Psalm 22

 

Introduction:

A mother lives with her daughters in Houston. Last year, the mom had a near fatal car accident. On Thursday, when the younger daughter, a high school student came home, she found her mom killed by someone they had reached out to help. One can only imagine the pain these children must have gone through. In such moments, they must have felt like they were living in darkness.

Have we had extended moments of darkness in our life? The waiting of the test results from the doctor, or seeing our child suffering from surgery and the pain of chemotherapy. Some remember the dark clouds of depression. I also think of those who have lost their jobs in recent months. The waiting has stretched from one to two months, to almost a year now. I am sure that we all prayed, and prayed hard. Yet, nothing happened. These months could be the longest months that we have ever experienced. We lived under the shadow of darkness. None of us would like to live through that again. This is certainly not something we would have planned for ourselves.

The psalm before us is a psalm about experiencing darkness in life. It is a unique psalm. For those familiar with the NT, a cursive reading of Psalm 22 reminds us of Christ's crucifixion. This is the psalm that Jesus had in mind when he was hung on the cross. For this reason, this is also known as the psalm of the suffering Christ. The psalm not only clearly points us to Christ's suffering on the cross, but also expressed some of our pain in moments of darkness.

I. Reality of God even in the midst of feeling abandoned.

Vs. 1-2, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." Vs. 6-8, "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.'"

David keenly felt that God has abandoned him. He was asking why was God so far from him and not listening to his cry for help. The word groaning means 'roaring', like that of a lion. The pain is audible, the volume is up, it is a roar of despair. He prayed day and night, yet there was no response. It was silent. God's absence was real. Others also perceived that he was abandoned by God.

We may be in certain situations which we would have never planned for ourselves: A lost job, a strained marriage, rebellious children, the no end in sight for the visa application, or the depression that just won't go away. God's absence was real.

These words certainly point us to Jesus Christ on the cross. On that cross, he cried out, "my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?" On that cross, he was abandoned by God, because he carried our sins and the punishment of our sins. He suffered the agony of being abandoned by God so that we can be reconciled to God.

There is more to such pain and agony.

1. Past memories can intensify our pain.

Vs. 3-5, "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed." In that dark moment, David thought of the past. He recalled God's character, that he is a holy God. Because of who God is, others had trusted him and were delivered. But me? How come I am still in this die hard situation? David's words is almost like appealing to God: you have delivered others, do that to me. Do it to me now! Such memories bring more pain to us.

I think we know what it is like while we are in those dark moments but recalled how God had delivered others. While I am waiting for a job, but hear others share their testimony of God's faithfulness in providing them a new job. While I heard the bad news of my biopsy report, or feeling depressed, I hear others recounting God's faithfulness in healing their disease. While my marriage is hitting bottom, I hear others sharing how good is their marriage because of God's care. While I just lost a spouse, and hear others saying how God has blessed them with their husbands and wives. While I am in an unasked-for situation, but hear others share how God has blessed their ministry. This is painful, right?

2. God's distance can lead to human accusations.

When we find ourselves in such prolonged darkness, very often we can turn and accuse God. How can a good and faithful God allow such things to happen to me? How can you let my only close family member die? How can you be so cruel? It is easy to fall into such temptations. But in the scriptures we are told that Jesus was tempted in every way as us, yet he did not sin. On that cross, he did not turn his pain into accusations against God.

Moreover, God's silence and distance can cause others to accuse us. Vs. 7-8, "All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." When others start to mock us, it can really humiliate us, isn't it? Look at him, claiming to be a Christian, and yet his God is not taking care of him. How come he is still sick, how come he is still feeling so depressed? How come he is still out of a job? These accusation can further depress us, they can humiliate us, making us feel worthless and like a worm.

However, have we noticed how many times and how David addressed God? My God, my God, O my God. These are intimate addresses. You see, in the midst of pain and God's silence, the reality of God is being affirmed. Yes, he seems to be absent, but he is still real. There are times when I find myself listening to some of your pain and agony, my heart also feels your pain. Yet, in the midst of your pain and anger, you are still addressing God as, my heavenly father, Jesus Christ, and Lord. Yes, he seems to be silent and has forsaken us, but he is still real, he is still there.

II. Affirmation of God's faithfulness in the midst of feeling abandoned.

Seeing how God delivered others can certainly increase his own personal pain, but here David began to dwell on God's faithfulness in his own personal life. Instead of continuing to indulge in his own personal pain, he shifted his focus to God. Vs. 9-11, "Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help." Here David is saying how God gave him life, he took him out of his mother's womb. God was also the one that gave him faith. David is pointing at God's continual presence and activity in his life.

This is what Matthew and Luke had in mind as they wrote about Jesus'' life. They wrote about how God brought Jesus into the world through the virgin birth. Bethlehem, the angels, the star, and the flight to Egypt are all parts of God's will.

