The Righteous Sufferer

We are now in week four of our sermon series, Jesus in the Psalms.

In week one Pastor Melissa talked about Psalm 23 - Jesus being our Good Shepherd

In week two I talked about Jesus being our Priestly King and that He is the only one who able to hold both offices out of Psalm 110 -

In week three Pastor Tim talked about Psalm 16 - Jesus being the First born of Righteousness

Today we will be reading Psalm 22 - A Righteous Sufferer. While the title may be a bit dreary, it actually gives us great hope.

Introduction

Remember Psalms are poetry; where the language is illustrative rather than definitive. (i.e “the sun set” vs. “That glorious golden ball gently caressed the horizon before slipping into the earth”

Psalm of David. A psalm of anguish and praise. Presumably written at a low point in David’s life, and echoed by the people of Israel in the days of their distress, yet like so many Psalms, it only finds its truest fulfilment on the lips of Jesus.

Psalms are the Hymn Book of God’s people.

All previous laments pale in comparison with this outcry against the enemy and God’s abandonment. The psalm contains two main sections: the lament (22:1-21) and praise for redemption (22:22-31), which leads naturally to Ps 23. The apostles saw in this psalm an expression of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, who ultimately fulfilled the purpose of David’s humiliation, rejection by people, and divine abandonment.

Prayer

Let’s begin in Psalm 22 verse 1

The psalm begins with a

A Soulful Cry:

Psalm 22:1–2 (NLT)

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.

Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

From the start this Psalm sets the scene of someone who feels abandoned. This person is crushed under the weight of their circumstances, yearning for rescue, yet it seems like there is only silence.

I want you to imagine yourself in the Psalmist shoes. Imagine his experience: You have known the comfort and joy of God! You have had experiences where it seems as if you’re in God presence and enjoying his blessings, yet before you know what has happened, you’re in the depths of despair.

It’s as if the sun has been eclipsed, and the light is fading. The golden light of the Lord is disappearing from your sight and darkness surrounds you.

You know something is wrong. You feel as if you are falling deeper into the depths of darkness, so you cry out!! Save me! Save from this pit that threatens to swallow me!! Turn your face to me!! I long for your presence and for your rescue.

But all you hear is silence.

You hear nothing.

All the while your despair increases and the darkness grows. Like a bad dream you’re falling without end, yet try as you might, you cannot wake up.

But then you remember the

Greatness of God.

Psalm 22:3–5 (NLT)

Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Our ancestors trusted in you,

and you rescued them.

They cried out to you and were saved.

They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

Like the Psalmist in verse 3 to 5, you will likely try and call to mind the great God whom you serve. After all, He is Good and Righteous! He is worthy of praise and honor! In the past he has heard the troubles of others and saved them!

God gave them the desire of their heart when they called on his Name.

Questions you may be wrestling with:

What about me? Do I not trust in the Lord? Haven’t I believed that he is able and willing to deliver me?

Why don’t you hear me?

Why do my prayers seem futile?

Why do you not answer?

A Lament of Distress

Psalm 22:6–11 (NLT)

But I am a worm and not a man.

I am scorned and despised by all!

Everyone who sees me mocks me.

They sneer and shake their heads, saying,

“Is this the one who relies on the Lord?

Then let the Lord save him!

If the Lord loves him so much,

let the Lord rescue him!”

Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb

and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.

I was thrust into your arms at my birth.

You have been my God from the moment I was born.

Do not stay so far from me,

for trouble is near,

and no one else can help me.

From verse 6, even though the Psalmist knows in his head that God answered those who have called out to him in times past, he feels low, so much so that he doesn’t even feel human.

He is belittled and despised by those who see his problems and offer no comfort. In fact they taunt and mock, saying “If your God is so great why doesn’t he help you? If you’re one of God’s people why doesn’t he help you? Where is the object of your trust/faith now?”

The psalmist is disoriented. Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?

