April 29, 2020
Psalm 22 is not only the experience of every believer, but it is also a very specific prophecy of the sufferings of Jesus. It begins with the most anguished cry in human history, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus spoke these words at the depth of His suffering on the cross.
We may have thought this cry was unique to Him, but Jesus was actually quoting Psalm 22:1, where we see these words first uttered by the psalmist, speaking for all of God’s people who struggle over and over in the flesh with a sense of being forsaken by God.
When we express our sadness and feelings of forsakenness to God, we “lament”. This psalm is indeed a lament, but teaches us a follow up in talking to God. The psalmist switches from expressing his great sadness to remembering his great God, a God who is holy and sovereign, a God who rescues His people!
Agonized prayer and hopelessness turn to ardent praise for the success of the cause of God! Failure is swallowed up in victory, and victory is celebrated in a worldwide kingdom, among the nations. And best of all, continuance is woven into our stories – it shall be told to the next generation, to a people yet unborn. What a great God!
Psalm 22
Why Have You Forsaken Me?
To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.
22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help.
12 Many bulls encompass me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
17 I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Prayer:
Father,
We cry out to you today in all our humanity. Why are You so far from saving us? Why do You not answer? We know you are acquainted with suffering. We believe You understand our sadness and feelings of being forsaken. We know that you care for us.
But sometimes we feel so alone. Sometimes we don’t know where you are. Be present in our lives. We need you. Help us live in assurance that You are here.
We also know you are a great God. You are the Ruler of all. You do not despise those who seek You. So we praise Your n ame among the nations. We know that You rescue and deliver those who glorify You and stand in awe of Your great name. Help us to recognize Your work in our world, so indeed we share Your story with the next generation!
Thank you for Your promises to Your people, Oh God!
Amen
Thank you God. YOU have given me a peace and confidence and the ability to love and trust. I know that you will take care of me. You always do??
I am stealing the devotional prayer again…well said!
You aren’t “stealing” but sharing! What a blessing, right?
Yes! I am sharing.
Gracias padre porque en ti confiamos eres nuestro SEÑOR, el principio y el fin a ti encomendamos nuestras vidas porque el socorro viene de ti, sólo de ti no nos abandones mi REY, amen y amen
Thank you Lord for being my Savior. I know at times I feel alone. I know you would never do that. I thank you for the peace you have given me. In Jesus name Amen
THANK YOU LORD, that even when I don’t understand my circumstances, YOU are right there walking the journey with me. I TRUST YOU LORD!
Amen!
Good morning! Amen.
Lord, Your Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my path. You are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Bring Your Words to our hearts when we feel alone and adrift in the sea. You will never leave nor forsake us. You are always there. You are my Rock, my Strength, my Shield, and my Great Tower. Where I am weak You make me strong! YOU ARE GOD!?
Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Father of all, maker of the universe, how powerful you are. This day you make it rain on the just and the unjust. Forgive me for I am so unworthy. Place me under your wings and protect me from the fiery darts of Satan and his minions. More in America believe in the workings of Satan than the workings of your great Spirit. May this be reversed. May hearts be drawn to you this day. This day, may one more have their name added to the Lambs Book of Life. Amen
Amen and amen .
Dear Heavenly Father,
When I “meet you in the morning” it is so refreshing to my soul. I have had many nights full of anxiety. Many life circumstances seem to be increasing instead of decreasing and I find myself in such despair. Yet I know You love me and and are working diligently on my behalf. Please forgive me for allowing these pressures to bring me down at times. I tell others of Your promises and show them examples of Your blessings in my life everyday. And I do see them everyday. All I have to do is call your name and you are there.
I cry out to You with my broken heart as I know You know about pain and suffering. I lay all my burdens at Your feet , Oh Lord, for You alone can take my cares away. Thank you for another day to glorify your name and your works before men, so they can pass them on to their children and the next generation. Forgive me when I stumble and fall. Help me to stand up tall and be a witness for You. In Jesus ‘ name. Amen.
