What happened at the cross

“I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within Me.” Psalm 22:14
Psalm 22 gives us a graphic prophecy of what happened to Jesus on the cross. It begins with His first words uttered: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1, c.f. Matt. 27:46). It then goes on to describe some of the torments He faced. These are details we aren’t given in the New Testament – possibly because crucifixion was seen as relatively routine, so that the shock factor was not necessary; possibly because the disciples had all fled by that point (Matt. 26:56).
We often focus on the physical suffering Jesus endured (Ps. 22:14-18): His joints dislocated, His back ripped to shreds, severe dehydration and weakness from loss of blood, the public humiliation of being hung there naked, seeing His garments divided between the soldiers. But this psalm also gives us a glimpse of the spiritual torment He faced. As if God the Father turning His face away was not enough, Jesus was also attacked by demonic forces. “Many bulls surround Me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle Me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against Me” (Ps. 22:12-13). Bashan was an area in the north of Israel, today called the Golan, where the giant king Og ruled in the time of Joshua. It was known for its idolatry, and the ‘bulls of Bashan’ is a reference to the demonic forces behind these idols. Also, we read in 1 Pet. 5:8 how Satan is likened to a roaring lion, seeking whom he would devour. As Jesus hung there on the cross, Satan must have felt like he had won.
Jesus didn’t deserve any of this. It was a punishment for sin that He hadn’t committed – our sin. Similarly, we don’t deserve what He gives us because of His death on the cross. Thinking about this humbles me, and fills me with appreciation. How about you?