Christ
rejected and cast off, yet Creator of heaven and earth
Psalm 102 is one of the
most, perhaps the most, remarkable of all the psalms, and
presents Christ in a way divinely admirable. Verse 10
gives the occasion of the cry with which the psalm
begins. Christ is fully looked at as man chosen out of
the people and exalted to be Messiah, and now, instead of
taking the kingdom, He is rejected and cast off. [1] The time is the immediate approach
of the cross, but was, we know, perhaps often,
anticipated in thought, as John 12. He looks to Jehovah,
who cast down Him whom He had called to the place of
Messiah, but who now meets indignation and wrath. We are
far, here, beyond looking at sufferings as coming from
man. They did, and were felt, but men are not before Him
in judgment; nor is it His expiatory work, though that
which wrought it is here if we take it in its full effect
on the cross—the indignation and wrath. It is
Himself—His own being cut off as man. He is in
trouble; His heart smitten like a pelican of the
wilderness and an owl of the desert; His days as a shadow
that declines, withered like grass. Such was Messiah, to
whom all the promises were. Jehovah endured for ever. His
promises were certain. He would arise, and have mercy on
Zion, and the set time was come.
The whole scene, from
Christ on earth to the remnant in the last days, is one.
When Zion was restored, the heathen would fear the name
of Jehovah. Jehovah will appear, and, when He builds up
Zion, hear and answer the poor remnant, and thus declare
His name in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when all
nations would be gathered together there. But where was
Messiah then? His strength had been weakened in His
journey, His days shortened. He had cried to Him able to
deliver, to save from death. Was Zion to be restored and
no Messiah—He weakened and cut off? Then comes the
wondrous and glorious answer: He was Himself the creator
of the heavens and the earth. He was ever the same. His
years would not fail when the created universe was rolled
up like a garment. The children of His servants would
continue and their seed be established before Him. The
Christ, the despised and rejected Jesus, is Jehovah the
Creator. The Jehovah we have heard of coming, is the
Christ that came. The Ancient of days comes, and Christ
is He, though Son of man. This contrast of the extreme
humiliation and isolation of Christ, and His divine
nature, is incomparably striking.
But it is Christ's
personal sense of rejection, and that in connection with
the remnant, not His bearing the judgment of sin in His
soul for men. Look at the difference of the consequences
in Psalm 22, though that perfect work was needed for
"the nation," too, or their deliverance could
not have taken place.
Summary of Psalms
103 to 106
Psalms 103-106 give us the
results—and the covenant—in grace and in
responsibility, of Israel's history.
Psalm 103 is the voice of
Messiah in Israel in praise according to God's dealing
with them; Psalm 104, the same in creation; Psalm 105,
God's ways in grace, from Abraham up to the giving of the
land (now to be possessed in peace); Psalm 106, the
acknowledgment of Israel's ways from first to last, but
owning Jehovah's mercy, and looking for it, for it endures
for ever. Grace and favour are the one foundation on
which hope can be built leading to obedience. This closes
the book.
[1] Note, there is no bringing in of
'me' in connection with indignation and wrath, as in
Psalm 22, though Christ realises it in spirit. But
personally He is lifted up and cast down. It is a key
which opens up much in the psalms.
Psalm 102 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Psalm 102 is one of the most, perhaps the most, remarkable of all the psalms, and presents Christ in a way divinely admirable. Verse 10 gives the occasion of the cry with which the psalm begins. Christ is fully looked at as man chosen out of the people and exalted to be Messiah, and now, instead of taking the kingdom, He is rejected and cast off. [1] The time is the immediate approach of the cross, but was, we know, perhaps often, anticipated in thought, as John 12. He looks to Jehovah, who cast down Him whom He had called to the place of Messiah, but who now meets indignation and wrath. We are far, here, beyond looking at sufferings as coming from man. They did, and were felt, but men are not before Him in judgment; nor is it His expiatory work, though that which wrought it is here if we take it in its full effect on the cross—the indignation and wrath. It is Himself—His own being cut off as man. He is in trouble; His heart smitten like a pelican of the wilderness and an owl of the desert; His days as a shadow that declines, withered like grass. Such was Messiah, to whom all the promises were. Jehovah endured for ever. His promises were certain. He would arise, and have mercy on Zion, and the set time was come.
The whole scene, from Christ on earth to the remnant in the last days, is one. When Zion was restored, the heathen would fear the name of Jehovah. Jehovah will appear, and, when He builds up Zion, hear and answer the poor remnant, and thus declare His name in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when all nations would be gathered together there. But where was Messiah then? His strength had been weakened in His journey, His days shortened. He had cried to Him able to deliver, to save from death. Was Zion to be restored and no Messiah—He weakened and cut off? Then comes the wondrous and glorious answer: He was Himself the creator of the heavens and the earth. He was ever the same. His years would not fail when the created universe was rolled up like a garment. The children of His servants would continue and their seed be established before Him. The Christ, the despised and rejected Jesus, is Jehovah the Creator. The Jehovah we have heard of coming, is the Christ that came. The Ancient of days comes, and Christ is He, though Son of man. This contrast of the extreme humiliation and isolation of Christ, and His divine nature, is incomparably striking.
But it is Christ's personal sense of rejection, and that in connection with the remnant, not His bearing the judgment of sin in His soul for men. Look at the difference of the consequences in Psalm 22, though that perfect work was needed for "the nation," too, or their deliverance could not have taken place.
Summary of Psalms 103 to 106
Psalms 103-106 give us the results—and the covenant—in grace and in responsibility, of Israel's history.
Psalm 103 is the voice of Messiah in Israel in praise according to God's dealing with them; Psalm 104, the same in creation; Psalm 105, God's ways in grace, from Abraham up to the giving of the land (now to be possessed in peace); Psalm 106, the acknowledgment of Israel's ways from first to last, but owning Jehovah's mercy, and looking for it, for it endures for ever. Grace and favour are the one foundation on which hope can be built leading to obedience. This closes the book.
[1] Note, there is no bringing in of 'me' in connection with indignation and wrath, as in Psalm 22, though Christ realises it in spirit. But personally He is lifted up and cast down. It is a key which opens up much in the psalms.