Ps 22 Forsaken (Psalm 22)

The most profound mystery. When Jesus screamed his agonizing cry on the cross (Ps 22:1; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34), it might surprise some that Jesus was NOT abandoned by God in the sense that God was not present. God was there as implied by the fact that Jesus prays, for you cannot address someone who has gone off. Thus, God is watching as Jesus was tortured, suffering as profoundly in his spirit as Jesus suffered in body and spirit. What unbearable agony it would be for a man to watch his son or grand-son be tortured in agony and not stop it when he could! In essense God listens to Jesus on the cross, screaming, "Why have you forsaken me?" and does nothing.

2 distinct parts that are very different in tone (1-21; 22-31):

	The Torture of the Cross (1-21) [A lament psalm]	The Triumph of the Cross (22-31) [A praise psalm]
1.	All prayer.	All praise.
2.	Focus on agony.	Focus on accomplishment.
3.	The grim facts of the present.	The glorious facts of the future.
4.	The speaker feels deserted by God.	The speaker is delivered by God.
5.	The suffering of one.	The salvation of many.

Psalm 22 has 3 expressions, 3 experiences, 3 segments of the Cross:

1. The abandonment at the Cross (22:1-5).
2. The anguish on the Cross (22:6-21).
3. The accomplishment of the Cross (22:22-31).

Psalm 22:1 is not a cry of disbelief but a cry of disorientation.

1. The crucifixion of Christ (1-21)
2. The resurrection of Christ (22-29)
3. The comission of Christ to the church (30-31)

Theme: Suffering, Abandonment, Praise. 1,000 years before it happened, David not only foresaw suffering, but the suffering of one executed by crucifixion.

Why is it good to suffer? Or is it?

“The reason why the soul not only travels securely when in obscurity, but also makes greater progress, is this: In general the soul makes greater progress in the spiritual life when it least thinks so, yea, when it rather imagines that it is losing everything… There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer, and also more profitable than that of rejoicing and of action. In suffering God gives strength, but in action and in joy the soul does but show its own weakness and imperfections. And in suffering, the soul practices and acquires virtue, and becomes pure, wiser, and more cautious.”—St. John of the Cross. 

Is man capable of attaining a degree of purgation necessary for union with God?

“Until a soul is placed by God in the passive purgation of that dark night… it cannot purify itself completely from these imperfections nor from the others. No matter how much an individual does through his own efforts, he cannot actively purify himself enough to be disposed in the least degree for the divine union of the perfection of love. God must take over and purge him in that fire that is dark for him.” – St. John of the Cross.

References:

1. John Stott. Favorite Psalms. 1988. Psalm 22: The Sufferings and Glory of Christ.
1. The cry of anguish (1-21).
2. The song of praise (22-31).
2. Tim Keller. The Songs of Jesus. 2015.
3. Gerald Wilson. Psalms Vol 1. The NIV Application Commentary. 2002.
1. Thematic introduction (Ps 22:1).
2. The silence and absence of God (Ps 22:2-11).
3. Vicious attacks by the enemies (Ps 22:12-21).
4. Promise to praise (Ps 22:22-31).
4. John Goldingay. Psalms for Everyone, Part 1. 2013. Psalm 22: My God, my God, Why? (1-18). On facing 2 sets of facts (19-31).
5. Derek Kidner. Psalms 1-72, 1973. Psalms 73-150, 1975. Psalm 27: The Psalm of the Cross.
1. The power of darkness (1-21)?
2. The spread of joy (22-31).
6. Alec Motyer. Psalms by the Day. A New Devotional Translation. 2016. Psalm 22: The One and the Many: One Suffering, Many Worshipping.
   
• A. Perplexity in suffering (Ps 22:1-10).
• B. Prayer for divine nearness (Ps 22:11-21).
• C. Praise on a universal scale (Ps 22:22-31).
7. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. Psalms. The Expositor's Bible Commentary. 2008.
8. Robert Altar. The Hebrew Bible. A Translation with Commentary. 2019.

Titles for Psalm 22: 

• When God does not Help You
• When God Feels Distant in my Pain. 
• The Psalm of the Cross. 
• When We Feel Forsaken. 
• When God Seems Far. 
• The Silence and Salvation of God. 
• Why have you forsaken me? 
• Suffering well. 
• Praying through your pain. 
• The psalm of crucifixion. 
• The Suffering Savior. 
• The hope of a God-forsaken worm. 
• I am poured out like water. 
• Crucifixion of the King. 
• From the Cross to the Crown to the City. 
• The servant of God forsaken, rescued and triumphant. 
• Keeping God between us and trouble. 
• The descent and triumph of the Messiah. 
• The suffering and the glory. 
• From suffering to victory. 
• From Pain to Praise. 
• Through suffering into promise. 
• The Easter Psalm. 
• Jesus' Bible Footprints. 
• The Suffering Servant Wins the Deliverance of the Nations. 
• A prophecy of the crucifixion and the victory. 
• The Messiah's Suffering and Reign prophesied by David (Psalm 22). Dr. Seth Postell.

