Psalm 22 (Part III)

Intro (V. 22-24)

Psalm 22:22–24 ESV

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

This is the epitome of worshiping despite of where we are at

Someone once said :

“Worship is not the denial of pain; it’s the defiant declaration that God is worthy in it.” — Unknown

As David wrestled through this season of life, he realized hey God had not forsaken him, and despite the wickedness of this world Gd was still worthy of praise

The disciples as they reflected on this Psalm would be reminded despite what they had just watched, they were not abandoned and still needed to praise God

The world is watching how we respond in our suffering

Suffering is the platform from which faith speaks the loudest

When our faith is speaking what should it say?

It testifies of what God has done (His faithfulness)

It shows reverence for God, not rejection of God (just as he has not rejected us)

In the rest of Psalm 22 we will see three truths that will help us stand firmly in God so our faith may preach loudly

Satisfaction (v. 25-26)

This stanza starts off with expressing with the fact the reason David can praise is that his praise is sustained by God

So they key to praising in the suffering, they key to our faith testifying in the middle of suffering is dependent on where we look for sustenance

As we get to the second half of this stanza we see the key to being sustained through suffering

We are to “eat and be satisfied”

What are we to dine on?

John 6:35 ESV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 1:1 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Our Spiritual nourishment should be found in the Word of God, not elsewhere, it don’t need no additives either

It is not a individualistic practice either, it is not about what feels right to you.

What feels right does not sustain, feelings have no grounding, faith does

Suffering reveals rather the grounding of your life was based on spiritualized feels or if it is truly grounded in the Spirit

When our satisfaction is found in the Lord our praise remains intact because our hope is not based in the things of the world

Rather I am healthy or unhealthy I will praise the Lord

Rather I am rich or poor I will praise the Lord

Rather I am hungry or full I will praise the Lord

Rather I am emotionally happy or sad I will praise the Lord

Regardless of any circumstances of this world I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!

One key to praising and having faith testify in the midst of suffering lies in finding sustenance in the Word of God, not personal feelings or worldly things, and when our satisfaction is rooted in Him, our praise remains unwavering despite any circumstance.

Authority (v. 27-28)

As we get to this stanza the scope broadens out from the local to the international and ends with the truth of the kingship of the Lord

God’s sovereignty isn’t confined to the church—it spans every corner of the earth and universe.

Which means, there is no moment of suffering beyond God’s jurisdiction; no storm or enemy can come against us outside His authority. Everything happens within His sovereign control.

John 19:11 ESV

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

To the disciples it looked like Pilate had the authority, which he did. But that authority could not go beyond the limits God had set

And God in his power used Pilates wicked heart to bring Himself glory as he used Pilates impure desire to get Jesus to the cross where redemption would happen

Knowing God’s absolute authority we know God has set limits and has set purposes for what he allows to happen under his dominion

We do not always understand the purposes, but just like the disciples did not understand the purpose of Friday, it would make sense come Sunday

The second key to praising and having faith testify in the midst of suffering is to remember to God’s sovereignty over all, as even Pilate's power was granted by God to fulfill His redemptive plan, which, though incomprehensible in the moment, are made clear in time rather in this life or in eternity.

It is Finished (v. 29-31)

Psalm 22 ends with the words “he has done it”. which can also be understood as “for it is done” and Jesus’ very last words were “It is finished (John 19:30).”

What is finished?

In David’s life, the deliverance from praise, the sustaining of praise. Is all God

In the fuller context of the Bible Jesus has finished God’s redemptive plan for man and has brought salvation to those willing to accept it

As verse 31 reminds us it is a truth that knows no bounds of time. The truth power of God holds the same all the way from “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth (Gen 1:1).” to the “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Rev 22:21).”

The work for salvation is done, the means to redeeming pain is done. The question is will you accept the work that has been graciously done on your behalf?

As you lean into the finished work of God and glean strength from His finished Word how will you proclaim His righteousness, regardless of how your life is going?

The third key is remembering Psalm 22 ends with the triumphant declaration “He has done it,” echoed in Jesus’ final words, “It is finished,” marking the completed work of God that allows for the sustaining praise through suffering and most importantly securing eternal redemption—an unchanging truth from Genesis to Revelation that now invites us to respond by proclaiming His righteousness, no matter our circumstances.

Outro

So this Easter take these three things:

Our satisfaction is found in God, not circumstances

Live in submission to His authority, not your own or the wordls

Trust in His finished work, you don’t have to figure out all the world’s problems, you just have to face it with the Word of God