Psalm 22

As we embrace the psalm, we join a vast company of people who for nearly thirty centuries have grounded their prayers and praise in these ancient words. Kings and peasants, prophets and priests, apostles and martyrs, nuns and reformers, professors and folk singers - for all of them and a host of others the Psalm has been spiritual life and breadth.

The

nd psalm can be divided into two divisions!

"erse #- # A cry to $od of Agony "erse -%# Praise, Thanksgiving and deliverance. within the first division we have mutiple sections, verse #-& which we will start in today is an appeal to $od the 'ather( Theres is a two fold problem in the first few verses! #. )hy art thou so far from my groainings, * cryout in day and night, yet there is no answer from $od. Thou sittest on the throne of *sraels praise + meaning the ,ord by -is awesome deeds for -is chosen people recieved constant praise. Again * ask why are thous so far away in my time of need. . .ur fathers trusted and were saved, but where is $od now/ Psalm !#

0To the chief 1usician upon Aijeleth 2hahar, A Psalm of 3avid.44 1y $od, my $od, why hast thou forsaken me/ 0why art thou so4 far from helping me, 0and from4 the words of my roaring/ * have a book that is titled 5 The hard sayings of the 6ible7, * searched for this verse and 1ark #&!%8 and the book states this is the hardest saying of them all.

9loi, 9loi, lama sabachthani. The fourth word form the cross. This verse is the final word of despair, it is the utterance of a religous man who at the bottom depths of misery, when man has turned against him and the world as we know it has come at him with the full force of all of its imaginable evil and cruelty, these are the words that came to light and were spoken by this a faithful man. )hen we break down each individual word of this first verse we get a better understading of the person who spoke them and what the verse says. 1y$od, 1y $od This phrase 9loi, 9loi, lama sabachthani is spoken by a man who! never lost his faith which is evidenced by the words 1: $.3, 1: $.3. This is a confirmation of faith, to cry out to $od in such anguish is truly a testament to ones faith in $od the deliverer. # Peter 8!#; )herefore let them that suffer according to the will of $od commit the keeping of their souls 0to him4 in well doing, as unto a faithful <reator. 3euteronomy =!; Know therefore that the ,.>3 thy $od, he 0is4 $od, the faithful $od, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations This is an address to $od and a cry for help. Physical sufferings are often much harder to bear by reason of distress of the soul. The stress is a result of the mysterys of $ods ways in relation to ourselves. *n this time of great stress we may cry out and ?uestion $od in our own ignorance or arrogance, but we are to remain failthfull as $od is a faithful $od of love and mercy for those who love -im.

)hy The psalmist is asking why because he has faith in $od. -e believes $od is listening to his cry. Therefore, he has hope. 9ven if no cause can be found, even when we have no understanding as to why we are deserted and in our desperate situations, we can still have hope as did the psalmist who wrote these words. )e are saved by hope! >omans @! 8 'or we are saved by hope! but hope that is seen is not hope! for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for/ The scriptures are the source of our hope! >omans #&!8 'or whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 9ven when we do not understand our situation when we are lost or confused and we cant make heads or tales of our circumstance. )e can still have hope. -ast *t is done, feeling its dreadfull effect, it is the truth but we still do not understand it. Aeremiah # !#

>ighteous 0art4 thou, . ,.>3, when * plead with thee! yet let me talk with thee of 0thy4 judgments! )herefore doth the way of the wicked prosper/ 0wherefore4 are all they happy that deal very treacherously/

Thou- $od )e can understand people abandon us, friends or family, or when people turn against us in our time of need, as we all are only human. )e cant comprehend how 1y $od, my failthful friend, how can you leave me. 2eparation from $od is hell. The fiercest flames that hell has to offer is separation of the soul from $od. *saiah &;! 6ut your ini?uities have separated between you and your $od, and your sins have hid 0his4 face from you, that he will not hear. 'orsaken *n the $reek the word forsaken is made up of three words, to leave meaning to abandon, down suggesting defeat and helplessness, and in referring to place or circumstance. The total meaning of the word forsaken is abandoning someone in a state of defeat or helplessness in the midst of hostile circumstances. This has to be the saddest word in any language. Aesus on the cross knew what it was to be forsaken. Proverb #! @ Then shall they call upon me, but * will not answer( they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me! The mental torment of knowing that you are separated from $od has to be worse than any physical agony.

1e The innocent, obedient, suffering servant, why me to perish.)hen we see ourselves in light of pentinece and Aesus on the cross we can eBpound upon this ?uestion. This is an appearant injustice( >omans ;!#8 asks the ?uestion )hat shall we say then/ 0*s there4 unrighteousness with $od/ $od forbid. 9cclesiastes =!#& All 0things4 have * seen in the days of my vanity! there is a just 0man4 that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked 0man4 that prolongeth 0his life4 in his wickedness. This is the ?uestion asked here by the psalmist. )hy does the sinner prosper and the righteous suffer.

