Walking With God # 8: When You Feel Alone, Psalm 22

Introduction: I’m sure you’ve heard the poem “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you.”

I think we can all relate to this feeling. There are times in our lives when, even though we know we are walking with God, we still feel like we are walking all alone. Psalm 22 can help us with this feeling.

Psalm 22 is an individual lament psalm. It was written to the chief musician, set to the tune of “The Deer (doe) of the Dawn.” JFB suggests that the use of the tune is because this is how the psalmist feels- like a deer being pursued by hunters in the early morning. The psalm depicts a believer walking in & through suffering & shows us the other side. It teaches us to trust God’s help in times of trouble because we will triumph through Him. When we are walking with God but feel all alone...

1. We can TRUST God’s Help, 1-11

Psalm 22:1-11, To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. 1My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

 4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” 9But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. 11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.

Vss. 1-2, the psalmist feels like a PERSONAL DESERTION has occurred. He cries out, not to any god, but to “My God,” there is a personal relationship here. We’ve all had the experience of being disappointed by a person, someone we counted on to be there, who abandoned us. But we don’t feel like God ought to do that; He ought to be there.

Psalm 139:7-10, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

So, has God abandoned him, or does he feel like God has abandoned him? Our feelings aren’t facts. We have to fight that forsaken feeling with faith. How?

Vss. 3-5, The psalmist reminds himself of God’s holiness and PAST DELIVERANCES.His ancestors trusted God and were delivered, so why not him? When you are feeling forsaken, what examples do you have of God’s faithfulness in the past? to you or others?

Vss. 6-8, Those memories might turn the PRESENT DISTRESS into a pain point, because we haven’t received your answer. We may feel worthless. People may despise & disappoint us, or even denigrate our faith in God, but we must hold onto Him.

Vss. 9-11, Remind us of our PREVIOUS DEPENDENCY on God. From your birth, He has been faithful, so why not now when trouble is near, & you have no one else to help? Even when you feel all alone, you can trust God to help.

2. Because TROUBLE is Here, 12-21

12Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 13They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. 14I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! 20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.

Vss. 12-13, the imagery portrays people as his biggest problem. We understand now why he felt so forsaken. A gang of bull(ies) surrounded him, he has no one in his circle, no one on his side. He is all ALONE.

Vss. 14-15, And he is AFRAID-poured out like water, bones out of joint, heart melted like wax. His strength is dried up & so is his mouth. He is sure he is about to die.

Vss. 16-18, Now they’ve got him. The ASSAULT begins. The circle that surrounded him collapsed upon him. He is pierced, puny, a public spectacle, & stripped bare. Naked & ashamed.

Vss. 19-21, But he still calls out to God to help him, deliver him, and save him. And do you know what? God ANSWERED him.

There is no recorded scenario in the life & history of David when he went through an experience like the one that is described here. But there is a person who went through something almost exactly like this.

C. I. Scofield: Psalm 22 is a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. The bones (of the hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis) out of joint (v. 14); the profuse perspiration caused by intense suffering (v. 14); the action of the heart affected (v. 14); strength exhausted, and extreme thirst (v. 15); the hands and feet pierced (see v. 16 …); partial nudity with the hurt to modesty (v. 17), are all associated with that mode of death.

The accompanying circumstances are precisely those fulfilled in the crucifixion of Christ. The desolate cry of v. 1 (Matthew 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”);

…the contemptuous and humiliating treatment of vv. 6–8, 12–13. Matthew 27:39–44, And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

The casting lots of v. 18 (Matthew 27:35, Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.) JM Boice calls Ps. 22 the Psalm of the Cross

Vs. 21- You have Answered me. You have answered meis not you have rescued me. God did not deliver Jesus from the people who hated Him, our problem of sin, or the pain of death, but God did respond. God did not leave Jesus in the grave, He raised Him from the dead. Jesus got the victory over sin, death, & hell, & we will triumph through Him.

3. We will TRIUMPH through Him, 22-31

22I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. 25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever! 27All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. 29All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. 30A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

By trusting in God, we will triumph over the trouble of this world. John 16:33, These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Three ways to respond to the triumph of trusting in Jesus:

- TESTIFY, vss. 22-26.To declare- to tell, to let something be known. To praise/praise the Lord- yehalelu Yahweh; Hallelujah.

This sounds like an old school testimony service. After being delivered, He stands up to declare God’s name in the assembly of the saved.

E.g., I just wonder, is there anyone this morning who wants to testify about Jesus. We’re going to make a mic available for you.

- MAGNIFY, vss. 27-29. Through the praises of His people, God’s worship is extended to the ends of the world. Magnify-to make something BIG, this is what we’re supposed to do with Jesus.

Magnify like a telescope, not a microscope. Microscopes make small things bigger. Telescopes bring big things closer. It’s not called the Great Commission for nothing. Jesus is magnified by the mission of the church to proclaim the Gospel to the world.

- GLORIFY, vss. 30-31. posterity shall serve Him. Posterity- seed, offspring.

Isaiah 53:10, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lordshall prosper in His hand. The seed of Jesus is all those who are saved and we are meant to serve Him. Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We were in trouble, but God sent Jesus, we trusted in Him, and we have triumphed through Him.