The Psalm of the Cross Psalm 22 Rev. Min Chung (Good Friday Service, March 25, 2016) Why Have You Forsaken Me? To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him! 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 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; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet 17 I can count all my bones they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 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! 24 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. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. Introduction (Video showing the seven saying of Jesus Christ while on the cross, summarizing what the Cross means to us. During the climax of His suffering He quotes Psalm 22:1, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? )
This psalm is a vivid description of the suffering of Jesus Christ and is commonly referred to as The Psalm of the Cross by many commentators. Jesus is often compared to a shepherd, in John 10 Jesus is referred to as the shepherd who died on our behalf and in Hebrews 13:12 Jesus Christ is the resurrected shepherd who has risen from the dead and is now guiding His people in the present time in every good work. 1 Peter 5 refers Jesus as the chief shepherd who has ascended into heaven, and would one day return to reward the under shepherds, the delegated shepherds, who work for him (all of us). Psalm 23 is Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, guiding us. Psalm 22 is about a savior who dies on our behalf. Psalm 24 is about the returning king, Jesus Christ, making everything right by wiping out evil and sin. This sequence can be seen throughout Psalm 22. Psalm 22 vividly describes the savior who died on our behalf, becoming the foundation of who we are and everything we do in our lives. Though some commentators think this is a personal experience of David, many agree that there is no experience that David can this to compare as the psalm closely relates to the crucifixion. Nor was crucifixion a practice during David s time, it s a Roman invention. Thus this isn t an account of suffering endured by any ancient person, it is a Messianic psalm, a prophetic picture, pointing forward to Jesus Christ s suffering and death on the cross that paid the penalty for our sins. This psalm is what Jesus was thinking about while He was hanging on the cross, He was meditating on this piece of scripture. Jesus was constantly thinking of other people in the moments prior to His crucifixion. He saw the weeping women in Luke 23:28-30. In these verses, Jesus said that they should weep for themselves since they are more in trouble than Himself, especially with the times to come. When the soldiers drove the nails into Jesus hands and feet, Jesus prayed Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. as seen in the video shown. To the thief next to Him, Jesus said that he would be with Him in paradise. Even while He was dying on the Cross, Jesus entrusts His mother to John His disciple in John 19:26-27, Woman, behold, your son! Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother! as seen in the video shown. This is Jesus saying that even though He could not take care of her, from that day on John was to finish taking care of Jesus mother. None of these times was Jesus thinking of Himself but was constantly thinking of other people in the midst of suffering. During the Hour of Darkness that came around noon and lasted until 3 in the afternoon, the Father sent darkness to fill the land to shield Jesus during the hour He was made sin for us. These hours are referred to as The private hours which are between the Son and the Father. It seems to be as if the doors of Heaven were closed upon Jesus, so that what transpired during these hours were between Jesus and the Father alone. We can only have a clue of what happened during these hours in scripture. Such as in Matthew 27:46 where Jesus says, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? directly quoting Psalm 22:1, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?. This quote shows what is going on in the mind and heart of Jesus. John 19:28, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), I thirst. which is a reference to Psalm 69:21 which shows that Jesus was thinking of the Old Testament scripture. Similarly Psalm 22:31 stating, he has done it. is the same concept of Jesus saying It is finished on the Cross. This is all to show that Jesus was meditating on the Old Testament during the hours of suffering, that He saw His crucifixion as a fulfillment of Psalm 22.