Aesus was forsaken because our sins seperated us from $od. This phrase was uttered by our ,ord and 2aviour Aesus on the cross at <alvary, this was not by any means a description of -is own needs. -e spoke these words as to voice the cry of the helpless sinners for whom -e was dying. Aesus sounded not for -imself as -e felt the increasing burden of human sin while -is own physical light was fading, he sounded out for you and me these notes of sinCs despair. This is a cry of ,.D,*D922, from Aesus on the cross. ,oniliness because this is the first time Aesus felt the burden of sin, not -is own sin but our sin. *saiah &%!# Therefore will * divide him 0a portion4 with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong( because he hath poured out his soul unto death!

and he was numbered with the transgressors( and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

* Peter ! 8 )ho his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness! by whose stripes ye were healed. This lonliness is reflective of a distant $od. 2in separates us from $od, sin is a turning away from $od, with the emphasis on the word away. )hen we do wrong $od seems very far away. $od becomes so distant it is as if $od is out of focus in our lives. )e dont see $od when we should or could, because of the distance and because $od is not our focus. This is where we are in relation to $od when we sin. 2in is symboliEed in the cross! where wrong like a cross beam cuts right through our upright and noble purpose. $odCs love cuts right across the upright of our evil and -is love redeems us. Amen. ,ife has a relative side in respect to distance. -appiness and sorrow are the relative distance from the person or things that we love. )hen all is well with our trust and devotion to our 'ather, -e seems near. )hen we sin or turn our backs to $od, -e seems oh so far away. The grocery store, when we feel good and strong is just right down the road. *t is not far away. )hen we are ill or tired the distance to that same store seems much greater. The distance is not so much in the mileage as it is in ourselves. The distance between our 'ather and ourselves never changes F$od is omnipresentG. )hat changes is what happens inside of us, in our hearts and in our minds. $od never leaves us as -e is a faithful $od, we because we are often weak or fickle stray away from $od. This is one of the hardest truths to accept when studying the bible. *t is in me to fail, but we have a $od who forgives and accepts us back into the fold with open arms and love when we turn back to -im. Amen

Aesus on the cross used this verse as an eBpression of suffering and also to echo the lonliness of all who do wrong. $od had not forsaken -im, $od did not forsake the thief who was pentinent, $od was not distant when our 2aviour prayed for -is crucifiers, nor was -e distant when -e commended, -is tired, worn, eBhausted spirit into the 'athers keeping. 3ying for sin, Aesus personifies sins awefullness by the psalmist words of lonliness.

Psalm %8!#; 1any 0are4 the afflictions of the righteous! but the ,.>3 delivereth him out of them all. Aesus prayer was answered by the one who could save -im from death, what is meant is that Aesus was delievered from dying( 6rought back from the dead, -ebrews #%! H Dow the $od of peace, that brought again from the dead our ,ord Aesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Aesus was brought again from the dead to live hereafter by the power of an indestructible life -ebrews =!#I )ho is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Aesus was made to be sin for us corinthians &! #

'or he hath made him 0to be4 sin for us, who knew no sin( that we might be made the righteousness of $od in him. Aesus learned obedience from what -e suffered. 6y what -e suffered -e learned the cost of -is whole hearted obedience to the 'ather. -is acceptance of the cross crowned -is obedience, it was an act of total devotion. This however, absoluteley does not diminsh the reality of -im being $od forsaken. Aesus felt the pain and agony of seperation from the 'ather because our sin pulled -is soul away from the 'ather. This reality made -im more effective as a deliverer and supporter of -is people. The one who knew no sin, and felt the sin of the whole world on that dark day hanging on the cross. )hen we cry out 5$od why hast thou forsaken me/7, we can reflect that this was what Aesus cried. Theres is no depth of dereliction known to human beings which -e has not unraveled. 6y this it means that he has been made perfect, -e is completely ?ualified to be -is peoples sympathiEing helper in their most eBtreme need( being forsaken, seperation from $od. -ebrews &!=-; )ho in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared(Though he were a 2on, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered(And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him( )hen we call out of the depths, -e who called out of the depths on good 'riday knows what it feels like. The differecne is -e is with us now to strengthen us, no one was there to strengthen -im, true lonliness was -is, so it will not be our lot in this life. )hen we cry out to the ,ord we do it out of commitment and the ,ord responds with strenght for us in our time of need, out of ,ove. The opposite of lonely is loved, or befriended which is supported.

