In conclusion, it must be again pointed out that all these minute historical details attending Christ's death, and all these remarkable Christian doctrines concerning it, are all found within fifteen verses of a writing many centuries older than the time of Christ. It would be hard to over-estimate the great improbability of all this being due to chance; indeed, such a conclusion seems incredible. (_B._) THE PSALM OF THE CRUCIFIXION (Ps. 22).[380] [Footnote 380: This is discussed more fully in an article in the _Churchman_, April, 1912, by the present writer.] We pass on now to another most remarkable prophecy; for this well-known Psalm describes what can only be regarded as a _crucifixion_. The decisive verse is of course, _They pierced my hands and my feet_; but even apart from this, the various sufferings described cannot all be endured in any other form of death, such as stoning or beheading. And the Psalm agrees with the Death of Christ, both in its numerous details, and in its whole scope and meaning. We will therefore consider this close agreement first, and then some of the objections. (1.) _Its close agreement._ We need not quote the Psalm, as it is so well known; but will point out the agreement verse by verse. Ver. 1. His feeling forsaken by God, and using these actual words: 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' 2. as well as praying for deliverance during the previous night; 3. though in spite of His sufferings, He casts no reproach upon God. 4. His belonging to God's chosen people, the Jews, so that He could speak of _our_ fathers; 5. who had so often been helped by God before. 6. His pitiable condition in being exposed to the scorn and reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7. His being lifted up to die in public, so that those who passed by could see Him; and the way in which they mocked Him, shaking their heads, etc. 8. The exact words they used: _He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver him, let Him deliver him seeing He delighteth in him_ (margin). These words show that the speakers themselves were Jews, and that He was thus put to death among His own nation. And the last clause can only be meant ironically in the sense that the Sufferer _claimed_ that God delighted in him, claimed, that is, in some special sense to be beloved by God. 9. And, as a matter of fact, God had always watched over Him, and had saved Him in His infancy from being slain by Herod. 10. And in return His whole life had been dedicated to God; so that He could say that God had been _His_ God, even from His birth. 11. His being abandoned by His disciples, and left without a helper;