Turn to God for Help
This is our third week in Psalm 22. Throughout this time, my goal has been to shine the light of Scripture on trauma, so that we may discern reality and discover the hope, comfort, and soul-healing found only in Jesus—the suffering Savior.
Throughout our lives, we endure various forms of suffering. Some is extreme in its effects on our whole person—body and soul. But, in Christ, there is hope. In Christ, we do not have to live as victims. Instead, we can live as victors who walk in hope and true faith.
We have been seeing much of Christ in Psalm 22. It’s very first sentences became Jesus’s own cry from the cross: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus echoed and fulfilled the cries of King David when he hung on the cross. From this, we learn God wants us to talk to him about what hurts.
By quoting Psalm 22 many times, during his afflictions and crucifixion, Jesus identified himself with all who suffer. Yet, through it all, God was present. And God is present in all our suffering, as well. We can trust him. Therefore, we should turn to God. That is the theme of this last section of the psalm.
Big Idea
The Redeemer secured our ultimate comfort and eternal hope through His suffering and victorious resurrection.
King David now shifts gears. After 21 verses of praying for deliverance, his cries are answered. In verse 22, we see a major turning point—where we move from extreme suffering to exhilarating victory, from a heart filled with pain and pleading to a heart filled with praise. Darkness passes away as light breaks into his soul.
God issues two more calls
- Sing the Redeemer’s praise (vv. 22-26).
King David is determined to tell God’s people about his great deliverance. But, as the greater David, it is Jesus, our Redeemer, who speaks. We see three reasons to praise the Redeemer.
- He is not ashamed of His people (vv. 22-23).
- He knows our affliction (vv. 24-25).
- He satisfies our heart’s longing (v. 26).
Because God was faithful to Jesus in his affliction, so he will be faithful to us, in our affliction. Because faith unites us to Jesus, we will live forever.
- Submit to the Redeemer’s lordship (vv. 27-31).
One day, all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. We see three reasons to submit to the Redeemer.
- He is sovereign Lord of the earth (vv. 27-28).
- He is the giver of everlasting life (v. 29).
- He finished the work of salvation (vv. 30-31).
What the Father has accomplished for his Son, through the resurrection, he will do for us—if we know Jesus.
Throughout this series in Psalm 22, we have been thinking about how God meets us in our trauma, extreme suffering that hurts both body and soul. But here we see: God is not deaf … he hears. God is not dead … he lives.
The hope-filled message of Psalm 22 is that there is a living Savior who knows and understands your pain. And he will also redeem it. But this soul-healing begins with coming to Jesus.
Friend, if you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then he is calling you today: Turn to God. Put your trust in Him. Turn from your self-righteousness. Turn from your self-sufficiency. Turn from confidence in yourself or your own strength to muster through life. Turn to Jesus.
Jesus is saying to you, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
As the resurrected, victorious Redeemer, he has already carried the weight of your sin to the cross and paid its penalty. And he will carry the weight of all your suffering, and one day bring you to everlasting glory.
