How was Jesus Like a Worm in Psalm 22?
He leads me …
Psalm 22 is known as a prophetic psalm because it enables us to understand the cross from Jesus Christ’s point of view. This psalm clearly describes the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus 1,000 years after it was written by David.
On the cross, Jesus quoted Psalm 22 when He cried out, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). He obviously could not refer to Psalm 22 because the numbering of chapters and verses in the Bible did not occur until the early 1200s. However, for those Jews looking at Jesus on the cross, Jesus’ quote of Psalm 22:1 should have been instantly recognized in their minds.
This was because knowledge of the Jewish community was passed on orally, so memorization of their traditions and God's Word were essential. By the time a person was an adult, they knew most of their Scriptures by heart. This meant that if someone recited a passage, those listening would know whether it was quoted accurately or not.
Jesus, in keeping with His culture, would simply begin with ‘It is written...’ knowing His audience would recognize an accurate quote. In this case the Jews would remember David’s words in Psalm 22, and then they would have seen and understood that everything in this psalm was happening right in front of them.
By quoting Psalm 22 Jesus was saying ‘I am the Messiah!’ He was effectively saying, ‘You know that this Psalm speaks of the Messiah’s crucifixion? Well, you are looking at Him! You are crucifying Him!’
This is not all. There was also a hidden explanation (remez) in Psalm 22. A what?
In the Jewish interpretation of Scripture, there is occasionally a remez which is a hidden message or a deeper meaning that is not immediately obvious to those reading it.
The remez in Psalm 22:6, is part of the prophetic explanation of Jesus crucifixion. In verse six, it says, ‘But I am a worm, and no man…’ Was Jesus saying that He felt He was the lowest of the low? Or was there another meaning?
In verse six, the word for ‘worm’ is ‘tola’ or ‘tola’ath’ which not only refers to a worm but also to the crimson or scarlet colour of the worm. Both the crimson and scarlet colours are very deep, blackish red, which is the colour of blood. However, this crimson worm, has more to tell us than just about its colour.
The crimson worm (scientific name - coccus ilicis or kermes ilicis) looks more like a grub than a worm. The remez is found in the lifecycle of this worm, and it added to how we view Jesus’s suffering on the cross.
When the female crimson worm is ready to lay her eggs, which she does only once in her life, she climbs up a tree or fence and attaches herself to it. With her body firmly attached to the wooden surface, she creates a crimson shell to protect her and her young. The shell is so hard and so well attached to the wood that it can only be removed by shattering the shell and the mother’s body, which kills the worm.
The female worm lays her eggs under her body, under the protective shell. When the larvae hatch, they remain protected under the mother, and they then feed on her living body for three days. After the three days, the mother worm dies, and her body excretes a crimson or scarlet dye that stains both the wood to which she is attached and her baby worms. The baby worms remain crimson-colored for the rest of their lives, and this is why they are identified as crimson worms.
On day four, the tail of the mother worm pulls up into her head, forming a heart-shaped body that is no longer crimson but has turned into a snow-white wax that looks like a patch of wool on the tree or fence. It then begins to flake off and drop to the ground looking like snow.
If this event seems familiar it is because it is very similar to Isaiah 1:18 – ‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ (NIV)
In biblical times, the red dye excreted from the crimson worm was used in the High Priest’s robe and the curtains of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1; 28:5). The red dye is still used today. While still red and attached to the tree, the worm’s body and shell are scraped off and used to make what is called ‘Royal Red Dye.’ Because this dye was very labour intensive to make it was expensive. This meant that only the very wealthy used it, and so it became a sign of luxury.
The remains of the crimson worm are used in medicines that help regulate the human heart, and the waxy material is used to make high-quality shellac, used in the Middle East as a wood preserver. [1]
The similarity between the life of the crimson worm and a Christians sin in Isaiah 1:18 are just one parallel. Let us look at how the life of the crimson worm compares with Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
· Just as the mother worm attaches herself to the tree or fence, Jesus allowed Himself to be hung on a cross or type of ‘tree’.
He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8 NLT)
· Just as the mother worm excretes a scarlet dye that covers the baby worms and stains them, Jesus suffered and died to make His people holy by means of His own blood.
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13 NLT)
· Just as the baby worm receives the crimson dye from the mother worm, a Christian depends on the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, in order to receive new life and be marked as His own.
And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:27-28 NASB)
God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God (1Peter 1:18-19 TLB)
· Just as the baby worm is dependent on the mother worm for its life, a Christian depends on Jesus for spiritual nourishment.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them (John 6:53-56 NIV).[2]
What a picture the crimson worm gives of Christ, who shed His precious blood and died on a tree out of pure love, that He might bring ‘vast multitudes of God’s people to heaven’ (Hebrews 2:10 TLB). He died for us, that we might live through Him!
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] How was Jesus Like a Worm? What’s the Crimson (or Scarlet) Worm? A Remez In Psalm 22? Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus; https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/psalm-22-crimson-scarlet-worm/
[2] What did Jesus mean Psa 22:6 “I am a worm”? Th Bible Made Plain;
https://thebiblemadeplain.com/what-did-jesus-mean-i-am-a-worm/
