Psalm 22:3

3 But thou, the praise of Israel, dwellest in a sanctuary.

Psalm 22:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 22:3

But thou [art] holy
Which may be considered either as an argument with his God, why he should hear and answer him, since he is holy, just, and faithful; he has promised, when any call upon him in a day of trouble, he will hear and answer them, and will be glorified by them; this Christ did, and therefore pleads his faithfulness to his promise: or rather a reason quieting him under divine desertion, and a sense of divine wrath, that God was righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works; and that whereas he was the surety of his people, and had all their sins on him, it was perfectly agreeable to the holiness and justice of God to treat him in the manner he did; yea, it was done to declare his righteousness, that he might appear to be just, while he is the justifier of him that believes in him;

[O thou] that inhabitest the praises of Israel;
either the place where Israel offered the sacrifices of praise to God, the tabernacle or temple, the house of prayer and praise in which Jehovah dwelt: or the true Israel of God praising him, who are formed for himself, and called by his grace to show forth his praises; among whom he takes up his residence: or else the praises themselves; and so the phrase denotes God's gracious acceptance of them, and well pleasedness in them, signified by his inhabiting of them, and the frequent and constant ascription of them to him: and perhaps respect may be had chiefly to the praises of his people for providing such a Saviour for them, settling him in the fulness of time, and not sparing him, but delivering him up into the hands of justice and death for them; and for giving all things freely with him.

Psalm 22:3 In-Context

1 O God, my God, attend to me: why hast thou forsaken me? the account of my transgressions is far from my salvation.

2 O my God, I will cry to thee by day, but thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be accounted for folly to me.

3 But thou, the praise of Israel, dwellest in a sanctuary.

4 Our fathers hoped in thee; they hoped, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried to thee, and were saved: they hoped in thee, and were not ashamed.

6 But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of men, and scorn of the people.

7 All that saw me mocked me: they spoke with their lips, they shook the head, saying,

8 He hoped in the Lord: let him deliver him, let him save him, because he takes pleasure in him.

9 For thou art he that drew me out of the womb; my hope from my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast on thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

11 Stand not aloof from me; for affliction is near; for there is no helper.

12 Many bullocks have compassed me: fat bulls have beset me round.

13 They have opened their mouth against me, as a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax.

15 My strength is dried up, like a potsherd; and my tongue is glued to my throat; and thou hast brought me down to the dust of death.

16 For many dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked doers has beset me round: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 They counted all my bones; and they observed and looked upon me.

18 They parted my garments among themselves, and cast lots upon my raiment.

19 But thou, O Lord, remove not my help afar off: be ready for mine aid.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my only-begotten one from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; and regard my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns.

22 I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee.

23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye seed of Jacob, glorify him: let all the seed of Israel fear him.

24 For he has not despised nor been angry at the supplication of the poor; nor turned away his face from me; but when I cried to him, he heard me.

25 My praise is of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their heart shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he is the governor of the nations.

29 All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and worshipped: all that go down to the earth shall fall down before him: my soul also lives to him.

30 And my seed shall serve him: the generation that is coming shall be reported to the Lord.

31 And they shall report his righteousness to the people that shall be born, whom the Lord has made.