All they that see me laugh me to scorn - They deride or mock me. On the word used here - לעג lâ‛ag - see the notes at Psalm 2:4. The meaning here is to mock, to deride, to treat with scorn. The idea of laughing is not properly in the word, nor would that necessarily occur in the treatment here referred to. How completely this was fulfilled in the case of the Saviour, it is not necessary to say. Compare Matthew 27:39, "And they that passed by, reviled him." There is no evidence that this literally occurred in the life of David.

They shoot out the lip - Margin, "open." The Hebrew word - פטר pâṭar - means properly "to split, to burst open;" then, as in this place, it means to open wide the mouth; to stretch the mouth in derision and scorn. See Psalm 35:21, "They opened their mouth wide against me." Job 16:10, "they have gaped upon me with their mouth."

They shake the head - In contempt and derision. See Matthew 27:39, "Wagging their heads."

Laugh me to scorn - They utterly despised me; set me at naught; treated me with the utmost contempt. Laugh to scorn is so completely antiquated that it should be no longer used; derided, despised, treated with contempt, are much more expressive and are still in common use.

They shoot out the lip, they shake the head - This is applied by St. Matthew, to the conduct of the Jews towards our Lord, when he hung upon the cross; as is also the following verse. But both are primarily true of the insults which David suffered from Shimei and others during the rebellion of Absalom; and, as the cases were so similar, the evangelist thought proper to express a similar conduct to Jesus Christ by the same expressions. These insults our Lord literally received, no doubt David received the same.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn,.... To the afflicted pity should be shown; but instead or pitying him in his distresses they laughed at him; this must be understood of the soldiers when they had him in Pilate's hall, and of the Jews in general when he hung upon the cross; some particular persons must be excepted, as John the beloved disciple, the mother of our Lord, Mary Magdalene, and some other women, who stood afar off beholding him;

they shoot out the lip; or "open with the lip" (y); they made mouths at him, they put out their lips, or gaped upon him with their mouths, and in a way of sport and pastime made wide mouths and drew out their tongues, as in Job 16:10;

they shake the head, saying; in a way of scorn and derision, as in Lamentations 2:15. This was fulfilled in the Jews, Matthew 27:39.

(y) "hiatum fecerunt labiis suis", Grotius; "they make a mow with their lip", Ainsworth.

Psalm 22:7.(z) Sota, c. 9. sect. 15.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

22:7 Shoot out - They gape with their mouths, in mockery. This and the next verse are applied to Christ, Matt 27:39,43.

shoot...: Heb. open

[3] All they that see me

Psalm 22. is a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. The bones (of the hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis) out of joint (Ps 22:14) the profuse perspiration caused by intense suffering (v. 14); the action of the heart affected (v .14); strength exhausted, and extreme thirst (Ps 22:15); the hands and feet pierced (Ps 22:16) partial nudity with hurt to modesty (Ps 22:17), are all incidental to that mode of death. The accompanying circumstances are precisely those fulfilled in the crucifixion of Christ. Ps 22:14-17. The desolate cry of Ps 22:1 Mt 27:46, the periods of light and darkness of Ps 22:2 Mt 27:45 the contumely of Ps 22:6-8,12,13,18 Mt 27:29-43 the casting lots of verse Ps 22:18 (Mat 27.35), all were literally fulfilled. When it is remembered that crucifixion was a Roman, not Jewish form of execution, the proof of inspiration is irresistible.

7, 8. For the Jews used one of the gestures (Mt 27:39) here mentioned, when taunting Him on the cross, and (Mt 27:43) reproached Him almost in the very, language of this passage.

shoot out-or, "open."

the lip-(Compare Ps 35:21).

22:1-10 The Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets, testifies in this psalm, clearly and fully, the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. We have a sorrowful complaint of God's withdrawings. This may be applied to any child of God, pressed down, overwhelmed with grief and terror. Spiritual desertions are the saints' sorest afflictions; but even their complaint of these burdens is a sign of spiritual life, and spiritual senses exercised. To cry our, My God, why am I sick? why am I poor? savours of discontent and worldliness. But, Why hast thou forsaken me? is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. This must be applied to Christ. In the first words of this complaint, he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross, Mt 27:46. Being truly man, Christ felt a natural unwillingness to pass through such great sorrows, yet his zeal and love prevailed. Christ declared the holiness of God, his heavenly Father, in his sharpest sufferings; nay, declared them to be a proof of it, for which he would be continually praised by his Israel, more than for all other deliverances they received. Never any that hoped in thee, were made ashamed of their hope; never any that sought thee, sought thee in vain. Here is a complaint of the contempt and reproach of men. The Saviour here spoke of the abject state to which he was reduced. The history of Christ's sufferings, and of his birth, explains this prophecy.