Psalm 21 Commentary. by Dr Noel Donnelly
The complete text of Psalm 21 is both beautiful and terrifying. The mention of King David in the superscription leads scholars to see the original psalm as one in which David is foretelling the horrible persecutions and crucifixions by the Persians that lay ahead; but the psalm does end with a note of encouragement as it points to eventual triumph. In today’s Gospel the psalm is found on the lips of the crucified Jesus.
Our weekend liturgy selects the first verse of Psalm 21 as our response (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”), followed by eight of the psalm’s 32 verses. These 9 verses were surely in the mind of Matthew as he composed his particular Passion Narrative. They remind us of the agonies of Jesus which will be portrayed in Matthew’s Gospel which follows, with the insulting scorn of the accusers, the counting of his very bones, the holes in Jesus’ hands and feet and the dividing of his garments. In our Liturgy of the Word, the psalm echoes the previous reading from Isaiah 50 about the Suffering Servant offering his back and cheeks to blows and insults and spittle of his tormenting accusers.
In the question of the crucified Jesus, “My God, WHY?”, we find Jesus questioning the silence of God amidst so much personal suffering. A question we may have shared in our own experience of desolation and humiliation.Nevertheless, the singer may appropriately lift the congregation with hope by making the final verse resound so positively: “You who fear the Lord, Give God Praise!” One commentator sees this as the psalmist inviting the congregation to raise a toast to God after his survival from the very threshold of death. Yes, Resurrection is ahead, but let’s not rush at it! There is much to savour in the human struggles and pain Jesus endured.
Ps 21: words (c) The Grail, England; music Martin Morran (c) Kevin Mayhew. Recorded by Grace Buckley. Graphic (c) Netta Ewing.
Ps 21: words (c) The Grail, England; music (c) Gerry Fitzpatrick. Recorded by Grace Buckley.
