Finding Jesus in 5 Psalms: Celebrating the Work and Character of Christنموونە

Lament and Remember: Psalm 22

Psalm 22 teaches us how to lament in times of sorrow, especially when the suffering is caused by circumstances or people.

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt abandoned. I have felt betrayed, and in many ways, betrayal and abandonment go hand in hand. God is perfect and sinless, so He cannot sinfully abandon us. But that doesn’t mean that our feelings always match this reality. At times, we can feel like God is not there. We can feel all sorts of things that aren’t true. How we respond when we feel abandoned by God is what matters.

The psalmist (Psalm 22 is most often attributed to David) felt great despair and anguish. He did not hide his feelings. He didn’t pretend everything was okay. He cried out in his pain and pleaded with the Lord. When I think of the holidays, I also consider the suffering of many. Right now, you might find yourself in a state of despair and anguish. You can, like we’ve seen here, cry out to God and ask Him for His presence and peace.

But there’s something remarkable that happens throughout Psalm 22. The writer reminds himself of the character of God and His faithfulness not only to His people, but also to the one who is experiencing anguish now (see Psalm 22:4-6, 9-10).

When we experience hard things, one of our weapons against forgetting that God is always with us and for us is to recall the times when it was clear that He was faithful. Remember how He drew near to you, just as Scripture says He will. Remember how He met you during a previous hard season. Remember when He helped someone else. When you can’t think of any other way, God showed you His faithfulness; remember your salvation.

Jesus must have recalled His Father’s love and faithfulness during His time of anguish. That didn’t make His suffering less painful, but it helped Him to walk the road ahead of Him.

When we think of the incarnation, let us not forget that as a baby, a toddler, a teen, and then a young man, Jesus would have known His future and yet He walked onward. If you are struggling with the idea of praising Jesus with a great big smile, that’s okay. It’s more than okay. We are called to worship Him, to come and adore Him for who He is. If you are going through a tough situation and it is hard for you to praise Jesus, Psalm 22 invites you to lament. Jesus lives a perfect life for you. He understands all your experiences. He knows. And you can cry out to Him right now.

Lord, I need Your help to remember who You are. God, remind me of Your faithfulness and steadfast love. Draw near to me in my grief and cause Your face to shine upon me. Lord, although my heart is downcast, I do adore You. Although I do not feel joy, my feelings do not determine my standing before You. Jesus, thank You for coming so that we might know You. You are good.