Isn't this also true with us? Even in the midst of darkness, we can recall or have others help us to recall how God worked in our lives. He gave us the physical life, yet he is also the one that brought us to faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, it is dark now, but he was very active in our past; leading and guiding us throughout life. In moments of darkness, this is what we want to meditate upon. In moments of doubt and despair, we can still have that deep sense of security, knowing that God's hand is always there with us. With this in mind, like David in vs 11, we can appeal to God, "do not be far from me….."

III. The aggravation of suffering in the midst of feeling abandoned.

Vs.12-13, "Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me." Bulls are an image of trouble and distress. Roaring lions are images of verbal abuse. Isn't it true in moments of darkness, what hurts us most is others' words? Sometime they mean well, but they hurt. There are times that we would hurl words at ourselves. We blame ourselves for not being careful, or not coming home earlier. If only we would have done that, then this would not have happened.

Vs.14-15, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death." These are words describing physical and emotional exhaustion. When we are under stress, our mouths are dry, we feel our hearts are melted, and there is no more strength.

This passage is a vivid description of crucifixion. Jesus'' blood flowed. As he was hanging on that cross, his bones were disjointed and his heart melted within. And what is even amazing is that it is God's doing. Isaiah 53:10, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief."

Vs. 16-18, "Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." The Jews called the gentiles and the Romans, dogs. This was what happened when Jesus was on the cross. They pierced his hands and feet, he could see his bones as he hung on the cross, people stared at him and the soldiers were dividing his garments among them. This was total humiliation. One thing important for us to remember is: the crucifixion was a Roman tool of death. At the time David wrote this psalm, there was no imagery of the cross. Yet there is no mistake that this passage is about crucifixion. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, David here is clearly foretelling something that would happen in the future.

IV. Affirming God's present care in the midst of feeling abandoned.

Vs. 19-21, "But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen." David reiterates his pain and suffering, and he continues to pray and seek God's help. What we see here is that his faith in God is deeper than his pain.

Yes, sometimes our darkness is indeed very dark. We may have even given up the hope that we will get out of it. But we are to remember not to give up. God is still there. Yes, we don't understand why he is silent, but we know he is real. For this, we can continue to come and seek his help.

Then there is an abrupt change of pace in vs 21, "save d me from the horns of the wild oxen." The original language is much stronger here. " You have rescued me…." "You have saved me…" You have heard me, you have answered me. The prayers in 1-21 have reached the throne. God's work is done. This was echoed when Jesus was on the cross. The last work he uttered was, "it is finished" From my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, to, the work is done. "It is finished".

V. Commitment to witness as a response to God's faithfulness.

We are not given much detail, but from 22-31, it is clear that God has heard him, God has intervened. The key to understand this passage is vs.25, "From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows." In the OT days, individuals usually made a vow to God, when they seek help from him. Meaning that if God listens to their prayer, they would do this and that.

Vs22-24, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help." David is gathering his people together, telling them his praise and thankfulness to God. As a part of his vow, in vs26, he fed the poor and promised those who gathered that their hearts would live forever.

Vs27-31, "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him- those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn- for he has done it." This is a long passage. But the essence is that as a result of God's faithfulness in delivering him, not only David's household and people, but the entire world would come and worship God, the creator, the redeemer and the King. Not only people of this generation but of generations to come would also come to worship him.

What do we learn from this? Personally it means that as God answered our prayers, as he delivered us out of that darkness, it is meant to bring blessings to those around us. While we are in such dark moments, we don't understand how good can come out of it. But there will come a day, what we went through would cause others to come and worship him. I think of Joni, how God delivered her out of her darkness resulting from an accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. She was bitter and angry. But now, God is using her songs, her painting and ministry, "Joni and Friends" to bring blessing to others. In that Bill Gaither's song, "all I have to offer is my brokenness, yet you may something beautiful out of it".

Of course, as we read these words of worship: I will tell of your names to my brothers, praise him, glorify him, stand in awe of him, all the ends of the earth will turn to him, worship, will kneel before him, future generations will be told about the lord…. It reminds us of Revelation 21. Yes, God will use us to bring blessing to others.

Yet what we can do is so limited, isn't it? Again this brings us to Jesus Christ. On that cross, he suffered the pain and darkness of God's abandonment. He was humiliated by people around him. But God intervened. How? Not taking him down the cross, which he could definitely have done. But instead he let him die and then 3 days later, raised him from the dead.

See what has happened since his resurrection? His name has been preached among all nations. People from different nations have gathered to worship him. Not only in that generation, but from generation to generation, people have come to worship him as king. Our presence here this morning is a continuation of psalm 22. the individuals who will be baptized today are also a part of this crowd that worship the king.

And moreover, we are also looking forward to the day, when all his children will be gathered in front of his throne; to praise and worship him. Our faith in God runs deeper than our pain; therefore, even in the midst of darkness, we can have hope.

Rev. William Hsueh    Sep.29., 2002    Houston Chinese Church,  Houston, TX