Note that Psalm 22 is written as a song (addressed “to the choirmaster”); even a song of praise to God (v.3). It is a sad song, with feelings of being forsaken by God (v.1); with tears (v.2); with the pain of being mocked (v.7-8), threatened (v.12-13), and physically depleted (v.14-15). Yet despite the misery of the circumstances described in this song, the song is also one of hope amidst hardship, trust amidst trial, worship amidst weeping, and praise amidst pain. Only God is glorious enough, worthy enough, faithful enough, and loving enough, to elicit such a response from a congregation familiar with heartache and pain.
O God, you are the God who hears our cries and the God who sees our tears. Our first response to this is pain: why do you listen and watch and do nothing? Why don’t you help us out of our hardships? And yet, in our pain we pause…and we think about who you are. We think about Job and his afflictions caused by desperadoes, disaster, and disease. Yet in the end, you restored Job to life and health and wealth and caused his family to grow. We think about Joseph being betrayed by his brothers, and his years of slavery and imprisonment. Yet in the end, you restored Joseph and used his life to save thousands of others from starvation; and he rejoiced in your plan. We think of our Lord Jesus Christ, and how his suffering and shame lasted even unto death. But then you raised him to new life, exalting him above all others, crowing him with glory and splendor, and using his life to save billions of others from sin, death, and everlasting suffering.
Even in the midst of our personal storms, when we consider your works, when we consider your character, our trust in you returns and grows even more resolute. All our pain and suffering have an expiration date. Sometimes, like Job and Joseph, our suffering will be tangibly relieved even in this life. Sometimes, like Jesus, our suffering will only be relieved in the end. But the resurrected Jesus is a joyful Jesus, and the sufferings of his life are not worth comparing with the glory revealed in him (see Romans 8:18).
Jesus, I think I know why you quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross (see Matthew 27:46). You felt the absolute misery of feeling forsaken by God as you carried our sins…and yet you still had hope that God would come through for you in the end. Grant that we might have this same hope to see us through our hardships with trust, worship, and praise. In your name, Jesus, amen.
