The Psalm of the Cross

Q: What does the Bible say about Jesus feeling forsaken on the cross?

The Bible records Jesus' cry of desolation in Psalm 22:1, expressing His profound sense of abandonment during His crucifixion. In Psalm 22:1, we see an extraordinary expression of the deep anguish experienced by Jesus on the cross: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This moment signifies not just emotional suffering but a profound spiritual one, as Jesus, the sinless Son of God, bears the sins of humanity. His cry encapsulates the culmination of the penalty for sin, which results in separation from God. The significance of this is underscored in the New Testament as those very words are echoed in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34, emphasizing the fulfillment of prophecy as Jesus endures the God-forsakenness that is the consequence of sin. This stark moment indicates the weight of sin that Christ carried and the depth of His sacrificial death for sinners.

Q: Why is the cross significant in Christianity?

The cross symbolizes the salvation of believers through Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for sin. The significance of the cross in Christianity is profound; it represents the fulcrum of redemption history. Jesus' death on the cross is seen as the pivotal act of atonement, fulfilling the prophecies laid out in the Old Testament, particularly in passages like Psalm 22. Through His suffering, Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, bearing the penalty for our sins and reconciling us to God (Galatians 3:13). His cry, "It is finished" (John 19:30), signifies the completion of the redemptive work, offering believers assurance of salvation. Thus, the cross is not merely a symbol of suffering but a declaration of victory, grace, and hope for all who trust in Christ as their Savior.

Q: How do we know that Jesus' suffering was prophesied in the Old Testament?

Jesus' suffering is foretold in several Old Testament scriptures, particularly Psalm 22, which describes events that parallel His crucifixion. The prophecies surrounding Jesus' suffering can be traced through various Old Testament scriptures, with Psalm 22 being one of the most prominent examples. This psalm, often referred to as the Psalm of the Cross, depicts sufferings that align closely with the events of Christ's crucifixion, such as the mocking He faced and the division of His garments (Psalm 22:18). The New Testament cites this psalm to affirm that what occurred at the crucifixion was not coincidental but part of God's sovereign plan foretold long ago (see Matthew 27:35). Moreover, both Peter and Paul refer to these prophetic texts, strengthening the claim that Jesus' suffering was anticipated and ordained by God for the redemption of humanity.

Q: Why is Jesus called the 'sin-bearer'?

Jesus is called the 'sin-bearer' because He bore the sins of the world on the cross, serving as the ultimate sacrifice. The designation of Jesus as the 'sin-bearer' underscores the theological truth that He took upon Himself the iniquities of humanity on the cross (Isaiah 53:6). By fulfilling the role of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus bore the weight of sins, thereby satisfying divine justice and allowing for reconciliation between God and mankind. This is seen vividly in Psalm 22, where His sufferings are emblematic of the punishment that He endured as the one who knew no sin but became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, His sacrificial death is not merely historical; it is central to the Gospel, as it provides the means by which believers can obtain forgiveness and righteousness before a holy God.

Q: What does Psalm 22 reveal about the character of God during suffering?

Psalm 22 reveals God's holiness and faithfulness, even in the midst of suffering and abandonment. Psalm 22 is rich in theological implications about the character of God, particularly during times of suffering. The opening verse conveys a sense of abandonment, yet it is balanced by the recognition of God’s holiness, as noted in verse 3. Although Jesus felt forsaken on the cross, He simultaneously affirms God's unchanging nature as the faithful covenant-keeping God. This paradox highlights that while human experiences of suffering may lead us to feel distanced from God, His presence and faithfulness remain. The psalm transitions from despair to praise, which illustrates the assurance that God hears the cries of His people, reminding us that our suffering does not negate His goodness or capability to deliver. Ultimately, the psalm assures us that God's purposes prevail even in our darkest moments.

Well let us turn to Psalm 22 again. This quite remarkable Psalm. Some call it the Psalm of the Cross. Psalm of David. But here clearly we see David as one who is a great prophet. Because David is not speaking so much of himself but primarily He is speaking of His greater Son. We know that from the content of the Psalm.

Verse 18, we have those words, They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture. And we know that that was what happened there in the crucifixion of Christ in the account that we have in Matthew. In Matthew 27 and verse 35 we're told they crucified him and parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture they cast lots.

