Faith of the Forsaken

Psalm 22:1–24 ESV

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 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.

Psalm 22:1-24

Introduction

Story of Lady in Hospital.

Have you ever felt forsaken by God? This goes beyond just feeling abandoned by God (Our Focus last Week). How do we give expression to those times we feel forsaken? Or when we know someone who feels forsaken?

Many people have...

31 -Seasons of Feeling Forsaken.

The principle of 3’s - Deaths coming in 3’s

The principle of 3’s - Deaths coming in 3’s

desperately alone he feels as his mother lies dying:

Diane - Miscarriage, infertility, infidelity, divorce, poor choices.

David - A Story when he was surrounded by enemies.

Lawsuit

Imagry of the Bulls of Bashan, the Lions, and the Dogs - These were common images of powerful evil that seeks to destroy.

Being Surrounded by the Enemy - Wants to tear us down spiritually, and mentally - Using lies. - Church member whose boss seemed to be out to get her.

Imagry of being weakened of strength - bones out of joint, heart turned to wax, strength dried up, and tongue stuck to the roof of mount.

http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/when-the-game-stands-tall/why-me.

As Christians we look to Jesus, and we can easily do so in this Psalm.

32 -Jesus Felt Forsaken.

“No other Psalm fitted quite so aptly the circumstances of Jesus at his crucifixion.Hence on the cross he took it to his lips, and the Gospel writers, especially Matthew and John, frequently alluded to it in their accounts of Christ’s passions.They saw in the passion of Jesus the fulfillment of this cry of the righteous sufferer” (Kenneth Barker et al., The NIV Study Bible [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995], Psalm 22n, 798). Of particular interest is how accurately this song describes crucifixion when that mode of torture had not yet been invented historically.

Hence on the cross he took it to his lips, and the Gospel writers, especially

Theologians debate if the Father actually left Jesus alone in the moment on the cross when he became the propitiation for all sin. Whether the Father completely turned his presence away or not, it seems that Jesus felt that way. His cry from this psalm is both in knowledge of its prophetic declaration of his work on the cross as well as an authentic emotional position in the moment he said it. Either way, believers can be encouraged that even in feeling despair, Jesus went before us, leading the way in faithfulness. Jesus, too, knows what it is like to feel like God is far away, and he shows us what to do in those darkest moments: cry out to God in prayer and lean upon God’s Word for what to say.

Matthew and John, frequently alluded to it in their accounts of Christ’s passions.

cross when he became the propitiation for all sin. Whether the Father completely

Obvious Connections to Jesus on the Cross.

turned his presence away or not, it seems that Jesus felt that way. His cry from

this psalm is both in knowledge of its prophetic declaration of his work on the

vs. 7 All who see me mock me. They open wide their lips; they shake the head, saying:

They open wide their lips;

they shake the head, saying:

: And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,

vs. 8 “⌊He trusts Yahweh⌋. Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him because he delights in him.”

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

cross as well as an authentic emotional position in the moment he said it. Either

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

They saw in the passion of Jesus the fulfillment of this cry of the righteous

Let him deliver him because he delights in him.”

way, believers can be encouraged that even in feeling despair, Jesus went

: He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to, because he said, ‘I am the Son of God’!”

before us, leading the way in faithfulness. Jesus, too, knows what it is like to feel

vs. 18 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

: And they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves* by* casting lots for them to see who should take what.

and for my clothing they cast lots.

vs. 14-15 Most likely for the Psalmist possibly a description of lack of strength (A Deep Depression) unable to move - But it also eerily describes the physical outcome of crucifixion on the cross - Loss of blood (in Jesus’ case water from the spear as well, a sign of death), Bones out of joint very much the goal of crucifixion so one can not lift themselves to get a breath. Heart working over time to get oxygen, and then the dehydration (Jesus was offered vinigar water to take away pain and thirst).

like God is far away, and he shows us what to do in those darkest moments: cry

When Forsaken, Persist in Faith.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

vs. 17 - Many Scholars see this expression as referring to stripping someone of their clothes - then they are able to count all of the bones - As Jesus was stripped.

out to God in prayer and lean upon God’s Word for what to say.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Two ways to see Jesus in the Psalm.

