A Worm and not a Man
Is there any as humble as our God? Who would come to from his throne in heaven to these lower earthly regions but the one who formed us from the dust? What god is like our God that does not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted, but carries their burdens himself?
The thing that really astounds me about this psalm is the animal metaphors that Christ uses for himself and the people around him. Man is clearly the highest among all created creatures, he is made to fill the earth and subdue it. All creatures are made for him. Yet a great number of the people in this psalm are compared to animals. Those who surround him are compared to the “strong bulls of Bashan”, and a “ravening and roaring lion” (v12-13). Indeed they did exercise some power over him for a moment, but there is no mistaking it, they are but brute beasts. They are ruled by their appetites and have become so much less than men. In their mocking anger, they degrade themselves. Again he compares the company of evildoers that surrounds him to dogs. In forsaking their God man has lost their glory, their likeness of God, and has become so much less than they were created to be. Those who were meant to rule have become the slave of sin, a subservient beast. Without morality, full of violence, what is it that separates us from the dog?
Yet Christ goes lower then them all, he himself calls himself, “a worm and not a man” (v6). He is not merely declaring his standing before those who encircle him, but who he is at that moment. It is true that the wicked that surround him see him as a worm. They see God as worthless, and less than themselves, and therefore they crucify him. More than this though, Jesus sees himself as a servant to his creatures, on the cross he lowers himself far below the bull, the lion, and the dog. The only one to be fully truly a man, makes himself lower than the fallen beasts. Oh, how great a triumph! Oh how great the man Christ Jesus is shown to be on the cross! Surely the first will be last and the last will be first. He goes so low that he might bring us up to himself. Oh praise him all my brothers! Glorify him who is lifted up in the desert, stand in awe at the Lord our God. He has borne our iniquity and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him. He takes the beast formed from dust, destined to return to the dust and he gives us life. We partake of his flesh, and drink his blood, and therefore our hearts will live forever (v26). All will remember the cross and fall in worship. Even those condemned to die will bow before this humble king of the nations. He has done it!