Psalm 21.

An inscription in the Slavonic Bible: "At the end, on the intercession of the morning, a psalm to David." "On the morning intercession" - about the morning, as soon as possible. The inscription is also interpreted allegorically. "This psalm," says Blessed Theodoret, "foretells the suffering and resurrection of the Lord Christ, the calling of the pagans and the salvation of the universe; for the morning intercession is the coming of our Saviour, Who shone like morning to those who sit in darkness." In patristic literature, this psalm is understood as messianic, as a clear prophecy of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. In the Russian Bible, the inscription is: "To the head of the choir. When dawn appears. Psalm of David." In this version of the inscription, a messianic meaning is also seen. By "dawn" is meant our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is believed that the psalm refers to one of the episodes from the story of the confrontation between Saul and David. This event is described in detail at the end of 1 Samuel chapter 23. David was hiding from Saul near a rock in the wilderness of Mahon. "And Saul heard, and pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. And Saul walked on one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. And when David was hastening to get away from Saul, and Saul and his men were going around David and his men, to seize them; Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, Make haste, and come, for the Philistines have come to the land. And Saul returned from the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines; wherefore they called this place Selah-Gammahlekof (Rock of Separation)" (1 Samuel 23:25-28). The psalm can be divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 2-22) tells of the danger to which the psalmist was exposed, of his sufferings. The second part (verses 23-32) is thanksgiving. In it, the psalmist gives praise to God for deliverance. The psalm has always been regarded in patristic exegesis as messianic. Indeed, many passages in this psalm are very accurate prophecies of Christ's sufferings.

Art. 2: "Oh my God! My god! Listen to me. Why hast thou forsaken me?" These are the words that Jesus Christ uttered while suffering on the Cross. "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice: Eli, Eli! Lama Savahvani? that is: My God, My God! why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46).

Art. 7-9: "But I am a worm, and not a man, reproach among men and contempt among the people. All who see me mock me, speak with their lips, nod their heads: "He has trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, if he is pleasing to him." These words are also a very accurate prophetic depiction of the Savior's sufferings on the Cross. "And those who passed by cursed Him, shaking their heads, and saying, 'He who destroys the temple, and builds in three days!' save thyself; if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise, the chief priests, with the scribes, and the elders, and the Pharisees, mocking, said, "He saved others, but he cannot save himself; if He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and let us believe in Him; he trusted in God; let him now deliver Him, if He is pleasing to Him" (Matt. 27:39-43).

Art. 15-17: "I poured out like water; all my bones are scattered; my heart was made like wax, melted in the midst of my inward parts. My strength has dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaveth to my throat, and Thou hast brought me down to the dust of death. For the dogs have surrounded me, the crowd of the wicked has surrounded me, they have pierced my hands and my feet." All this is very similar to the state of the crucified on the cross.

Art. 18-19: "All my bones could be numbered; but they look and make a spectacle of me; they divide my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my garments." The fact that the warriors who guarded the Savior divided His garments, casting lots, is narrated by all four Evangelists. "And those who crucified Him divided His garments, casting lots" (Matt. 27:35; see also Mk. 15:24; Lk. 23:34). The Evangelist John recalls the words of Psalm 21: "And the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and divided Him into four parts, to each a war a part, and a tunic; The tunic was not sewn, but all woven on top. Therefore they said to one another, Let us not tear him asunder, but let us cast lots for him, whose it will be, that it may be fulfilled which is spoken in the Scriptures: They have divided my garments among themselves, and have cast lots for my garments. Thus did the wars" (John 19:23-24).

Art. 27: "Let the poor eat and be satisfied; let those who seek Him praise the Lord; May your hearts live forever!" This passage in patristic exegesis is regarded as a prophecy about the institution of the sacrament of the Eucharist. There is another interpretation, according to which it is about feeding the spiritually hungry with the preaching of the Gospel.

Art. 28-29: "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the nations of the Gentiles will worship before you, for the Lord is the Kingdom, and He is Lord over the nations." It speaks of the spread of Christianity among all the peoples of the earth.

Art. 30: "All the rich lands will eat and worship; all who descend into the dust and are not able to preserve their lives will bow down before Him." This verse is interpreted in the same way as 27.