Quite clearly the prophet being spoken of is David. He was king in Israel but he was also a prophet. And as a prophet, of course, he had that spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the very spirit of prophecy, says Peter. And so when we read Psalm 22, we're not so much to think in terms of any experience of David, although David is writing out of the fullness of his own heart. He's not some automaton that is just receiving words from the Holy Spirit and writing them down unfeelingly. he's been brought clearly into deep waters and the bitter experiences and he's writing out of all the fullness of those experiences and yet he's a prophet and the prophet speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and I want us to turn to this psalm tonight together with Psalm 69 and the 110th psalm 22 is said to be that that is quoted most times in the New Testament Scriptures.

The Psalm of the Cross. And I have a double text for you. I want us to consider both the first verse and the last verse. The opening verse, of course, has familiar words.

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring but in particular that first clause my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and then also the last verse they shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this but again there really it's the last words, the final clause, that he hath done this and you will observe this is in italics in other words it's been brought in it's not the rendering of any word that's there in the Hebrew literally it finishes that he hath done he hath done is that not equivalent to what the Lord uttered from the cross it is finished And so we might say at the beginning and then at the end we have two of the words that the Lord spoke from the cross, seven words he spoke from the cross. And the first of those words is what we have here, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And it's so emphasized really in the New Testament scriptures. we find those words both in Matthew's account Matthew 27 46 and then again we have those words in Mark's account Mark 15 and verse 34 and on each occasion it's interesting we don't just have the Greek rendering as it were of the words we know as my God my God why hast thou forsaken me But in those two Gospels we also actually have the Hebrew words as part of the inspired text, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthanai, which being interpreted is my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And surely the fact that it is thus in those Gospel accounts in Matthew and Mark is not without significance. There is a certain emphasis being placed upon these words the first of the words that the Lord speaks from the cross and then we come to the end and we have those words he hath done and really isn't that not quite the last words of course because after that he addresses the father and says into thy hands I commend my spirit that amongst the very last words he says there upon the cross in John's account it is finished and bows the head and yield up the ghost and so from verse 1 through to verse 31 we have such a remarkable account of the whole of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus in this portion of Holy Scripture all that the Lord accomplished there by his death upon the cross he's here in prophecy and then of course when we come to the new testament we have four separate accounts each of them in some detail with regards to the dying the significance of the death the great sin atoning sacrifice that the lord has made well as we come and consider these opening words and these closing words I want to deal with just two points this evening first of all to observe that in the opening words we have a sense of desertion he expresses that awful feeling that he has there upon the cross, desolate, deserted and then at the end we have really what I call a statement of faith He hath done.

The work is done really. It is finished. Doesn't He say in John 17, that great high priestly prayer, I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do. The completion of His righteousness really. They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born that He hath done. He has finished this great work. But first of all, let us consider what's said in the opening verses really, his sense of desolation upon the cross. And really we have it in the first two verses.

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me? And from the words of my roaring, O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not. and in the night season and I'm not silent maybe sometimes we've felt in a very small measure something of that we want to cry to the Lord and call upon the Lord and yet prayer seems so impossible to us words fail us and there seems to be silence, no answer from God well how much more acutely was that so in the experience of the Lord Jesus Christ and we have to remember of course to begin with what his death was His death was no ordinary death. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ was penal. He was being executed as a criminal, really. And so there must be a trial of some description. There was a trial. It was a mockery of a trial.

Palestine is occupied by the Romans. the authority, the legal authority rests in Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor and the Jewish Sanhedrin and all the leaders of the Jews are bent upon the death of this man but they can't execute him so they deliver him, don't they, to Pontius Pilate and we have the record in the Gospels of that trial what a mockery it was the language that we have there in the 18th of John and verse 28. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas, from the high priest, unto the hall of judgment. They present him to Pilate.

It was early. They themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled. It was Passover time, wasn't it? But that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out unto them and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. All they want is Pilate to serve their purpose. And what is the accusation? What is the charge?

We have a law, they say, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the son of God. He made himself the son of God. He is the son of God. He's the son of the Father in truth and love. But they didn't believe that. They didn't know that this was the son of God.

And they're accusing him of blasphemy. And that's the accusation, you see. He must die because he's a blasphemer. and blasphemers under the Old Testament law were to be put to death. Oh, death, that's the consequence, isn't it, of sin. That's the consequence of man's falling to sin, the penalty. The penalty of sin in scripture is quite clear. A sinner is to die, we see it in the Garden of Eden. where Adam and Eve disobeyed the commandment of God God had said concerning that tree of the knowledge of good and evil speaking to Adam it was not to eat of it in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die and Eve takes the forbidden fruit and she gives it to her husband and he with his eyes wide open knowing the commandment of God partakes of that same fruit and immediately there is death immediately there was spiritual death they are dead in trespasses and in sins and they know it when God comes into the garden in the cool of the day man was made in God's image created after God's likeness God has made man for himself man is there to enjoy God man's chief end is to glorify God to enjoy Him forever The new man hides himself, tries to hide himself amongst the trees of the garden.

But he can't hide from God. Well where art thou Adam? God knows where man is. And what does God do? He thrusts the man out of the garden. Out of the paradise that was Eden. Adam and Eve are driven out. And God protects the way of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Oh, there was certainly death and it was immediate. And the man is now dead in trespasses and in sins. And ultimately there would be another death, there would be physical death. He would eventually die. He lived to a great age. Those men in the Days before the universal flood, they lived to a great age, but they died. They died. Adam died, Eve died. There was that awful day when the body was separated from the soul.

God had made man body and soul. That's how man is, made, isn't he? He has a body, he has a soul, and these two belong together. That's what makes him the man. How awful is death in the separation of the soul from the water? There was physical death and ultimately there is an eternal death unless the sinner is found in the second man, the last Adam. You see there are two Adams. There's another Adam, isn't there? The Lord Jesus Christ.

And this Adam never seen Adam was sinless when he was created, as he comes pristine from the hand of his maker. Eve also, they're sinless. They bear the very image and likeness of God, but they sinned. But the last Adam never sinned. Those who are in that Adam, and clothed in his righteousness, having been cleansed in his precious blood, or they are saved and they are safe but for those who are outside of Christ there is another death, there is eternal death isn't there? the soul that sinneth it shall die the wages of sin is death it's spiritual, it's physical it might be eternal in Revelation 20 and verse 6 we read of the second death and what is that? that's that eternal death, that's hell that's hell Now, the Lord Jesus Christ tasted death.

That's what it says in scripture, Hebrews 2.9. The Lord Jesus Christ tasted death. That's an interesting expression. He tasted death. Now, we taste a thing in a sense, it's a passing sense, isn't it? We taste it, then the taste is gone. That's one of our senses. We taste a thing. There's not a great duration in tasting. The Lord tasted death. I find that interesting. You see, with regards to the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's not the duration, the length of time that he suffers all the torments of being the great sin-bearer.

Is it not more the remarkable intensity of what he had to endure those things that he was feeling this is the holy man this is a man who has never sinned this is the perfect man and yet he knows something of the horror and the dreads and the distress of what sin is he knows all the awful blackness of it and of course we have it don't we when the reference is made to this particular psalm in the gospel We're told there in Matthew 27 45 now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the earth until the 9th hour.

Now the 6th hour as they reckoned the time that would be 12 noon. They measure the day from 6 am so the 6th hour is 12 noon the sun at its height. There in the Middle East And all of a sudden there's a darkness shrouding the whole earth for three hours. That's what it says, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. Now, about the ninth hour, the Lord cries with a loud voice saying, īlā, īlā, lāmasakvā, sakvānā.

By interpretation, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh, he tasted death. What he must have experienced in those hours upon the cross. His soul suffering so intense. He is suffering at the hands of men. We see it in the content of the psalm. You see, heaven be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. Many balls have compassed me, strong balls of Bashan have beset me round. These people, you see, they're like balls.

They gape upon me with their mouths as a ravening and roaring lion. They're always a prey. to all these wild beasts as it were dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they pierce my hands and my feet I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me as suffering at the hands of men and what is he doing? he is pouring out his soul it says that doesn't it in Isaiah 53 he poured out his soul unto death he poured out his soul unto death and it's here verse 14 I am poured out like water all my bones are out of joints my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels the intensity of the sufferings of this man, this righteous man the Lord Jesus Christ this remarkable man dying and dying for sinners, and suffering at the hands of men.

