Psalm 22 Revisited from Prison
Psalm 22 (NIV)
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
This first verse of Psalm 22 is famous for being quoted by Jesus as a cry of suffering from the cross (Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), but as I stand inside the Mamertine Prison it's Paul's suffering that I'm most acutely aware of. Tradition says that both Peter and Paul were imprisoned in the Mamertine Prison in Rome before they were killed. I'm inside the lower level of the prison and I open my Bible app to 2 Timothy and read of Paul's time in jail. It's possible he wrote 2 Timothy within these walls, and if not at Mamertine, then it would have been in a similar place of suffering.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads. …
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
Psalm 22 is often thought of as being prophetic about the suffering that Jesus would endure on the cross. As the psalmist cries out to God he describes how alone he feels, he is despised, mocked, insulted and alone. As well as suffering physically in jail, in his second letter to Timothy Paul is also very alone in Rome. He has been deserted by everyone in the province of Asia and by others in Rome, and some, such as Demas, had also left the faith (2 Tim 1:15 and 4:9-10). Only Luke is with him as he writes this letter (2 Tim 4:11), but he describes with deep gratitude how Onesiphorus had searched through Rome to find him (2 Tim 1:16-18).
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
The psalmist continues his description of his anguish as being 'poured out like water', and similarly, in 2 Timothy Paul writes, 'For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near' (2 Tim 4:6). Both of their suffering is so acute that they feel they are losing a part of themselves, and Paul knows that he will soon be killed (2 Tim 4:6). As I continue to stand inside the prison, I'm aware of how cold and dark it is, there's a dampness to the air that makes my skin feel clammy and chilled. It's no wonder that Paul asked Timothy to bring his cloak with him when he comes, and to try his best to arrive before winter (2 Tim 4:13 and 21). I am alone in the darkness, reading and contemplating these words Paul wrote knowing his death was near (2 Tim 4:6). Inside the prison his suffering feels palpable, the lady here before me had tears streaming down her face as she was leaving.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
In the walls of the prison are holes that once had chains embedded in them for restraining the prisoners. Yet, despite being 'chained like a criminal,' Paul reminds Timothy and us that 'God's word is not chained' (2 Tim 2:9). Paul knows he is suffering for the gospel and twice in this letter he invites Timothy to join him in suffering (2 Tim 1:8, 2:3). Paul reminds us of the grace that has been given to us because Jesus suffered and died, and that when Jesus rose to life again, he destroyed death so that we can have life (2 Tim 1:9-10).
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
The tone of the psalm changes from suffering to the future generations who will continue to worship the Lord. As I read the words that Paul wrote to Timothy, I'm reminded that 2000 years after he wrote them his words are still declaring what God has done. Jesus endured death on the cross so that we could have eternal life, and Paul knew that this gospel was worth suffering for. When Paul wrote this letter to Timothy he said, 'Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory' (2 Tim 2:10). His testimony continues today as part of God's word, speaking into our lives and teaching us about life with Jesus.
As I read Paul's words inside Mamertine Prison, the part of his letter that has the biggest impact on me are not his words of suffering, but his testimony of faith in God and of the hope that he had for eternal life – the same hope that we can have. 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing' (2 Tim 4:7-8).
God bless,
Selina Fyfe.