This is a Prophetic Psalm - In fact have been considered expressions about the promised Messianic King who will be faithful to Israel’s Covenant of God. That David, when he wrote these Psalms was writted of the figure in these Psalms in a way that could refer to himself or in third person - vs. 24. And truly if you read it could be seen as a summary of Jesus’ Life, Suffering, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. So Jesus fulfills the very longings of a Messianic King and is giving voice to that on the cross.

Likely this Psalm was about a real situation in the David’s Life where he felt Forsaken by God and the Psalm is describing that situation and His Prayer to God. -Perhaps when he was on the run from Saul, or when his Son Absolum staged a coup and surrounded Jerusalem and David barely escaped with his life and had to go into hiding. Jesus who had the words of Scripture on his heart was on the cross, and found in this Psalm the very pain and turmoil he was feeling and so prayed it because it identified so well with His situation. What we can see with this angle is a Jesus’ who identifies with the deepest suffering of humans, and he is also a model to us on how to pray during those times of deep suffering when we do not know what to Pray.

sufferer” (Kenneth Barker et al., The NIV Study Bible [Grand Rapids, MI:

Zondervan, 1995], Psalm 22n, 798). Of particular interest is how accurately this

But it seems like a faithless act to pray this way.

song describes crucifixion when that mode of torture had not yet been invented

33 -When Forsaken, Persist in Faith

historically.

When Forsaken, Persist in Faith.

“Jesus’ cry of desolation, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ …does not mean ‘Why have you left me forever?’ for Jesus knew that he was leaving the world, that he was going to the Father (; , ). Jesus knew that he would rise again. … Jesus knew that he was dying for our sins. …Jesus, who knew the words of Scripture as his own, knew well the context of . In quoting this psalm, he is quoting a cry of desolation that also has implicit in its context an unremitting faith in the God who will ultimately deliver him. Nevertheless, it remains a very real cry of anguish because the suffering has gone on so long and no release is in sight” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], 576).

does not mean ‘Why have you left me forever?’ for Jesus knew that he was

Throughout the entire Psalm, David remembers those times when God stepped in and saved Israel when they cried out to Him. He believes that if God did that in the past he can do that again - This takes tremendous Faith.

vs. 21

leaving the world, that he was going to the Father (; , ). Jesusknew that he would rise again. … Jesus knew that he was dying for our sins. …

Throughout the entire Psalm, David remembers those times when God stepped in and saved Israel when they cried out to Him. He believes that if God did that in the past he can do that again - This takes tremendous Faith.

Jesus, who knew the words of Scripture as his own, knew well the context of

To Pray, “My God, My God, Why have you Forsaken Me?” Does not necessarily mean that one has lost their Faith, In Fact it may be an expression of someone with strong Faith. It is an expression that is confounded by the feelings of forsakenness on one hand because it does not make sense from a God who saves, and on the other hand an expression of One who believes that God saves.

34 -Lord of the Rings Clip - Salvation from Gandor.

35 -vs. 21, vs. 24

There is a difference between feeling forsaken and actually being forsaken.

The enemy is encircling us, intimidating us like bulls of bashan to speak that lie into our lives. - The enemy wants us to believe that either we are not worth it to be saved by God, or That God is not good and does not want to save you.

Often a depression can set it that makes it difficult for our spiritual antenna to connect with God.

Jesus felt the forsaken from the sin of the world while on the cross, but in the end the Father raised Him from the dead. Ultimately he was not forsaken.

The same is true for those who have received God’s grace. We may feel forsaken, but we are not actually forsaken because Jesus died to free us from that punishment of being forsaken - So that God would be present with us.

Conclusion: What this Psalm teaches us is.

We can pray like Jesus - We can give God our deepest feelings in our cry for help. We can be honest about how we feel.

Jesus identifies with our deepest feelings, as he expressed them on the cross. We are not alone.

If you feel forsaken and express it to God, that is not necessarily a sign of lack of Faith, in fact it may be an expression of deep Faith that God should be a saving and present God.

Feeling Forsaken is not the same as being forsaken. It is our Faith our Trust that God is good and he wants to be present with, and our savior that will carry us through those times when we feel forsaken.

. In quoting this psalm, he is quoting a cry of desolation that also has

implicit in its context an unremitting faith in the God who will ultimately deliver

him. Nevertheless, it remains a very real cry of anguish because the suffering

has gone on so long and no release is in sight” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic

Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], 576).

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 16, 26, 31, 34, 37-51, 56, 60, 75-77 Belgic Confession: Articles 21, 26, 35 Belhar Confession: Article 4