SUNDAY 31st
Psalm 22
NIV (v1) – ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?’
ESV (v1) – ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?’
The first verse of this Psalm, is very well known to us for it was quoted by the Lord Jesus as he hung on the cross, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34) thus we find it is another of those psalms that speaks of David’s present situation, but also has a prophetic edge to it as well.
The whole tenor of the psalm is of an individual who is suffering, but ends with a note of victory, this often seemed to be the case with David, but in a prophetical sense it is so true concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, he suffered and we cannot even begin to comprehend how much he suffered, and yet it ended in triumphant victory.
I think that although David is going through personal conflict, it is amazing how he always seems to manage to get the focus turned from himself toward the LORD God, and out of whatever he is going through attention toward the one who really matters. And in this psalm, he is going through the mill once again and yet he ends the psalm by ensuring the glory goes to the LORD God who although he questions God in verse 2 (‘O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.’) he is also confident he will hear him and save him.
The ending of the psalm looks further forward than just the suffering of the Saviour, it looks also toward his exaltation, for in verses 27-28 we have verses that remind us that kingship belongs to the LORD, he rules over the nations. David had been called and anointed to be the King of Israel, his rule was limited and temporal, but there would be one who would come, who would take his place, and his rule and reign would not be limited to just Israel but to the whole of the world, and his reign would not be limited in time although he will sit on the throne in Jerusalem for a 1000 years he will reign throughout eternity. For now he reigns as King in the hearts of all who have come to know him by faith, but one day every eye will see him as he returns to this earth in majesty and power, John had a vision of this moment in the book of Revelation, chapter 19, where it records for us the moment that the Lord Jesus will ride out from heaven upon a horse and will come to bring judgement upon the nations, and verse 16 says ‘On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of lords.’
King Jesus is coming, are we ready? The one who suffered, was the one who became the Saviour, and he will come as Sovereign, but we do not need to wait for that day, we can today allow him to come and to rule in our hearts and lives, allow him to be King. ‘King of my life I crown thee now, thine shall the glory be, lest I forget thy thorn crowned brow, lead me to Calvary. Lest I forget Gethsemane, lest I forget thine agony, lest I forget thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary.’
It is far better to willingly come to Calvary and own him as Lord and King now, than to wait till that day, when it will be too late, and under compulsion every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Finally, this first verse was David’s expression in the midst of his own personal suffering, it was also prophetical of the Lord’s suffering as he became the sacrifice for our sins, but it may also have a present and personal application in your life! You may be reading this devotion and at the same time you are going through a traumatic time, troubles may be besetting, you, your circumstances may be such that you too feel that at this moment you are being forsaken by God, you have feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, you cannot even begin to think about tomorrow for the trouble for today is sufficient, well, can I bring a suggestion, take the prayer of David in verse 19 ‘But you, O LORD, do not be afar off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the . . .’ and as you look at what David lists in verses 20-21, begin to replace them with the things that are besetting you at this time, and allow the LORD God to come to your rescue, allow him to deliver you, allow him to bring you to a place of victory.
Jesus himself said, ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yolk upon you, and learn of me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:28-30) and Peter in his epistle encourages us, ‘. . . .casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7) and a final word from David, ‘As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!’ (Psalm 40:17)
‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer . . .’