This week’s Song To Live By is Psalm 22

Hannah writes:

"Psalm 22 is such a precious and powerful outpouring of emotion and turmoil, with David offloading before the Lord all his deep fears and distress, and the danger and poverty he finds himself in. He’s restless, wounded, abandoned, and afraid. Many of us might relate to the type of trouble he describes - being ill-treated by others, threatening and scary circumstances, sickness, financial worries. We learn from David that we don’t need to hide any area of our life from God, or pretend things are just fine, or wait until we’re in a better state before we pray or worship. We can come to God in the midst of any and every situation, and call on him to meet us there, to be near to us and to help us. In this Psalm, we also see David’s outpouring of devotion and adoration of the God he longs to be close to - the God of his ancestors, the God of his infancy, the God he trusts to save him, and the God of eternity for all generations. This Psalm doesn’t say whether God intervened for David at that time, yet in the midst of his fear and pain, David lifts up the name of the Lord - choosing to praise in every emotion, and choosing to trust in every situation.

Some lines of this Psalm are incredibly familiar, words that Jesus himself quoted as he was dying - “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The perfect, sinless, King Jesus, Son of God, voiced that same agonised depth of feeling that David expressed, and perhaps that you’ve felt or are even feeling today. Jesus was and is acquainted with your pain, he experienced physical and mental suffering, humiliation and loneliness - these are not unknown concepts or scenarios to him - but very real, lived experience. He understands deeply what we feel and go through, he hears us when we cry out to him, and he comes to meet us with such love and compassion, such grace and comfort. So whatever is going for you, whether troubles or triumphs, take it to the Lord, through outpouring, offloading and praise.

A Prayer

Lord God, we join with the voices of many who’ve gone before us, even David, and even you, Jesus, to say we’re hurting, life is difficult and we desperately need you. We’re longing for your presence, your power, your provision and your peace. Will you come, Holy Spirit, and fill us afresh. When all around can seem confusing and fearful - we put our trust in you again, mighty one, and choose to praise you, the Holy One, enthroned above all things, for all time, we praise you. Amen.