Photo by By Mike Chaffin
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.
22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
All those who go down to the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.
30 A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,
31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.
Jesus knew they knew verse one in this Psalm when he said it while dying on the cross. This is one of the seven sentences Jesus uttered while being crucified.
1. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) – Jesus first visit to earth was not to condemn or judge, but to bring salvation to anyone who believed. Specifically,
And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. John 12:47-48
2. “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) – Even on the cross Jesus was bringing people into the Kingdom of God.
3. “Woman, behold your son; Son, behold your mother.” (John 19:26–27) – As Mary’s first-born son He was making sure John knew to take care of his mother, a widow.
4. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) – Here we have a direct quote from Psalm 22:1. Jesus is feeling the separation from the Father for the first time in His earthly ministry. That spiritual pain rivaled the physical pain on the cross.
5. “I thirst.” (John 19:28) – Also fulfilling prophecy this is a direct quote from Psalm 69:21.
6. “It is finished.” (John 19:30) – The word used for finished means paid in full. Our debt has been paid by the atoning work of Christ on the cross.
7. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) – This final declaration is a quote of Psalm 31:5. Jesus gave His life for us. He laid it down, defeated death and three days later rose from the grave. He now sits on the right hand of God to intercede for us. He is our savior and a friend we can turn to when in turmoil and be in praise of continually.
Think about what Jesus did while dying on the cross. He forgave His enemies, He led a man to salvation, He provided for his mother and quoted three familiar prophetic Psalms to show the world He is the Messiah. He died like He lived, loving us and seeking the lost.