Putting ourselves back in his shoes, imagine his desperation. It may not be hard for you to imagine; you may have experienced it yourself. You’re at the end of your rope, and you are conflicted and confused about what God is doing, and why he is not working the way you thought he was supposed to work. You are tired and weak under the crushing weight of sleepless nights and oppressive troubles, and all you can manage to plead is this: “You have been my God from the moment I was born. Do not stay so far from me…”

Story of Josie falling in the fire / Chloe being diagnosed with diabetes

Why don’t you hear me?

Why have you left me alone?

Why do I cry out in vain?

You’re Good.

You’re merciful.

You’re kind.

Please show me that.

Please be near me in my distress.

Jesus’ distress on the cross

This desperation and anxiety in nowhere more clear than in the words of Jesus. As he hung on a Roman cross he was crushed by the weight of the world. He could truly say these words, as Mathew tells us;

Matthew 27:39–43 (NLT)

The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

​They mocked, and scorned. They taunted and derided. As that precious man hung there hour by hour, the darkness descended. Not just a darkness of soul, but literal darkness descended upon them. Matthew continues;

Matthew 27:45–46 (NLT)

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

The Son of God, the God-man himself with whom the father was well please cried out in pain of soul; “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer. So why does he leave his son to suffer on that Cross? Why does he crush him under the weight of our sin? Why does he leave him in his darkest hour feeling alone and helpless? I will explain in a few minutes. ​

I am ruined.

Psalm 22:12–18 (NLT)

My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;

fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!

Like lions they open their jaws against me,

roaring and tearing into their prey.

My life is poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart is like wax,

melting within me.

My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;

an evil gang closes in on me.

They have pierced my hands and feet.

I can count all my bones.

My enemies stare at me and gloat.

They divide my garments among themselves

and throw dice for my clothing.

The Psalmist continues from verse 12; My life is poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart is like wax,

melting within me.

My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

I thirst! But I thirst in vain. I am delivered to the “dust of death”. You may as well take me to the cemetery, because I will rest among the dead very shortly it seems. After all, evildoers surround me, they injure me, they mock and gloat and divide my belongings amongst themselves even before I have died. I hunger, so much so that you can see all my bones protruding. I am starved of life and death opens its arms to receive me.

I am ruined.

I have no hope.

While the Israelite would sing this Psalm of David in times of distress, it ultimately prophesies to us about the experience of Christ.

These words on the lips of Christ find their truest meaning.

Jesus on the cross said: “I thirst”

Jesus on the cross had his strength dried up as he struggled to raise his battered body to breath a shaky breath.

Jesus on the cross had his hands and feet pierced by nails.

Jesus on the cross was mocked.

Jesus on the cross watched as the soldiers cast lots for his clothing.

Jesus on the cross called out in despair…

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer.

So why does he leave his son to suffer on that Cross?

Why does He pour out his Son’s life like water?

Why does He surround him with evildoers?

Why does He allow rebellious men to gloat over the Son of God?!

Why does he allow mortal men to pierce the hands of our loving savior?

The hands he used to heal the sick and feed the many?

Please deliver me!

If we continue reading from v19, we see a turning point in the Psalm. The Psalmist musters his strength and brings his petition to God. Whereas before he could only muster one small request, now he turns and calls out in a desperate plea;

Psalm 22:19–21 (NLT)

O Lord, do not stay far away!

You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!

Save me from the sword;

spare my precious life from these dogs.

Snatch me from the lion’s jaws

and from the horns of these wild oxen.

In this cry there is assurance and confidence that he will be delivered and he is already delivered.

In this petition, this request to God, the psalmist reverses troubles of before.

Before he was feeling distant from God

conquered

encompassed by strong bulls

stalked by a lion and surrounded by dogs

now calls on God to be close, overcome the troubles, deliver from the dogs, save from the lions mouth and be rescued from the bulls.

This turning point changes the tone of the song. While there is still desperation, it is undergirded by a hope and confidence that was missing before. This will act as a springboard for the rest of the psalm.

