Psalm 22, The Trust of Jesus and David

            For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

Verses 1-3: 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.

6,8: But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

“He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

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 on 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.

13-14: Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.

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.

16-19: Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me;

    they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.

They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

But you, Lord, do not be far from me.

    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

22,24: I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.

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.

30-31: Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

 

Jesus quoted from this psalm on the cross, and other verses were describing what happened to him that day. Parts of this also describe David and us, too, during times of sorrow and struggle.

 

Yet through all the pain and terror, Jesus and David knew that God is holy, that he was still the one to trust.

 

Lord, I want to better trust you, to better praise you.