As Debbie posted two days ago, Psalm 22 ends with praise. It’s intriguing to imagine Jesus praying this portion of the psalm while He is dying on the cross. Maybe that’s a lesson – in the midst of the hardest hardships, maybe the best response is praising God for His goodness, for all that He has done. That might help to relieve anxiety and fears.
I was struck by verses 27 and 28: All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD’s and He rules over the nations. I recall a sermon a few weeks ago where our preacher said that the Jews knew they were God’s chosen people – and they acted like it! They kept their blessings to themselves; they forgot that they were to be God’s agents to the rest of the world. These verses emphasize that point. Peter clearly recognized that fact in Acts 10,11 when the Holy Spirit fell on Gentiles as he was speaking. Our preacher went on to say that we Christians often behave like that – enjoying our blessings and not sharing them to those around us. We need to be Mission people!
I want to talk about this poem just in terms of David, because the structure is so striking to me. I have read it all the way through several times over several days and, of course, I am familiar with the verses that appear in our Good Friday services.
David starts out being so afraid and sure that he is alone and that although he keeps crying to God, nobody hears him. Then he switches to acknowledging God’s holiness and that their ancestors had trusted God and he had delivered them. Then back to himself, David — he’s nothing — just a worm — everybody is ridiculing him for trusting the Lord. Then back to God’s caring of him through the years — that He taught him (David) to trust as a newborn infant. Then David again — he’s terrified. He’s surrounded by wild animals. Then he begs God again — don’t be far away. And then at the end of verse 21 — the transition: You have answered me!
David is so sure! The Lord has answered him! And David praises the Lord for the rest of the psalm!
What a way to pray! To struggle with fear! But still acknowledge what God has done in the past. And at the end, to be so sure of an answer!
This psalm is an incredible prayer.
A really, really, really good analysis of David’s mindset as he went through this turmoil. Well done!!