The Gospels only record Jesus crying out “My God! My God! Why have you
forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) but I imagine he recited the rest of Psalm 22 under
his breath. His cry of dereliction (and deliverance) was for our sake as the “people
yet unborn” so that we could believe the proclamation “The Lord has acted!” But I wonder
if it wasn’t for himself as well. Hanging naked, bleeding, dying while the
multitudes mocked him Jesus sought out the psalm that spoke to his agony “a
pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet; all my bones
are on display; people stare and gloat over me.” (vs. 16, 17) as well as the
psalm that would strengthen his resolve “the Lord does not despise or abhor the
poor and the Lord’s face is not hidden from them; when they cry out, the Lord
hears them.” (vs. 24) So it is with us when faced with suffering and sorrow
beyond our ability to bear. Just like Jesus we pour out our complaints to God trusting
that God hears so that commending our spirits into God’s tender mercy we are confident
God will deliver on the promise of peace in the here and now and the forever
future.
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