Psalm 22 - He has done it

 




Jesus, while words are utterly inadequate to describe the wonder, splendor, and majesty of this psalm, and while this psalm leaves us speechless, all we can get out of our mouths are the four simple words which conclude this psalm - “he has done it.”

Jesus, we know you uttered the very first line of this psalm while on the cross (Matthew 27:46). In light of how closely verses 1-21 describe your experience on the cross, it would make perfect sense that between gasps, you uttered those verses as well.

And then, in v. 22, the psalm shifts. There is hope - a sense of deliverance - a future proclamation to Israel and the nations.

Jesus, as you hung on that cross, when you caught a moment of reprieve from the pain, to the astonishment of all who were listening, did you also utter these words of victory? As life was draining from your veins, were you praying the rest of this psalm, proclaiming your resurrection?

We don’t know. But, we do know that you uttered the first line (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?). And because of your suffering and death in verses 1-21 and because of your resurrection in verses 22-31, we now proclaim the last line - “He has done it!”

Amen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 20 - Lord, Save the King

Image
  Lord, with some sanctified imagination, I can imagine Peter, James, and John praying this psalm in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of your betrayal. They knew the threats against you, and as they were fighting sleep, I can hear them praying for your protection (v. 1). They likely would have been praying for the Father to send help and to keep in mind how you have lived a fully devoted life (v. 2-3). Lord, maybe after you had to wake them up, they got back to this psalm and continued praying for you to receive your heart's desire and that God would grant victory to you and them (v. 4-5). And then, after being awakened by you again, they continue with an assurance that God will truly save his anointed. Others may trust in chariots, but if you had taught them anything, it was to trust in the Lord. And so, they confidently affirmed that they (and you) would rise in triumph (v. 6-8). And as they concluded this prayer with, "O lord, save the king" (v. 9), they dozed off
Read more

Psalm 13 - “How long?”

Image
                                                                                                 Orbon Alija/E+/Getty Images How long? God, unlike irritated parents on a road trip after hours of relentless “How much longer” from the back seat, you seem to invite that question. Actually, it is so much more than a question, it’s a heart’s cry. Fifteen times in the Psalter, this question is asked of you. And four of those times are in this psalm alone. For David, it’s not just that the road trip is taking so long, but he’s literally wondering if dad even knows where he’s going. And like a four-year-old who can’t take it anymore, he’s wondering if he’ll even survive this trip. God, if I were honest, I don’t allow my heart to act like a four-year-old before you. So instead, I filter my prayers through a theology that tells me that God is sovereign, his timing is perfect; he will never leave or forsake me; he knows all, so of course, he will never forget me; he has a wonderful plan fo
Read more

Psalm 24 - Every Six Steps

Image
God, we don’t know for sure the occasion for this psalm, but it certainly could have been when David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. During that scene in 2 Samuel 6, the narrative is colored by tragedy as the Ark of God makes its way to Jerusalem. The tragedy is when the Ark begins to topple when the ox stumbles, and Uzzah reaches out his hand, touching the Ark to steady it. And, in touching the Ark, he immediately dies. Three months later, determined to get the Ark to Jerusalem, David tries again. But, knowing that he was moving You, the creator God, and that no unclean hands could touch the Ark (as in Uzzah’s case), and because only those with pure hearts could be in Your presence, they would only take six steps at a time and then stop to sacrifice a bull and a fattened calf (2 Samuel 6:13). God, every six steps a sacrifice was required to stay clean and pure! To be honest, that sounds just about right for my heart. The only reason I might think t
Read more