I Will Trust Even When I Feel Forsaken

“Psalms that Make Me Psing” Series

A Message by Jim Hammond from Psalm 22

I have heard it said that if you feel like God is far away, it isn’t God who has moved. It is true that many times God seems far away because we have moved away from him. This can happen by our sins of omission, our neglect of our relationship with God, or this can happen when we live in a state of sin. But is our sin the only reason for the feelings of forsakenness? The Bible makes it clear that because we live in a fallen world, we can feel distance from God on other occasions as well. We might feel abandoned by God because of other difficulties in this world. These feelings can be triggered by tragedy, they can be triggered by the sins of others when we become victims, they can be triggered by pain, or suffering. It is not always our own fault for these feelings that God is far off. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing we can do about it. We can draw near to God. Today’s message, “I Will Trust Even When I Feel Forsaken” teaches us what to do when we feel God is distant.

Today we are going to look at Psalm 22 in at least 3 contexts. We are going to look at David’s Cry, Christ’s Cry, and My Cry.

We will discover that …

Focus: A decision to trust God even when we feel forsaken can resurrect our outlook.

I. David’s Cry “Why”

Psalm 22:1-31 [NIV]

For the director of music.

To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.

The WHY question:

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?

[2] O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

by night, and am not silent.

“YET” [FAITH IN GOD’S CHARACTER STATED]

[3] Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

you are the praise of Israel.

[4] In you our fathers put their trust;

they trusted and you delivered them.

[5] They cried to you and were saved;

in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

“BUT” [THIS FAITH DOESN’T FEEL GOOD RIGHT NOW]

[6] But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by men and despised by the people.

[7] All who see me mock me;

they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

[8] "He trusts in the Lord;

let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him,

since he delights in him."

“YET” AGAIN… ASK FOR GOD’S PRESENCE NOT JUST THE REMOVAL OF THE PROBLEM

[9] Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you

even at my mother's breast.

[10] From birth I was cast upon you;

from my mother's womb you have been my God.

[11] Do not be far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is no one to help.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAIN—TELL GOD HOW YOU ARE FEELING

[12] Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

[13] Roaring lions tearing their prey

open their mouths wide against me.

[14] I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted away within me.

[15] My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

you lay me in the dust of death.

[16] Dogs have surrounded me;

a band of evil men has encircled me,

they have pierced my hands and my feet.

[17] I can count all my bones;

people stare and gloat over me.

[18] They divide my garments among them

and cast lots for my clothing.

BUT AGAIN …HERE’S THE REQUEST (NOT TILL HALF WAY THROUGH…)

[19] But you, O Lord, be not far off;

O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

[20] Deliver my life from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dogs.

[21] Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;

save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

A DECISION TO TRUST CAUSES A DRAMATIC TONE CHANGE—LONGEST SECTION 22-31)

WHEN IN DOUBT PURSUE the light not the darkness. Aim yourself toward faith. You will discover that when you turn on the light the darkness will go away.

[22] I will declare your name to my brothers;

in the congregation I will praise you.

[23] You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

[24] For he has not despised or disdained

the suffering of the afflicted one;

he has not hidden his face from him

but has listened to his cry for help.

[25] From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;

before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

[26] The poor will eat and be satisfied;

they who seek the Lord will praise him--

may your hearts live forever!

[27] 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,

[28] for dominion belongs to the Lord

and he rules over the nations.

[29] All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;

all who go down to the dust will kneel before him--

those who cannot keep themselves alive.

[30] Posterity will serve him;

future generations will be told about the Lord.

[31] They will proclaim his righteousness

to a people yet unborn--

for he has done it.

A. Was A Shocking Statement:

Can I say such a thing (v 1-2) to God? Can I say that in church in front of everyone? It is safest to be honest before God.

The Christian life is not pretending. “And now I am happy all the day…”

We can identify with David.

Yet these shocking and honest statements are not accusations.

Look at v. 3 This isn’t an accusation: “God, you messed up!” This is a confession of faith that God is still enthroned!

