Psalm 22: 1-21
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Many bulls surrond me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, all of my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of earth. 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.
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.
A Thought
Although this Psalm was written long years before Christ was crucified on the cross as our perfect sacrifice, it presents a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. Each one of us were born with a death sentence placed on our life because of the sin (disobedience to God, separation from God) in our world. This is a picture of what our punishment of death should look like. Go back and read it again, feel the cost of our sin. Because of God’s great love for us, God sent his perfect son to die our death on a cross to pay our penaty for sin. When we accept Jesus Christ’s shed blood, we can be brought back in a right standing before God. Now if we believe, we only go through only a shadow of the death that we deserve and we will also be resurrected to eternal life with God. This is now much God loves you. How much do you love Him?
Our Prayer
Father thank you that Jesus Christ was able to pay the price of our sins. Awaken us by the power of your Holy Spirit to love others in the same manner that you love us. Thank you for the power of the resurrection. We repent, we have sinned forgive us we ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