I. The Pain of the Cross [1-21] In this first section of the Psalm, we have six sub-sections. Verses 1, 3, and 5 describe the suffering. Verses 2, 4, and 6 are the prayers of God. This is a pattern of talking about suffering and then praying. This can be seen as a way to use our suffering to pray and get closer to God. We should cry out to God in the midst of our suffering. God will help us by removing the suffering or strengthening us to endure the suffering. This is a progression of faith. As the suffering intensifies, we see a progression of strength rising while crying out to the Lord. A. Christ s Cry of Abandonment [1-2] Psalm 22:1-2 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Verse 1 is most pointed out and disturbing verse, as the suffering one cries out to God, believing God has forsaken Him and asserting that God is silent. We often feel like this, but we can be assured in that Jesus went through the same thing. Jesus was forsaken by God because He bore the sins of the people, our sins, on the Cross. This is the essence of the atonement. Jesus buried our hell so that we might share His Heaven. Jesus was forsaken, eclipsed of the light of God s countenance and the sense of God s presence and blessings. So great was the love of God for us, so great was the price Jesus was willing to pay to save us from our iniquity. Jesus was separated and rejected by the Father because of our sins, which was what He did not want us to go through. Jesus did not need to go through it for Himself, this is what Jesus dreaded to go through, it was what He prayed for the night before being crucified, let the cup pass from Him but not by His will but by the Father s will. Jesus had never experienced sin but He experienced the guilt and the pain of sin on our behalf. This is the guilt we feel when we sin, but Jesus, the one who never sinned experienced it a millions of times over on the behalf of all sinners. This is the first time in eternity when Jesus was alone, separated from the Father. This was done on our behalf to ensure that we may never feel alone. Even if we feel alone we are never alone because we are eternally connected to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in that moment. B. Memory of Past Deliverance [3-5] While thinking of the abandonment, Jesus prays, remembering the character of God and the past faithful deliverance of God. God is holy, separated from sin and separated from everything else. Because of this, God is not selfish but willing and able, pure, loving, and faithful. Though we feel rejected, God will always be there eventually, there is a reason for our abandonment and suffering. Jesus is overcoming the pain of loneliness and suffering by the memory of the faithfulness and past deliverance of God. God is trustworthy and will always come no matter where we are, no matter how wounded we are, always able, willing to rescue us, and will be there for us eventually. C. The Mockery of the Crucifixion [6-8] Psalm 22:6-8 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!
We see Jesus comes to the reality after the prayer, still thinking about the reality of the suffering, He s scorn by mankind, despised by people, they all mock Him. This section moves from being abandoned by God to the abandonment by people who mock him on the base of His faith. We can see the comparison of v6 to the verses in Matthew 27:39-43, specifically Matthew 27:39, And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and Matthew 27:41, So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him. Just like in Matthew, Psalm 22:7 shows all all who see Him are mocking Him about His faith. Psalm 22:8 is similar to Matthew 27:43, He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, I am the Son of God. showing the suffering of being rejected by God visualized by the rejection from the people. To endure this, He prayed, we too need to pray and cry out to God. D. The Memory of Past Faithfulness [9-11] This section is a memory of God s faithfulness for Himself. This is different from the second section because this is His own experiences rather than those He has heard from others. He s recalling His life and applying the character of God to His own life experiences. Psalm 22:9-11 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help These verses are filled with I and first person pronouns. These verses show the character of God being remembered personally, recalling the faithfulness of God s saving hand in His life. The memory of the past is power for the present perseverance. When looking at the faithfulness of God, we can see that God has been with us since the womb. Though trouble may be near and none may help, we know God will be there to help us. Make memories in your heart, look back to reinterpret the present reality and be rejuvenated with the future joy and the past memories will empower you for the present perseverance. E. The Suffering of the Cross [12-18] Psalm 22:16-18 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet 17 I can count all my bones they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. These verses are talking about the Roman cross which had not existed in the time when David wrote this. These verses show what happens to those who lose the battle, his dignity is gone. This prophesies the events of Matthew 27:35 where they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. This is Jesus suffering on the Cross, it isn t just physical pain. 1. The pain of physical body - sacrificed/ atonement 2. The pain of emotional guilt - no guilt/ no condemnation 3. The pain of separation and rejection - reconciliation 4. The pain of wrath of the Father - redemption
