~ Psalm 22 ~ Spiritual Journey From The Beginning To The End of The Psalm ~

~ Psalm 22 ~ Spiritual Journey From The Beginning To The End Of The Psalm ~

This spectacular, awe-inspiring, marvelous yet distressing Psalm begins with King David expressing the very same words that Jesus Christ cried out on the Cross! “My God, my God why have thou forsaken me…” It bears an immense witness to the anguish our Lord Jesus Christ experienced on the cross. He miraculously came in a body of flesh as a babe. Born of the Virgin Mary some 1,400+ years later. This Psalm actually denotes the significant amount of emotional suffering and despair that David was experiencing at this time. He is so overwrought with distress that he feels terribly distant from the Lord.

David is quite candid with the Lord, It is important that we too are honest with The Lord about however we are feeling. He already knows anyway but we need to learn to discipline ourselves to confess and empty out the things that hinder our spiritual growth and keep moving forward. The Word of God is available to us to help renew our minds!

Jesus Christ was deserted when he was upon the cross by many of those that He had helped. He too cried out in excruciating painful calamitous anguish. No one knows the depth of the pain and suffering He experienced. He obediently and devotedly died for the sins of the entire world! He sacrificed His Pure SInless life for us to be FREE! Mercy Lord. Here David cries out in this Psalm as he naturally displays his tormenting human despair. He is feeling distraught and forsaken. But is he really forsaken? No! In actuality he is not alone. Yet he feels alone… His prayer has not been readily answered.This leads us to know that despite the good times in life there will be times when we are ill at ease and not certain of what the outcome will be in any given situation.

This Psalm can be helpful in the presence of a deep depression, difficult situation, or extreme levels of anxiety or loneliness... Often during a depressive episode one often feels as though they are in a dark cavernous place all alone, isolated and unreachable. This can be true even when they are surrounded by others. There is an uncanny distance that no matter how hard they try to snap out of it, it seems hopeless. This is the perfect time to PRAY and to reach to The Word of GOD. It is not a time to depend solely on one’s intellect or feelings. It is a time to depend on The Truth of God’s Word. To know that regardless of how you are feeling; HIS WORD is TRUE! In time this too shall pass. This is a time to activate your FAITH which you cannot see… KNOW in your heart that “Behind the dark clouds the sun is still shining.

Here we can learn a valuable lesson! God truly is Omnipresent. He is everywhere we are. Therefore, again it is important that we not just go on how we feel! Yes, There are times when we may feel deserted. Yes! There will be those who will walk away and even betray us… But God never will! He is ALWAYS a prayer away!

Jesus death on the cross was for the benefit of us ALL! He too cried out “My God, my God why has thou forsaken me…” It is hard to ever begin to imagine how Jesus could have possibly felt with the weight of the world upon Him! His body intensely sweated blood… He became the catalyst for humanity’s Salvation! But at the same time He also knew that His Spirit was entrusted to His Father thus as He separated from His earthly body… He cried out “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.” Luke 24. Jesus teaches us that when we are in our weakest moment or darkest hour we CAN STILL ALWAYS TRUST GOD!

Book of Praise Lesson Highlights

BOOK 1

“A Psalm of David”

Theme: A prayer that carries us from great suffering to great JOY! Despite his apparent rejection by his friends and God, David believed that God would lead him out of his despair. He looked forward to the future day when God would rule over the entire earth.

Author: David

We today have The Bible readily available to help us in moments of despair. This was not so for many during the times of The Old & New Testaments. Only a select few or those who were quite wealthy were able to have The Bible in their possession. The Holy Word was at that time written on Scrolls made of papyrus… Today we are truly Blessed due to advancements in modern technology. We even have easy access to the Bible on our telephones and computers. This is reassuring us that “we CAN make it.” Even when it seems as though you can’t!

When others come against you and you do not know which way to turn, turn to God. When you see someone doing something that you know is not right know that God is aware. Just know you never really “get away” with anything. Everything and everyone everywhere is transparent to Him. This seems difficult for our little finite minds to conceive but it is so. Whether you believe it or not; God is Omniscient! He KNOWS IT ALL! In His time He will intervene on our behalf when we are committed to Him. Whatever is happening will not interrupt His plans for us…

All too often when things are not going our way we want God to jump right in! But God is not our genie or puppet! So learn to be patient. Yes! He does answer prayer! But we must in turn petition Him for what is in His Will for us. Spiritual growth is an ongoing process. We must learn to be patient as He allows the Fruit of His Spirit to mature within us! It is during this time He also develops our character!

David no doubt in this Psalm is incurring deep painful suffering. He is groaning and at times he is even moaning out loud. This is what I see as sometimes longsuffering. Longsuffering is a part of the Fruit of His Spirit! Just look about you and see the many things that are happening in this world that grieves the Lord’s Spirit! The Word of God is being fulfilled. Remember, the Lord allowed His sinless only begotten Son to die on the cross. So certainly we too can expect to go through some things as well! “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night and I am not silent.”

