My God, my God!
Why have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22:1
Today's Psalm -- at least in the Bible in a Year reading -- is paired with David's flight from a murderous king. Indeed, in today's story, David, who surely felt forsaken, could have stopped the persecution. In this case, he could have killed Saul when the king stepped into David's cave of hiding to literally "relieve himself." But David understood right from wrong and God's will instead of human expedience. Saul lived, and David continued to suffer.
Today we are in the midst of Holy Week, pointing passionately toward a dark Friday when Jesus cried out, "Psalm 22, My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?" Like David, Jesus could have stopped the persecution; he could have called down angels to guard him. But Jesus, like David, understood right from wrong and God's will instead of human expedience. On that dark Friday, evil laughed, and Jesus continued to suffer.
In the midst of this holy week, let us pray today pieces of Psalm 22, remembering both David and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ ...
1 My God, my God!
Why have you forsaken me?
Why do you remain so distant?
Why do you ignore my cries for help?
2 Every day I call to you, my God,
but you do not answer. ...
3 Yet you are holy.
The praises of Israel surround your throne.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you,
and you rescued them.
5 ... They put their trust in you
and were never disappointed.
6 I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all!
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.
They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 "Is this the one who relies on the LORD?
Then let the LORD save him!
If the LORD loves him so much,
let the LORD rescue him!"
9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother's womb
and led me to trust you when I was a nursing infant.
10 ... You have been my God from the moment I was born.
11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near,
and no one else can help me.
12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls ...
13 Like roaring lions attacking their prey ...
14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax, melting within me.
15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; ...
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count every bone in my body.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my clothes among themselves
19 O LORD, do not stay away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! ...
22 Then I will declare the wonder of your name ...
I will praise you among all your people.
28 For the LORD is king!
31 His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn.
They will hear about everything he has done.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who marvels at prophecy
... 1000 years before the cross
a haunting and accurate prefiguring
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