What to do when God Seems Far Away

Introduction:

There is no doubt that this Psalm is speaking about Jesus Christ. Throughout the crucifixion story we see passage after passage fulfilled in Christ and in this sense David was more than a king, he was a prophet.

If we look at vs 1, Jesus quoted these words in Matt 27:46. In vs 8 the people mock Him because of his trust in God which we see in Matt 27:43. In vs 18, they divide His cloths and gamble for them. This was fulfilled in Matt 27:35. Vs 16 talks about his hands and his feet being pierced. This was referenced in John 20:25-27.

Many of these descriptions seem like they could only have been spoken of the Lord. Tonight, I want to look at this Psalm from another angle. When David spoke these words, something in his life prompted him to write them and in this sense, this prophetic psalm has an application for our life as well. Jesus Christ Himself serves as the example for how we are to respond when God seems far away. The Psalm is divided into three sections: vs 1-10 introduces his complaint and recalls to memory God’s previous deliverance. vs 11-21 speak of his lament and in vs 22-31, he speaks of his deliverance. Psalm 22:1-2 introduce our topic with David’s question, “My God why have you forsaken me” David clearly felt that God was not listening to his prayer because God had not delivered David. David in asking this question was clinging to his relationship with God. We see this in the three fold repetition of my God. And yet, he felt as if God was far off. Tonight I want to answer the question, “What do I do when God seems far away?”

I. His remembrance Psalm 22:1-10

Every time I think about times like this in my life, I can’t help but think about Lamentations 3 where Jeremiah says, “I am the man that hath seen affliction, He speaking of God brought me into darkness and not light, He hath made my chain heavy, he hath filled me with bitterness.” Jeremiah began thinking about all the bad things that were happening to him, but in Lamentations 3: 21-22 he remembers, This I recall to mind and therefore have I hope- It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed ...and his mercies are new every morning. Change of attitude comes from a change of mind. David reminded himself of somethings when he felt God as far away.

A. He remembers God’s character Psalm 22:3 “But thou art Holy...”

What Does God’s holiness have to do with his trustability? Holiness speaks of God’s majesty “Oh thou that inhabitest the heavens”, but also it speaks of moral purity and justice. Abraham asked, Shall not the judge of all the earth do right in Gen 18: 25. God’s holiness obligates Him to do what is right toward His people and for His own reputation.

B. He remembers God’s faithfulness to others Psalm 22:4-5 The word trusted is used three times in these two verses and even the phrase cried unto thee is from the same Hebrew word as trusted. The fathers, Moses, Joshua, ect all trusted and what was the result: God delivered them.

Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm- David contrast himself with the fathers. They trusted and were delivered, but I am a worm. Sometimes when we see what God has done for others and has not done for us, it is easy to think that we must not be worth God’s attention, or something is wrong with us because He has not delivered us. Neither God’s silence, nor men’s mocking nor his own worthlessness could shake David from his trust in God.

C. He remember’s His relationship with the Lord Psalm 22:9-10 “Thou art my God from my mother’s belly” God has been his God since he was a child. The relationship they had was a reminder that God would deliver. In vs 11, he concludes, if you won’t help me there is no one else who can.

II. His lament Psalm 22:11-21

Recently I have been discovering the idea of lament in scripture. Sometimes I think as Christians we feel that we can not pour out our hearts to God and be honest with Him because He will slap us down for daring to say that something He did hurt or disappointed us. So much of the book of Psalms is filled with lament and we even have an entire book of the bible about lamentation. In fact there are 42 lament Psalms. Part of the healing process that people need to go through is grief and pouring out our hearts in lament is an expression of that grief to the only one who can help. Psalm 142:2

Some may say why then were the children of Israel condemned for complaining in the wilderness? That is a good question. The difference between the psalmist and the children of Israel was faith. I can pour out my complaint to God in a spirit of trust. Psalms 22: 8

A. His enemies have surrounded him Psalm 22:12-13,16 The enemies of David are all referred to as bulls, lions, and dogs.

B. He was physically damaged Psalm 22: 14-17 Probably in no other section does the Psalm seem to speak more clearly about Jesus than anyone else. It is hard to picture David in these exact conditions. In some way, David’s experience prefigured what Christ would go through. If you want to study this out more, I would suggest a study of all the passages where emotional, spiritual and psychological pain are described in physical terms in the Psalms.

He was poured out like water

His bones were out of joint

His heart melted like wax

His strength was gone

His tongue was dried up

His hands and feet were pierced

He could count his bones

C. He begs God to deliver him quickly Psalm 22: 19-21

III. His Deliverance Psalm 22: 21b-31

It is clear from vs 21, that God must have delivered David. Thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. When God does finally deliver us what should our response be.

A. He praised God Psalm 22:22-25

B. He paid his vows Psalm 22:25

C. He preached God’s fame Psalm 22:27-31

Conclusion:

Some have been allotted by God to live periods or even entire lives of anguish and pain. The feelings of loss of a loved one are not just going to magically disappear. It can be easy to feel like God is far away when the answers we seek in prayer do not come when we want them to come or even feel we need them to come. Some physical afflictions may never go away. And in seasons of our lives we may feel like God is silent. As we have seen tonight, it is alright to pour out our hearts in lament as long as we trust. But in our struggle with despair, we must remind ourselves of who God is, what he has done in the past and what our relationship to Him means. Then we must trust Him.

When God is silent and we don’t know the way before us that we ought to go; When we’ve attempted to do His will, and yet His silence continues still.

Then it’s time to trust! Yes, it’s time to remember that the LORD is faithful to His own. If we hope, we shall yet be praising once again, for his silence never means that we’re alone!