As David wrote this psalm, he was obviously comforted by God, perhaps renewed in strength as he considered the Lord, or perhaps David wrote this retroactively, remembering a time when he was in desperation and God delivered him.

However, these words are ultimately prophetic in nature.

If we are reading the Passion narrative it’s easy to see the preceding verses fulfilled in Jesus words and the circumstances around him, but could Jesus truly cry out these words and yet still die on that cross?

If “The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer” how could Jesus pray this prayer and yet still be sent to the grave?

Ponder this as we continue through the Psalm.

I will praise Him!

Psalm 22:22–31 (NLT)

I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will praise you among your assembled people.

Praise the Lord, all you who fear him!

Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!

Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.

He has not turned his back on them,

but has listened to their cries for help.

I will praise you in the great assembly.

I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.

The poor will eat and be satisfied.

All who seek the Lord will praise him.

Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.

The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.

All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

For royal power belongs to the Lord.

He rules all the nations.

Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.

Bow before him, all who are mortal,

all whose lives will end as dust.

Our children will also serve him.

Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.

They will hear about everything he has done.

From v22 the Psalmist launches into praise of God, and makes promises to Him.

He starts by telling his fellow Israelites about God, the Lord who has delivered him. He insists that his fellow people praise their covenant God, Yahweh. What a change in attitude!

He responds with confidence and assurance. Whole heartedly encouraging praise and awe. Why? He tells us in verse 24; “For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.”

Though he felt distant, though his cries seemed to fall on deaf ears, though he seemed forsaken, God had not abandoned him. God has not ignored his cries and he has not discarded him. This should cause us to worship!

The joy not only overflows to encourage his countrymen to worship, but he goes beyond and begins to invite the worship of all the nations! V27-28

Psalm 22:27–28 (NLT)

The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.

All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

For royal power belongs to the Lord.

He rules all the nations.

While David wrote this psalm in the midst of his circumstances and as he was revived from distress to jubilation this scene of worship is established in Christ, in Jesus it finds its fulfilment.

For a time, it seemed as though Jesus was forsaken, and at Calvary as the literal darkness hung over the cross it looked like he had been abandoned. It looked like he was ignored by God, yet this was not the case!

The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer

God raised Jesus from the grave!

It looked like he had been abandoned by God to the grave, yet he resurrected Jesus from the dead!!

This was the ultimate deliverance! He was not delivered from death before the fact, but rather he was delivered after the fact! This is the ultimate display of salvation by God, triumphing over death!

He was the righteous man who suffered through death, was not abandoned to hell but restored to Life through it!

Jesus has the right to stand up and declare the mighty works of God, he has truly experienced the deliverance of the righteous sufferer and can with authority command us to praise and stand in awe of Yahweh.

Christ will bring in all the nations to worship the one true God, because he is given the kingship over all the earth. All nations shall turn to the Lord and bow before him.

Conclusion

This is all well and good I might hear you say, but the knowledge that The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer is of no comfort to me for I am not righteous. I am a sinner. What hope is there for me? Am I condemned to cry out forever​

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

​Will I always walk with no rest?

Will I always be pleading for Him to turn his face toward me?

Will this darkness forever rest upon me?

​Isaiah tells us of Jesus;

Isaiah 53:10–12 (NLT)

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him

and cause him grief.

Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,

he will have many descendants.

He will enjoy a long life,

and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,

he will be satisfied.

And because of his experience,

my righteous servant will make it possible

for many to be counted righteous,

for he will bear all their sins.

I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,

because he exposed himself to death.

He was counted among the rebels.

He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

​It was God’s plan to send him to that cross and crush Him there. For a time he would be put to grief and be anguished in soul but it was to make many righteous!! Through his anguish he makes us righteous!!

He interceded on behalf of his people, pouring out his life, bearing our iniquity (sins) that he might make an acceptable offering for our guilt.

If we come to Christ to be washed clean of guilt and shame, we are made righteous. And The Lord does not neglect the righteous sufferer!!

God will rescue us from our troubles and our despair! He will not leave us there forever. This should cause us to worship Him with awe!

Prayer