This love that $od has for us is what is there to remind us that we are never alone. *n our darkest days of our own sinful, evil ways when we hate the world, forgot about $od, and when even we hate ourselves becuase we are so far from what is right with $od, we still by grace through faith have support. )e are befriended, we are loved. As constant as time keeps ticking forward is as constant as the love of <hrist in heaven has for us. )e can not be seperated from this love. >omans @!%& )ho shall separate us from the love of <hrist/ 0shall4 tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword/ Aohn #&!#% $reater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. )e are -is friends. )e who believe in <hrist, that he died on the cross for our sins, we are those counted as -is friends. The words of Aesus Aohn #&!;-#H As the 'ather hath loved me, so have * loved you! continue ye in my love. *f ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love( even as * have kept my 'atherJs commandments, and abide in his love. 6ut when we are alone it is because we did not keep -is commandments. *t is becuase we chose our ways. *f it is us chosing our own ways that has caused separation from $od then we need to repent and turn back to $od. The word repent comes from the $reek metanoeo, to perceive afterwards, to change ones mind or purpose., always in the new

testament involving a change for the better, amendment, always eBcept once, it is of 5repentance of sin.7 Acts %!#; >epent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the ,ord( >epentence is the first step to ending lonliness. There are promises to the pentinent, Answer to prayers <hronicles =!#8

*f my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways( then will * hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Pardon for 2in *saiah &&!= ,et the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts! and let him return unto the ,.>3, and he will have mercy upon him( and to our $od, for he will abundantly pardon. ,*'9 9Eekeil #@! # 6ut if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. <omforted 1atthew&!8 6lessed 0are4 they that mourn! for they shall be comforted. The gifts of the -oly 2pirit Acts !%@

Then Peter said unto them, >epent, and be baptiEed every one of you in the name of Aesus <hrist for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the -oly $host. )e have to come to our ,ord with a contrite heart. )e have to apologiEe, we have to show in our hearts $odly sorrow. Aoel !#% And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the ,.>3 your $od! for he 0is4 gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. rend + to tear, or divide... <orinthians =!#H 'or godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of! but the sorrow of the world worketh death. This type of humbleness, this coming clean with $od through confession of our sins this is what brings us back to $od. This how we are forgiven. )hen we sin we repent and come back to $od, once we are reconciled with $od we then can become reconciled to each other. 1atthew I!#8 Aesus Taught us... 'or if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly 'ather will also forgive you! 2in is what seprates, it is what causes loneliness. *n society no one relly wants to hang out with the liar, the cheat, the thief, the murderer, the junkie, the criminal. )e are socially ostraciEed from family, friends, loved ones, from those who chose not to live a life of sin. The sinner who is so distant from $od that sin controls their life is so distant from the love of the community they live in. )e still all have the same right for forgiveness. 9phesians #!=

*n whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace( Aesus while on the cross forgave the person neBt to -im on a cross, he prayed for those who nailed -im to that tree. )e, by the grace of $od, do not have to be on a cross. )e are forgiven because of faith and this forgiveness is eternal, our repentance may be an ongoing process, but forgiveness is eternal no matter what our circumstance or situation may be. )e are never alone as long as we turn to $od, $od will deliver us from any dire circumstance form any depth of despair. 0To the chief 1usician upon Aijeleth 2hahar, A Psalm of 3avid.44 1y $od, my $od, why hast thou forsaken me/ 0why art thou so4 far from helping me, 0and from4 the words of my roaring/ $od is always there and is never far away from our roarings, never far from helping us. $od has provided eternal life, salvation by grace through faith, which is eternal help. $od has never abandoned us in a defeated state while in hostile circumstance. )e through our sin forsake or abandon $od, we through sin do not help edify the <hurch, through sin we neglect the words of scripture. Thank you $od for your endless love and forgiveness of our endless failures in righteousness, this love that allows us to come back to you, your love that has provided us an eternity with you. The psalmist words are a reflection of his decisions which brought him to a state of despair. Aesus words on the cross is reflective our sin that brought him to a physical death so that we may have eternal life. .nce again thank you $od for your forgiveness, love and slavation.

*n AesusCs name * prayK Amen

Far from helping me and from the words of my roaring -abakkuk #! . ,.>3, how long shall * cry, and thou wilt not hearK 0even4 cry out unto thee 0of4 violence, and thou wilt not saveK Pslam &&! Attend unto me, and hear me! * mourn in my complaint, and make a noise(

Psalm

. my $od, * cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not( and in the night season, and am not silent.

Psalm #8 ! * poured out my complaint before him( * shewed before him my trouble.