David feels as though he is at his lowest point! He is so down that he contrasts himself with a worm! He feels humiliated, mocked, pitiful and less than a man! He has been degraded, talked about and badly scorned by others and his countenance is crestfallen and disconsolate! However somehow through this dichotomy he still Trusts The Lord! He has HOPE in The LORD! “But I am but a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who seek me mock me; they hurl insults shaking their heads; He trusts in The Lord, let The Lord rescue him. Let Him deliver him, since he delights in Him.”

David acknowledges that the Lord brought him into the world from his mother’s wound! He confesses that even before he was born that God knew him! How interesting because an Angel of the Lord appeared to The Virgin Mary, Jesus’ Mother and told her that she would have a Son! This was way before He was conceived in a miraculous birth! Mary also was initially scorned and falsely accused, yet she knew no man... The Lord soon after overshadowed Mary and nine months later Jesus was born as prophesied!

We may not always feel like it! But this should reassure us of The Lord’s constant presence in our lives! When we are rejected, scorned, slandered and mistreated by others we can always continue to find solace in The Lord! “Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in You even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb you have been my God!”

Some people are ruthless, unprincipled, brutal, ferocious, deceitful and just plain mean. They will do whatever is necessary to undermine our integrity when we are committed to The Lord! Some even operate under the guise that they have a form of godliness; but it is not of God! It can be a bit frightening when you are dealing with this type of personality! David is surrounded by these “dogs” here and they are terribly restraining and oppressing him in some manner! They possibly even have his hands and feet bound in some way? Here again we can see the correlation and contrast between what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus went to pray before He was crucified! He was betrayed by those he helped… His hands and feet were also pierced when they nailed Him upon the cross! But think about this; it was a group of so called men of God that orchestrated the felonious charges against the Lord! This should tell us a lot! “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and feet.”

David expresses true piety when he decides he will make known that his TRUST was still in The LORD despite the odds! He was not ashamed and he was determined to Praise The Lord! He would make known the goodness of the Lord! The descendants of Jacob are known as the true worshippers of God!

Although David momentarily felt alone he eventually emerged acknowledging that his FAITH was in The Lord and that he would Praise Him! HALLELUJAH ANYHOW! God must be honored in all situations! Regardless of what is happening to us or around us it is important to know that God is still in charge! He has not hidden His face from us! Through any temporary darkness that attempts to surround you know that GOD is just a prayer away! All of God’s promises are true! Know without doubt that God Keeps His promises!

There is a plethora of spiritual wisdom within this Psalm. I have only momentarily touched the surface. Here we visit the scene at the cross once again and contrast it with the sufferings of King David! Although despondent and depressed he eventually finds comfort once again in the Lord! It is a wonderful thing to lie face down prostrate before the Lord and seek His presence! It is during this private time of meditation and prayer that while in a position of humility and submission we can be encouraged and refueled… God is more than able!

I want to encourage you to read this Psalm in its entirety in your leisure and make note as The Lord places thought upon your heart! Allow His precious Holy Spirit to minister to your soul! There is much here to console you when you are experiencing stress, anxiety, humiliation, depression or dire straits. The first verses alternate between sufferings and prayer to relief!

As David pleads for the Lord to intervene he bears his soul! In the latter half he emerges with Hope and encourages praising the Lord! The Lord has come through and his anxiety has lifted! He tells us that all nations will bow down to Him!

Jesus Christ death on the cross atoned for the sins of the world past, present and future! However each of us individually must still humbly accept Him into our hearts and continually repent of any sin! Time is precious and waits on no one, therefore we must learn to constantly move forward learning, embracing and walking in the principles of HIS WORD! We must learn to worship Him “In Spirit and in TRUTH!” We can feast in the Blessings of His Gift of SALVATION!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is continuing to spread throughout this world despite the stumbling blocks and hindrances mankind, the powers that be and spiritual warfare puts forth! God’s Word will continue to go forth into ALL the earth! All colors, races and classes of people rich, poor and in between, everywhere are invited to become a part of His kingdom! He is the only True God! He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! He is The Great “I AM!” He is Lord God Jehovah! He is the Most High God! Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is the rightful governor and ruler over all the earth!

“I will declare Your Name to my brothers; in the congregation I will PRAISE YOU! You who fear The Lord PRAISE HIM! All the descendants of Jacob, Honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel!” “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to The Lord and ALL the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to The Lord and He rules over the nations.” HALLLELLLUJAH AMEN!!!

In this 21^st century, we His people are a part of those many future generations and nations prophesied about in His Word many centuries ago that have now turned to Him! We must teach our children and our children’s children about the goodness of God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We must live out His principles in our lives and in our homes!

This Psalm concludes saying: “Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about The Lord. They will PROCLAIM His RIGHTEOUSNESS to a people yet unborn for He has done it!”