Not Abandoned

  1. Psalm 22 is one of the great Messianic psalms, meaning it clearly displays Jesus. Phrases like “they have pierced my hands and feet” and “I can count all my bones” very distinctly point to the crucifixion of Christ.
  2. Other phrases describe things that happened at the crucifixion such as “they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
  3. All those things we read about in the gospel description of the crucifixion.
  4. This psalm starts out with lament and has many cries for help. Jesus suffered on the cross. We talk about Him dying for the joy set before Him, but being on the cross wasn’t a joyful moment.
  5. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
  6. “Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”
  7. “My God, I cry by day, but you do not answer.”
  8. There are multiple cries for God to be near.
  9. “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.”
  10. “But you, O Lord, do not be far off!”
  11. “O you my help, come quickly to my aid!”
  12. But Jesus was never abandoned and neither are we.
  13. “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.”
  14. God the Father needed to turn His face a way for a moment when Jesus became sin, but He was right there. He never turned a deaf ear. He was ready to help and of course rescued Jesus, raising Him from the dead.
  15. He only allows the affliction for the moment. It’s only for the moment, just as much as is needful. Jesus needed to die on the cross. It is not easy for a parent to look on a child’s suffering. There was no pleasure in it for the Father. But His love was big enough to endure so that we could be saved.
  16. We’re the ones who get the benefit of this trial.
  17. “They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”
  18. We’ve had the good news proclaimed to us. What’s the good news? He’s done it! It is finished. Our salvation has been accomplished. He paid with His life the price of our redemption so that we could be at peace with God and be called His children instead of His enemies.