Dear Loving Father,
The thunder rumbles in the heavens, and the rain falls and waters the earth. So it is, as I open Your Word this morning — there’s a majestic power resonating within the pages waiting to be unleashed into my day. It’s life-giving water to my thirsty soul.
Thank you, Lord, for being poured out for me. Your story of love and faithfulness is written all over my life. Thank you for the promise that in my greatest times of need, when I feel completely forgotten, I’m not alone. Your presence is with me always.
Keep my lips speaking the truth of Your love and faithfulness to my children and their children and all those in the line of life yet to come.
In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Diane,
Loved your comment. You are poetic!
I put in friend request on FB…SuzanneB
He takes my burdens and my fears and carries them. Thank you Jesus
Thank You, Lord, that trusting You is never a mistake.
Thank you Lord for loving and guiding me even in hard times when doubts creeps in. Amen!
Amen!
Father, Your Word reminds me this morning that You are holy, You are Creator and You have dominion over all the earth. You are King!
Yet, even in times of despair and hopelessness, You hear me, You see me, You rescue and deliver me.
What a great God You are!
My God, thank you this morming that you have blessed me to be able to be alive in your presence. I have noticed that when I missed a prayer in the morning my day and lives issues seemed harder without this time together. As I made this promise to meet you in the morning you meet me as well. In this quite time you or my steps and show the way, and I am grateful.
In this time of dispair, fear, anxiety it deels to so many people that you are not hear and watching us suffer. God we know that you walk with us daily even when you do not feel you are see you, that is the great faith we have in you. You work behind the scene for the greater picture and I for one appreciate it father. Teach me continually to trust and let go of the things in my life that were thought to be normal and loosen my grip on my intentions to follow your normal. I surrender all to you who guides me.
Although, things look bad a this time I am encouraged by your people showing the church each day with their prayer and lives. This is the new normal it has always been the normal on your eyes. Loving your neighbor more than yourself, puttinf others needs before yourself.
Thank you farher for resetting us to remember your normal as love is the principle thing. The church can now show more than ever that we are about relationship not membership. We can show Christ in everything we do, thank you Jesus for your teaching us how to turn and depend on you totally.
Song that comes to my heart ” Way maker, miracle worker, light in the darkness, Jesus that is who you are!”
In Jesus name Amen!
Yet You are holy. They trusted and You delivered them. They cried out and You answered.
Looking back at my past sufferings, there was never a time that God didn’t come to my rescue even when I thought I had no way out. But God indeed is always true to His promise that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Lord, help me to remember that, just as you were true to your promises in my past, you still are today, and will be forever.
Thank you Lord for keeping us safe from the start of this quarantine until now, please continue to protect us and guide us always. We worship You and give You praise !
Father, when it seems like you have forgotten about us, it is comforting to know that Jesus also felt that way. Yet in the very thing that caused him feelings of abandonment, you were working your greatest victory. Give me eyes of faith to trust your heart when I cannot see your hand. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Trust in the Lord, for I shall yet praise him!
THANK YOU LORD in my times of fear and needs, You are always near to deliver out of my troubles!
Thank You Lord for all Your Blessings. Like David in this Psalm, we may sometimes wonder if The Lord is listening, but I know He is always by my side, HEB. 13:5, I will never leave you nor forsake you! JESUS is always by our side. “Remember, if You look back and only see one set of footprints in the sand, that is when JESUS is carrying you through that situation”. Praise HIS Holy Name
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”
This daily time in the word has been such a blessing. The twins and I have started out each morning together, all three of us developing a new routine. Each day I ask them to sum it up in their own words. Sometimes it is very enlightening, sometimes not so much, ha! Today Duncan simply said, “when you feel terrible times 10,000 and feel like God has forgot you, He hasn’t!”
Thank you Lord for giving us strength in times of struggle. Thank you for not leaving us in this world without hope! Thank you for sending your son to save us!
Amen
Out of the mouth chiof babes ….wisdom and praise?
Thank you Lord for being a loving God who never leaves us and who is always present.
Oh Father,
The depths of my soul cries out for you, and yet I am comforted by the praise within me, knowing you are with me always! How perfect is your plan…your salvation! I know that I alive in you and you in me because I feel your Spirit in me! Thank you Father for filling me with your Spirit that reminds me you are love, and I can always rely upon your love for me!
