Psalm 22:1-31
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
27 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,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
29 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.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
When I read this Psalm, I think of David, and I also think of Job crying out to their Father....Job cries out "If I call out to Him, He will not answer; if I cry to Him, He will not listen...He has closed my way, so that I cannot pass; He has covered my path with darkness...He has stripped me of my glory and taken the crown from my head."...And David cries out my God, my God, why have You forsaken me?...Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?...My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest...Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the one Israel praises...
David and Job are two prominent figures in the Old Testament who share many similarities...Both men faced significant trials and tribulations in their lives, and their stories offer valuable insights into the nature of faith and suffering...
Here are some key similarities between David and Job:
Both men had deep faith in God...Both David and Job had a profound faith in God, even in the face of immense challenges...They trusted in God's sovereignty and His ultimate goodness, despite their personal sufferings...
Both men had trials and tribulations in their lives...Both men experienced significant hardships and challenges...David faced numerous battles and political challenges, while Job suffered from physical illness, the loss of his family and friends, loss of wealth, and accusations of sin...
Both men questioned God...Both David and Job questioned God's justice and purpose during their suffering...They wrestled with their faith and sought to understand God's ways...
Both men had restoration and vindication...Ultimately, both David and Job were restored and vindicated by God...Their stories demonstrate God's faithfulness and His ultimate care for His people...
Job's questions reflect his deep despair and his struggle to reconcile his suffering with his belief in God's goodness...However, it's important to note that Job ultimately submits to God's will and trusts in His ultimate purpose, even when he cannot understand it...David also experienced moments of deep despair and questioned God's justice in the face of suffering...While his expressions might not be as explicit as Job's, David's Psalms often reveal his struggles and his reliance on God's mercy and grace...
So while their specific circumstances differed, David and Job's experiences offer powerful examples of the human condition and the importance of faith in God in our lives, even in the face of suffering, our sadness, and our feelings of despair...