#1: Psalms are not prophecy -- they are poems and prayers -- mostly autobiographical -- and almost all written by and about King David. They were sung in the Temple. This is the seventh "proof" based on Psalm / T'hillim 22. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the psalm is about King David. Line 14 was claimed in the last post (died of a broken (ruptured) heart) and I pointed out in that post that the psalm does not speak about dying of a broken heart -- let alone that the messiah will die of one). You can read that post here. Christian translations of the psalms are usually one line "off" (earlier) than the Jewish versions. Some Christian translations skip the VERY FIRST LINE which in Psalm / T'hillim 22 says "For the conductor, on the ayeleth hashachar, a song of (about) David." (these include the KJV, 21st Century KJV to name two). Other Christian translations retain the line but do not number it (these include the NIV, CEB and NRSV to name a few). This is because the first line often tells us the psalm is about David -- and how can a missionary claim it is about Jesus if it clearly states the psalm is not about him? T'hillim / Psalm 3:1 "A song of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." T'hillim / Psalm 4:1 "To the conductor with melodies, a song of David." T'hillim / Psalm 5:1 "To the conductor, on nehiloth, a song of David." And so on. Ergo lines 14-15 in the Christian bible are lines 15-16 in the T'nach. King David is speaking about himself -- so this is not a "prophecy" about Jesus suffering, let alone suffering on Calvary. The word "Calvary" is not mentioned in the T'nach -- so how can "suffered agony on Calvary" be a prophecy Jesus fulfilled? In this psalm alone the list maker has numerously taken universal experiences (e.g. suffering) which every human experiences at one point in their lives, and claims it is a prophecy fulfilled by Jesus. Jewish sages have (realizing it is about King David) related the pain in this psalm to no other than Queen Esther (or Purim fame). The Talmud in Megillah 15b says "And she stood in the inner court of the king’s house (Esther 5:1). R. Levi said: When she reached the chamber of the idols,the Divine Presence left her. She said, My G-d, My G-d, why have You forsaken me? (T'hillim / Psalm 22:2). Is it possible that You punish the inadvertent sin like the presumptuous one, or one done under compulsion like one committed willingly? Or is it because I called [Ahasuerus] “dog,” as it says Save my soul from the sword, my only one from the power of the dog? (T'hillim / Psalm 22:21). She immediately retracted and called him “lion,” as it says, Save me from the lion’s mouth (T'hillim / Psalm 22:22)." Applying this psalm to Queen Esther is allegorical (midrashic). It is NOT the literal interpretation of this poem -- it is simply applied to her in her stress as she realizes her life is on the line if she appeals to the king to save the Jewish people. The sages of the Talmud are simply relating that suffering and feeling "all alone" and surrounded by enemies is not unique to any one person -- not King David and certainly not Jesus. Who among us has not had a "broken heart" over some one we loved who hurt us in some way? How many humans have been surrounded by enemies and called out to G-d for strength? In T'hillim / Psalm 22:15-16 (14-15 in Christian versions) David is crying out to G-d. He has already has written that he has prayed to G-d day and night, and although he feels he is unworthy (he is a "worm"), he pleads to G-d to rescue him from his enemies. He cries out: "I was spilled like water, and all my bones were separated; my heart was like wax, melting within my innards. My strength became dried out like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; and You set me down in the dust of death." See any mention of Calvary? Nope. None of those have been proven in relation to T'hillim / Psalm 22:15-16 (14-15 in Christian versions). The "claimed" proof is given as Mark 15:34-37. Mark 15:34 and Matt 27:46 which actually quote T'hillim / Psalm 22:2 "And at the 9th hour Jesus cried out,"My G-d,my G-d,why have you forsaken me?" (not T'hillim / Psalm 22:15-16 (14-15 in Christian versions). Quoting line 2 both Mark and Matthew try to make the pleading words of King David as he cries out to G-d and try to make them a "prophecy fulfilled by Jesus." They did a poor job of stealing King David's words. "My G-d, My G-d, why have you forsaken me" is indeed a translation from Hebrew into English of the phrase found in the psalm. . . However, the word used by both gospels is not an actual Hebrew, nor Aramaic word. On top of that Luke and John have totally DIFFERENT last words for Jesus. At any rate, whether or not Jesus incorrectly quoted T'hillim / Psalm 22:2 in his dying words he did not do so as a prophetic fulfillment that the messiah would suffer on Calvary. The person in the psalm is certainly miserable (although the term "suffering" is not used here either) -- but it is in no way a prophecy that "only the messiah can fulfill." This is a universal experience of a miserable person who feels that they are all alone. . . The claim is made by the list maker -- it is up to the list maker to prove that this is
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