The “congregation of the wicked” (v16) had indeed surrounded Jesus. The latter part of v16 looks like a direct reference to the cross. However, most Hebrew manuscripts have “like a lion”, it is the Septuagint (LXX) that has “they pierced”. It is obvious why we prefer the LXX version, but interestingly, the gospel writers do not refer to this verse. However, we do know that the guards cast lots for Christ’s clothes (Matt 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24).
Then we again go to the self-encouragement. In v 19 He calls on the Lord to help Him, saying in v21 “you have answered me”. The Lord is His strength, and His life is precious. When we call on the Lord, even out of desperation, we are calling on the One who has rescued us many times before.
This is followed by a declaration of what He will do after He has been rescued. The pain of the cross was absolutely real, but Jesus also knew that it was not the end. In Heb 12:2 it tells us that Jesus endured the scorn of the cross for the joy set before Him. Jesus knew that He would be raised, and after that He would declare the glory of God in the midst of the assembly, to His brothers (ie us believers). So when in trouble, we do not ignore the trouble, but we should also look beyond it, looking ahead to the time when God brings us into a "spacious place" (Ps 18:19)
In the midst of His suffering He calls on us to praise the Lord, to glorify Him and to fear Him. Nothing that was happening changed Jesus’ mind about who God was.
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