Sept 20 - Psalm 22:1

My God, my God!

Why have you forsaken me?

Psalm 22:1

Psalm 22 is arguably one of the five or ten most important passages of the entire Old Testament.

Why? Well, ask yourself where have you heard this phrase before?

It’s not just in the Psalms. We’ve heard it from our Savior on the cross too. “At about three o'clock” in the afternoon, on the day of his crucifixion, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mt 27:46).

One of three things was happening as Jesus uttered this cry …

•      This was absolutely the most horrifying moment in history. The presence of God abandoned the Son of God.

God – specifically God-the-Son – allowed himself to literally die. And while it might have been for a greater purpose – to conquer sin and death and save humanity – his death is no less terrible.

•      Faithful Jews, like Jesus, knew the Psalms by heart. In fact, they often utilized a short-handed method of praying the Psalms: saying the first line of a Psalm counted – especially in times of distress – as praying the whole Psalm. Therefore, while Jesus was certainly lamenting his awful forsakenness, he was also praying every blessing of this Psalm as well. He was saying, “Because of this sacrifice on the cross …

•      ²⁷ People from every nation … will acknowledge the LORD and return to him.’
•      ²⁹ Mortals – … born to die – [will] bow down in [God’s] presence.’
•      ³¹ [God’s] righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn. They will hear about everything he has done.’
•      ²⁶ All who seek the Lord … will rejoice with everlasting joy.’

In other words, while Jesus’ prayer on the cross began with agony and defeat, it simultaneously pointed to hope and light.

•      The third reason for citing this verse, reveals why Psalm 22 is so powerful and significant. By praying this passage, Jesus was reminding the faithful – those in his day and all of the believers yet to come – of the profound and specific prophecies that come from God!

•      ⁶ I am scorned and despised by all!” On Palm Sunday, the crowds cheered Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, but a week later he was scorned. The people who once praised him, now called as a mob for his violent death.
•      ⁷ Everyone who sees me mocks me.” At the crucifixion, leaders, soldiers, and crowds repeatedly mocked him.
•      What did this oppression feel like? Probably like Psalm 22:12-13, “My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls … Like roaring lions attacking their prey ...”  
•       ⁸ ‘Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him!’ At the cross, “the leaders laughed and scoffed,” teasing and tempting Jesus with this exact sentiment, “‘He saved others, … let him save himself if he is really God's Chosen One, the Messiah’” (Lk 23:35).
•      ¹⁴ My life is poured out like water …” Those who are familiar with communion surely remember his blood poured out for us, but when the soldiers saw that he was dead and “pierced his side with a spear … blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19:34).
•      Can’t you just imagine the pain of crucifixion, as Jesus cries and the Psalms prophesy, “¹⁴ 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.” One of the seven last words was, “I thirst.” They “fill[ed] a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink” (Mk 15:36).
•      ¹⁶ They have pierced my hands and feet.” If the specificity hasn’t hit you yet, stop and marvel here at the specificity of God’s Word. Several hundred years before crucifixion was even invented, Psalm 22 was prophesying the manner of the Messiah’s death. If people want to doubt, many details of a charlatan’s life could be faked. But we don’t get to control the manner in which we die. Even Roman documentation (see the records of Tacitus) record the crucifixion of “Christus” under the reign of Pontius Pilate.
•      ¹⁸ They divide my clothes among themselves and throw dice for my garments.” Again, it’s exactly what the disciples record.

Which of these three explanations do you find most helpful?

Me? I think it’s all three! God is active, alive, and in control of the events of this earth. Let us praise him.

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who wants to fulfill verse 26 …

“all who seek the Lord …

Will rejoice with everlasting joy”