1. The power of darkness (Ps 22:1-21).
• Perplexity in suffering (Ps 22:1-10).
• Prayer for divine nearness (Ps 22:11-21).
2. The spread of joy (Ps 22:22-31).
• Festival time for Israel (Ps 22:22-26).
• Festival time for the world (Ps 22:27-31).

Imputed righteousness is a Protestant doctrine that God declares a sinner righteous through faith in Christ. Infused righteousness is a Roman Catholic doctrine that God gives grace to a person so they can do good works. 

Imputed righteousness is like a legal declaration, or a commercial transaction where God credits righteousness to a person. Infused righteousness is like God pouring righteousness into a person. 

Imputed righteousness is different from imparted righteousness. Imparted righteousness changes a person so they become righteous.

When a person dies, there's a medical condition called lividity. Lividity is the pooling of blood, or what appears to look like on the body, a bruising in the lowest part of the body at the time of death. So medical examiners can determine when a person died by the degree of lividity, and how a person died by the position of where that lividity is.

Now what that means here is that when Jesus died on a cross, by reason of the position of his body, he would have displayed lividity in the lowest portion of his body which would be his feet.

So if you were there after the cross, after Jesus died, if you were to walk up to the cross, you would notice by looking at Jesus heel that it appeared to be bruised.'

Now tie that with Genesis 3:15, when God said to Satan, in effect, there's somebody going to be born one day who is going to crush your head. And all you'll be able to pull off is you'll bruise his heel. So when you look at that bruised heel, you know there must be a crushed head somewhere.

"From Despair to Victory: A Journey through Psalm 22" (ChatGPT)

1. Understanding the Despair (Ps 22:1-2)
• A. The opening cry of abandonment
• B. Personal experience of the sense of forsakenness
• C. The reality of suffering in life
2. The Struggle of Faith (Ps 22:3-5, 6-8)
   
• 
  A. The tension between God's holiness and the cries of His people
• B. The challenge of maintaining faith in the midst of adversity
• C. Encouraging authenticity in expressing doubts and struggles
3. Remembering of God's Faithfulness (Ps 22:9-10, 11-13)
• A. Reflecting on past experiences of God's provision
• B. Drawing strength from the knowledge of God's character
• C. Emphasizing the importance of trusting in God's faithfulness
4. 
   The Suffering Servant (Ps 22:14-18)
• A. Examining the prophetic nature of Psalm 22 in relation to Jesus
• B. Connecting the psalmist's suffering to the crucifixion of Christ
• C. Highlighting the redemptive aspect of Christ's sacrifice
5. The Turning Point: From Despair to Praise (Ps 22:19-21)
• A. The shift in tone from lament to petition
• B. Recognizing the importance of surrendering to God's will
• C. Expressing hope in God's deliverance
6. Assurance of God's Presence (Ps 22:22-24)
• A. Rejoicing in the assurance of God's presence in times of trouble
• B. Encouraging the congregation to seek God in their distress
• C. Offering a message of hope and restoration
7. Application to Our Lives (Ps 22:25-31)
• A. Personal reflection on times of despair and faith struggles
• B. Encouraging a deeper trust in God's faithfulness
• C. Practical steps to turn despair into praise in our own lives

Sermon Outline for Psalm 22

I. Introduction

• Introduce the significance of Psalm 22 as a prophetic psalm that delineates Christ in His sufferings as the propitiating sacrifice and the resulting praise to God from all mankind
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II. Part 1: The Agonized Prayer

• Discuss the anguished cry of the psalmist, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" and its relation to Christ's suffering on the cross
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• Explore the intense suffering expressed by the psalmist, feeling abandoned by God, surrounded by enemies, and in physical pain
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• Emphasize the importance of pouring the situation before God and coming to the realization that God is with us as a response to suffering
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III. Part 2: Ardent Praise

• Highlight the dramatic change in mood and tone as the psalmist transitions from agonized prayer to ardent praise
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• Discuss the psalmist's call for praise in the midst of the congregation and among those who fear the Lord
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IV. Application and Reflection

• Reflect on the relevance of Psalm 22 to the suffering and glory of Christ, as well as its significance for the history of the church and individual Christians
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• Emphasize the pattern of piety for the church and individual Christians, moving from suffering to glory
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• Discuss the persistent and necessary practice of faith in the journey with God through lament, as emphasized by Psalm 22
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V. Conclusion

• Summarize the key points of the sermon outline and encourage the congregation to find hope and strength in the example of Christ's suffering and ultimate praise.

This outline provides a structured approach to delivering a sermon on Psalm 22, incorporating the themes of suffering, abandonment, and praise found in the psalm, as well as its relevance to the suffering and glory of Christ.