In this moment shortly after they pierced Him, He felt the deepest pain as it all accumulates. The greatest moment of pain becomes the tipping point of the Cross and the turning point of history. F. The Tipping Point [19-21] Psalm 22:19-21 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! The turning point of history and the psalm is in v19-21. As the suffering savior finds communion with God. Where it says You have recused me, means that God had heard Him. As Jesus is on the Cross, all of the wrath was poured on Jesus, nothing is left. When He is released from the wrath and abandonment Jesus says it is finished which is parallel to Psalm 22:21 in You have rescued me. This is a cry of triumph not despair in which the period of darkness passes, Jesus becomes aware of God s presence and favor again. We are never abandoned because Jesus was abandoned on our behalf. Because of this, our prayers are always heard. (The lyrics of How Deep The Father s Love For Us was quoted.) II. The Gain of the Cross [22-31] In the New Testament, we can see many quotations back to this psalm. In Hebrews 2:12 we see a direct quote to Psalm 22:22 as it talks about the superiority of Jesus as opposed to angels, Moses, Abraham and anyone else, I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. The author of Hebrews shows that Jesus has also become the Savior of His people by becoming like them and making them a member of His own family. Jesus makes us brothers and sisters in Christ, allowing us to come to God as our Father. In Hebrews 2:11, For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers we see another reference to Psalm 22:22. This shows us how to interpret the Psalm 22. This shows that Jesus is truly the speaker in this Psalm. In the context of the crucifixion, Jesus had not died until He said it is finished like in Psalm 22:31 where it is said, he has done it. At that moment, the tipping point, the curtain of the temple that separated the holy place from the most holy place, was ripped in two. It signified the full atonement of sin had been made, it s when Jesus cried out, Father, into your hand I commit in my spirit! The door is wide open, so just as Jesus had the intimacy of the Father, in Him we can go to the holy of holy presence of God. In Jesus, we can come into the holy presence of God, boldly approaching for the grace we need in times of trouble as mentioned in Hebrews 4. A. My brothers [22-24] Psalm 22:22-23 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 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! This is a reference to the Jews coming to faith in Jesus Christ which are to become a light to the Gentiles. This is mentioned in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Not only historical progression but also geographical progression, in Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Many people will come to know the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. B. The great assembly [25-29] Psalm 22:25-29 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. The great congregation refers to even all the Gentiles in the world. The many Jews that became Christian spread the Gospel to every tongue, nation, and tribe. We are included in a small portion of this great congregation. This part of scripture is being fulfilled now. We should preach to anyone and everyone who bears the image of God in fulfilling the vision of Jesus on the Cross. C. Future generations [30-31] Psalm 22:30-31 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. Not only the Jews or the Gentiles but all nations and every generation, even those that have yet to be born. These last verses show the universal value, world embracing proclamation of the Gospel. Those near and far, poor or rich, have been embraced. Psalm 22:26 says, The afflicted Psalm 22:29 says, All the prosperous We are all included in this group of people. Many are hopeless for the coming generations, but the Bible says that God will use even a few people from the generation to reach many more in that generation. God remains faithful to each generation. Jesus was thinking of you and me in that moment on the Cross, for our salvation from sin. We were on Jesus thoughts in the moment of his death. Because of Psalm 22:31, he has done it, we get two applications: 1. Seek Psalm 22:26 says, The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! and Psalm 22:29 says, All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Because of this, we should have a vertical relationship with God, to worship and seek him. We are in need of the vertical grace that comes from the throne of God. We are always searching for water in the disease-filled places and try to drink the water of the world to receive strength. We need the living water coming from the throne of God.
2. Proclaim Psalm 22:30-31 says, Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. Those who have seen Christ will proclaim His righteousness to those who are yet unborn. We don t have to fight for our victory, but fight from His victory, by His grace and mercy. We go forth declaring His victory. We don t have to persuade the people or force them, but as we proclaim the Lord, we love them, we live Him out. Through this we show the Lord. We are the witnesses of Jesus Christ and we are to tell others until He comes again. Since it is finished, all they have to do is come, and trust, and accept. Receive and live with him eternally. (The lyrics of How Deep The Father s Love For Us is quoted again, bring many sons to glory ) Conclusion Passion week is suffering week and many choose to fast during this time, just to experience the pain of the cross. This is something small considered to the pain Jesus experienced on the Cross. All of our lives as we proclaim His name, hardships and abandonment will come, but we should always say thank you for the Cross as nothing is as painful as what was experienced on the Cross. It s a small glimpse of the Cross so we can be thankful of the Cross. Just as deep as our suffering, with experience we can proclaim Jesus Christ. The man who was mocked as a king, the man who was powerless on the Roman cross, the man who could not save Himself was able to save everyone else.