Psalm 22:6-8 Mocking Our Lord

Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus Christ, though He was fully God, “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” We can only imagine the debasement that God must have undertook to become as low as mankind. Yet Jesus lowered Himself even more. When He went to the cross, He became even lower than a man, as was prophesied in Psalm 22.

Please read Psalm 22:6-8 now.

As Jesus continued to recite this Psalm on the cross, He would eventually get to verse 6. How true this verse was for Him in that moment! When the Son of God bore all of our sins upon His shoulders, He who knew no sin actually became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He lowered Himself beneath the angels and became a man. Then He continued to lower Himself even more, all the way down until he was a worm.

He did this for our sakes, but “we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:3). The people that surrounded Him as He died for our sins on the cross were hurling insults at their potential Savior. Jesus was “scorned,” “despised,” and “mock”ed. The expressions in verse 7 of “make mouths at me” and “wag their heads” were expressions of derision and gestures of contempt. The people mocked Him with more than just their words—their entire bodies got in on the derisive language.

This mocking was done, not just by the religious elite, not just by the Jewish people in attendance, but by “all who see me.” Priests and peasants, Jews and Gentiles, soldiers and civilians, they all united in mocking our Savior when he was weak and ready to die.

The God who once identified Himself as the great “I AM” now says “I am a worm.” And all who see Him mock. Many of these same people were in the crowd a week earlier desiring to crown Him king. Now they all join in crowning Him with scorn.

What did Jesus do to deserve this mocking? “He trusts in the Lord.” Even His greatest enemies acknowledged that Jesus trusted in God. Jesus would do everything the Father asked of Him, even endure the mocking of those who “know not what they do,” and He would plead with the Father to forgive them on His behalf (Luke 23:34).

We may think little of the crowds that heaped their scorn upon our Lord. But how often have we done the same? By the way we live our lives, we boast to the world that we don’t truly care about Jesus. If He were really the Lord of the Universe, wouldn’t we do what he says? If He were really the King of Kings, would we not obey Him in every moment? If we are truly grateful for all that He did for us, would we not make it a priority to serve Him first?

No. Even as Christians, our lives often mock our Savior. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do.