B. Was A Revealing Yearning

A yearning for God’s presence

Are you looking for his presence or his power?

Cosby’s Noah and the Ark. “I’m not going back for a new hippo, God you change him to a female.”

But Psalm 22 teaches us that our first desire needs to be for God Himself – for His presence. Not for what He can do for us, but for who He is. He’s not the celestial Santa Claus, on whose knee we sit and ask for all the things we want and then off we go and wait for Him to deliver. Even in the midst of dire trouble, the Psalmist prays first for the nearness of God.

The change from despair to Hope. God has heard.

The second half of the Psalm.

ILLUST: Kid reading a western and getting nervous, goes to back of the book, then is not nervous anymore. Preaching Today John Maxwell illust: CD 239

We as Christians need not despair because we know the end of the Story.

II. Christ’s Cry Why

Jesus claims these words for himself. Matthew 27:46

A. Whereas David felt forsaken, Jesus was forsaken.

B. 7 Crosswords

1. Forsaken (vs. 1): (2 Cor. 5:21).

2. Mocked (vs. 7): Matt. 27:39-44

3. Thirsty (vs. 15) John 19:28

4. Pierced (vs. 16) Luke 24:39

5. Humiliated Spectacle (17)

6. Cast Lots (18) John 19:23-24

7. Afflicted One (24) Isaiah 53:4

III. My Cry

We’ve heard David’s cry, “My God, My God.”

We’ve heard Jesus’ cry, “My God, My God.”

But what about our cry, “My God, My God.” What does it mean for us to voice the words of Psalm 22? Are we allowed to voice such shocking words? Yes.

Illustration: THE STORY OF TIM (STUDENT WITH LUKEMIA) AS TOLD BY TIM BROWN IN PREACHING TODAY CD 239

The Psalm calls us to honesty before God. If we are feeling like He is far away, we need to express that. We need to say it. David did, and so did Jesus Himself. The question “where are you Lord?” is acceptable to God. God is not made mad by this honest cry.

The Psalm calls us to submission to God. I pointed this out earlier from verse 3 – in our questioning, in our doubt, in our feeling like God is far off, we need to remember that He is God. As the Psalmist continued from verse 3 to remind himself of all that God had done in the past, we need to do the same when we feel what David, and Jesus felt. We must look back and remind ourselves of all God has done for us previously. You will discover that this exercise builds our faith. You will be encouraged.

We must also go to the cross with our feelings. When we do, we will discover that we are not alone. These are not unique feelings. Jesus knows what it feels like. He has been there too. When we feel the need to express our despair, frustration even, over God’s apparent silence, we remember that Jesus felt that way also. He understands, He has been there.

Finally, the Psalm reminds us to look ahead. Not only are we to remind ourselves that David and Jesus have been there, we must understand that this Psalm, and the victory of the cross, reminds us that we will not stay in the shadow lands of forsakenness. The tomb of despair will be blasted open when God’s big picture is completed. This Psalm teaches us to know that God will hear, and God will answer, even while we are still feeling these feelings of forsakenness. In the context of the song on David’s lips, it appears that the answer comes immediately. For Jesus, it was 3 days later that the answer came. Maybe it is longer for you and me, but the point is that there will be an answer. God will come near again, He will save, He will forgive, He will deliver.

I don’t know where you are struggling today, what areas of your life you look at and wonder, with great pain and distress, “Lord where are you? Why are you silent?? Why won’t you come and answer me???” To you I say that He hears your cry. He will answer – hang in there, be patient, be honest before Him. Jesus is King. He is still in control of the universe, and He is still desiring to reach into our lives and bring His presence close. Psalm 22 paints us a picture of a suffering King, one whose suffering and death and resurrection were for us.

IT IS FINISHED

for he has done it.

When Christ finished his mission, the author finished the story. We can know the ending already. We may not be able to play the tough chapters in fast forward, but Christ is enough in every frame and every page.