Text: Psalm 22:22-31
Focus Verses: “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” (verses 23-24).
David wrote this psalm to remind and encourage God’s people to praise and worship Him. But perhaps you just don’t feel in the mood to praise anyone. You look back on the last few days, months, years, and what stands out most are the afflictions you suffer. Perhaps you’re burdened with guilt, pressure, or loneliness.
Well, David knew suffering too. Earlier in the psalm he says that he was scorned, despised, and mocked—made to feel less than human. He is even so bold as to shout, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He felt as though even God had abandoned him.
But had God really turned His back on David? No, of course not! David trusted that the Lord would deliver him from his affliction. What’s more, David trusted that the Lord would deliver the whole world from its affliction. David rightly believed that you will be rescued from your suffering! Many generations after David, Jesus would join the psalmist in crying out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” on the cross (Matt. 27:46).
Jesus was afflicted, so that we would be delivered from our afflictions. God the Father did not ultimately abhor His Son, but heard Him when He cried to Him and raised Him from the dead Easter morning. So also we will be raised when Christ returns to a life free of guilt, pressure, and loneliness. Let us therefore, in spite of our troubles, glorify the Lord!
Let us pray: Dear Lord, through Your Son’s death and resurrection You have given to us salvation. Please help us remember that Your mercy is infinitely greater than our afflictions, so that we may glorify You. Amen.
(Daniel Fickenscher, Sem III)
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne
κήρυξον τὸν λόγον. Preach the Word.