Psalm 22-Supplication through the Scriptures

Psalm 22

Ten Looks at the Suffering Servant

Robert Murray McCheyne said, “Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief!” Today, as we pray through Psalm 22, we will take ten looks at Christ. Ten ways in which His suffering can comfort us in our suffering because He became like us and suffered for us.

22:1-5 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. 

#1: He was forsaken.

▫️I thank You, Lord, that because Christ bore Your wrath on the cross in my place and was forsaken, I have the sure promise in my affliction and in my pilgrimage that You will never leave me nor forsake me.

#2: He was oppressed and afflicted.

▫️As Christ was oppressed and afflicted yet did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:6), so I would wait in quietness, rest, and trust during my suffering (Isaiah 30:15).

#3: In His suffering, He entrusted Himself to God.

▫️As Christ kept entrusting Himself to the One who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23), so I would keep trusting and looking to You, the God of hope, patience, and comfort (Romans 15:5, 13).

▫️As Christ offered to You prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears and was heard because of His piety (Hebrews 5:7), so I would come to You, trusting and pouring out my heart to You and You would hear and answer.

22:6-8 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!" 

#4: He was despised, rejected, and reviled.

▫️As Christ was despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3), I would not fear the rejection of men or seek the praise of men or do any spiritual acts of worship for appearance’s sake (Luke 20:47).

▫️As Christ gave me an example to follow in that when He was reviled, He did not revile in return, while He suffered He uttered no threats (1 Peter 2:23), so I too in my suffering would not seek vengeance, return evil for evil, or harbor bitterness or resentment.

▫️As Christ was mocked while on the cross for trusting in the Father and having lived for Him, I would take courage and not fear when others may mock or ridicule me for trusting the Lord and living for Him.

22:9-10 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. 

#5: From His birth, to His death, to His resurrection, all His ways were ordained by God.

▫️As Christ trusted Your predetermined plan and submitted Himself to Your will, I pray that I would trust Your plan for my life and submit myself to Your will.

▫️I pray that I would know that the plans You have for my life are for my good and You would continue to guide and lead me as You have done thus far.

22:11-18 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. 

#6: He has known the deepest suffering and is with us in ours.

▫️When trouble is near, I pray that You would not be far from me.

▫️I pray that I would find comfort knowing that Your suffering has made You a merciful and faithful High Priest, You can sympathize with my weaknesses, and You will help me (Hebrews 2:16-17; 4:15).

▫️When I feel there is none to help me, encompassed by my troubles, empty, faint of heart, and without strength, be my Helper, my shield, my portion, my strength, and my Comforter.

22:19-21 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! 

#7: Because He has suffered, He comes to the aid of His children in their suffering.

▫️Thank You that Christ has put on flesh and blood so that through death, He has rendered powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15).

▫️When I am tempted in my suffering to not trust the Lord, or respond in fear, or entertain bitterness in my heart, Christ would come to my aid since He was tempted in that which He suffered, yet without sin (Hebrews 2:18).

22:22-24 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. 

#8: Through the veil of His flesh, He has made it possible for us to draw near with confidence through His blood.

▫️I pray I would draw near to You with confidence and a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, even when I am struggling to understand what lies ahead for me. 

▫️I would rejoice and hold fast the confession of my hope without wavering because I know that You are faithful (Hebrews 10:23).

▫️My confidence would be that You do not despise the affliction of the afflicted, nor hide Your face, but You are my God, and You hear me and You answer me.

22:25-31 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 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. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

#9: All things are under His feet. He rules as King.

▫️Even in my hardships, I would worship and praise You, because You are sovereign.

▫️I would remember the truth and turn to You, and I would trust Your character and Your goodness.

#10: His righteousness is our hope and salvation.

▫️I pray that I would rest in Your righteousness alone, and knowing that I have been justified in You would fill me with hope for today.

▫️My lips would utter Your praise to the next generation. 

▫️I pray I would rejoice in the finished work of Christ and I would not keep silent about all the great things You have done for me.

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A lively sense of the divine presence is a mighty stay to the heart in times of distress.

C.H. Spurgeon

Psalm 22 quoted from the ESV.

Photo credit to:alicia2joy