible - If we want our children to serve the Lord, they must hear about him from us. It is not enough to rely on the church or those with more knowledge than we have to provide all the Christian education they need. We must reinforce knowledge of the Bible in our homes.