Read Psalm 22:19-26. 19But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!
Here is the turning point of the psalm. As the dogs, lions, and wild oxen draw ever nearer, so too the cries of the King increase, shifting from save me to you have rescued me.
And now the celebration begins.
The King will not keep God’s deliverance to himself. No way. I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. David will make a public example of God’s faithfulness, inviting all God’s people to join him in praise – You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
In Hebrews these words are placed in the mouth of Jesus himself:
Hebrews 2:11-12. 11For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
Christ the rescued has become our rescuer. The Son of Heaven has made the congregation of God’s people his presence where all the afflicted may come and be satisfied. The God of the universe has become our unashamed brother. The Jesus who cried out for rescue on the cross now sings with us the praises of God in the church.
To live is Christ is to share the rescue of Jesus and the celebration of Jesus from a heart that will live forever.
Prayer. Jesus, you rescued me from the mouth of the lion. May I never stop praising you in the midst of the congregation.
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To Live is Christ 