Question: Please explain the 21St verse of Psalm 22, and what does it mean, especially the part, “My darling from the power of the dog?”
Answer: “My soul” as we see by its use elsewhere (Num. 23:1010Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! (Numbers 23:10)), is the equivalent in Hebrew, to, “Myself,” and “my only one;” (my darling) answers to it in parallel. The Hebrew word here is used “poetically for life, as peerless or unique, not to be equaled or replaced.” Hence the verse would mean “deliver My soul from the sword (death); My life from the power of the dog (Gentile).”
“Greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father”?
Answer: The Lord is speaking about going away to the Father, and the Holy Spirit coming down to them. The result of this would be the power of the Spirit of God seen in them doing greater works than were seen in Christ, now seen in mortal men. It would be Christ’s power in glory by the Spirit, the source of them. So Peter’s shadow, and handkerchiefs taken from Paul, would do cures.
J. N. Darby says, “A striking proof was connected with His departure. After He was gone they would do even greater works than He did, because they should act in connection with His greater nearness to the Father. This was requisite to His glory. It was even unlimited. He placed them in immediate connection with the Father by the power of His work and of His name. Christ Himself would do it for them; their request should be heard, and granted by the Father, showing what nearness He had in view for them.”