Thank you Lord for always being there for me. You guide me each day and I trust you more each day.
The Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him. Deuteronomy 4:7 What a refreshing and encouraging thought when He wakes us up each morning! Deuteronomy 4:9 also, tells us to Teach
what we have seen and learned to our children and to their children after them!
To God be the glory for the great things He has done!
Heavenly Father
We worship and praise you no matter what is our circumstances. I feel you are with me during the peak of this pandemic, you made me calm down, you made my physical body strong, you gave me wisdom to explain to my son how important my job both to others and to us.
I pray in Jesus name that my son will continually understand the love of God is in every circumstances in life.
Amen.
My son Joshua 9 y/o is my prayer partner since the start of this 21 days prayer.
If anyone understands my my experience, It’s Jesus. He has experienced the ultimate highs, and the ultimate lows. His suffering is so deeply profound, yet he brings me so much peace, comfort and hope, because he understands and empathizes with me. He conquered the ultimate defeat, death, by resurrecting from the dead. Death has no hold on him and therefore death has no hold on me. I can rest today, knowing that no matter how much I may struggle, God has been with me all along the way, is with me now and I will be with him in the end, forever. Thank you Lord.
Father God I can feel the agony in the text of Your word. I read the suffering of a fellow believer. Lord you didn’t hide it away but have published it for teaching and for Your glory. As we read on we see that even in the trials and suffering You were there.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
There it’s is, the Holy Spirit at work. Suffering turned to praise. An understanding of Your will. The example was lived out before our eyes. God you’re good all the time. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You, for reminding me that You are holy and sovereign, and will rescue me when I call out to You. O Lord, I thank You for the mother You blessed me with because through her sorrows and suffering she never stopped praying to You.
Thank you for blessing me with another mother friend that helps me to continue to trust in You alone and not in the ways of the world. Help me to share Jesus to all who You lead me to in this fallen world, that they may know Your love.
Amen
Verses 14 – 16 a perfect picture of the Crucifixion
Thank you Lord for your faithfulness & for your precious Word! Thank you for the opportunity to be home with my kids & lead them in a special time of prayer & reflection on you & your promises. Thank you for your reassurances to us when we fall to doubt & anxiety. You are with us! Always! I love you God & praise you in all things! You are so good!!!
Thank you o lord for being there for me. For without you I am nothing. Your grace and power keep me hanging on.
There is someone very close to me who shared with me once that he had called out to God “why have you forsaken me”? I’m grateful that I don’t think I’ve ever felt that kind of anguish. But for my friend, in spite of that anguish, still knows that he is loved by God and experiences his grace and mercy. We can learn from our own struggles and experiences, but we can also learn a lot from those believers around us and how God helps them and also how they respond to catastrophe.
I love verses 8 and 9! I have always been loved by God. He is so precious! I have loved God as long as I can remember and long for the time when I tell Him this in person! Even come, Lord Jesus!
Thank you, Father for taking care of me everyday. And thank you for keeping my children & grandchildren healthy & safe. In Jesus Name, Amen
” I am poured out like water” – sometimes I feel like this after a really in-depth prayer.
I praise His holy name! Even when we are hurting the most, even when we fear He may leave us, even when we drift from Him… he is there! I trust my Lord and could not face each and every day without Him!
Dorris
Come Lord Jesus Come!!!
We await your righteous reign.
Thankyou for sticking it out for our sakes on the cross of calvary. Every time I am weak and fall in temptation, I look to your anguish on the cross and realize that I have to do better. Thankyou for your great love that pulls me up by the straps to keep going to keep straining for the high and upward calling that is in your name. Thank you for all your people that struggle to partake in your sufferings and we pray that we shall all overcome to hear your love filled words upon your appearing. “Well Done good and faithful servant.”
Oh how our hearts praise you and yearn for you, Jesus!! Mighty God, Iam that I am.!!?
Thank you Lord that you never leave us or forsake us, even when we feel forsaken thank you that you are always a present help in the time of need