And yet, his real suffering was something more than that, really. What was his real suffering? Well, it was inward sufferings. It was what was going on in his soul. It was spiritually natured. It was the way in which God was meeting upon him the punishment of sin.

He is the propitiation for our sins in his person. Let us mark that, it's the person of Christ. We are not to think it's just the human nature, it's Christ in his person and the person has two natures, he is God and he is man. And we cannot separate those two natures, we must not. It is the person, this is the mystery of it. There's a mystery in his coming into the world, the mystery of the incarnation. God was manifest in the flesh. Now God contracted to a span incomprehensibly made man but there's a mystery in his dying. How can these things burn? Or what awful inward sufferings this man has to endure.

The pangs of his body were greater, says the hymn writer, but greater the pangs of his mind. Oh, he was one who was sinless, and yet he's suffering as the sinner, and he's suffering in the very depth of his soul. Now he speaks of his soul. Look at verse 20, deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog. Doesn't that indicate something of the spiritual nature of his sufferings?

It's a wonderful example here of that feature of Hebrew poetry, parallelism, the same truth being repeated. in two ways here, as it were. They're parallel, one to the other. He speaks of his soul, he speaks of his darling. The margin says, my darling is literally my only one. Deliver my soul from the sword. My darling, my only one, from the power of the dog.

He has a soul, he's a man. He has a real soul, as well as a real body. This is the man who says, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Nor do we trouble about our souls. The Lord had a soul. And there we found things in the very depths of his soul, in all his sufferings. At the hand of God, it was his Father.

Do we trouble about our souls? What is a man profited if he go in the whole world and lose his own soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? We're so often concerned and occupied and preoccupied about the things of this world and yet we have souls.

When a man comes to die it's absent from the body present with the Lord. The body returns to the earth as it was The Spirit goes to God who gave it. Let us learn from the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we say of our soul, this is my darling, this is my only one, I'm concerned about my soul. I realize that one day I'm going to have to appear before my maker God. These are solemn truths. that we have said before us even in this psalm that speaks so clearly of the Lord Jesus and there was that comfort granted to him, wasn't it? that his soul would be kept he would pass through death that God would keep his soul not only his soul, God would keep his body because He's a sinless one.

He has a sinless soul, but he also has a sinless body. What was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary was that holy thing. That human nature joined to the eternal Son of God. That holy thing shall be called the Son of God. And you know, this is the mystery, isn't it? There was no real cause of death in him. We are mortal. We are mortal. Our bodies are mortal bodies. We have never-dying souls, but the Lord Jesus Christ had a soul, a never-dying soul, but he also had an immortal body, because he was without sin. And when he dies, and he's laid in the grave, even there in the grave, how the Lord God preserves His sinless body from every corruption.

Look at the language, you know, how these things are spoken of in Psalm 16. And there at the end of that 16th Psalm, again a psalm or miktam of David, a golden psalm of David. therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope he's speaking when he says my glory rejoiceth he's referring to his soul but he speaks of his flesh also but the unsoul therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou will not leave my soul in hell neither will thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption thou wilt show me the path of life in thy presence, there is fullness of joy at thy right hand, there are pleasures for evermore. Now we know, I'm assured to you, that those words are prophetic because Both Peter and Paul in their preaching make reference to that psalm, quite specifically. Peter there on the day of Pentecost, we have the record of his sermon in Acts 2 and later in chapter 13, we have the record of Paul's preaching at Antioch in Pisidia, and both of them refer to Psalm 16. And it has nothing to do with David. David's sepulcher was there, they say. It was speaking of Christ, all this sinless one.

Yes, he has to suffer a terrible death, the penal death that was the crucifixion of a criminal. That was how the Romans executed a man, and that's what the Lord had to suffer. But when we think of his sufferings more at the hands of God, What is the essence of that suffering?

Well, really, it is separation, isn't it? That's what he's saying here in the words at the beginning of the psalm, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There was separation. And that was so evident when Our first parents sinned, as I've already said. And immediately they're trying to hide themselves from God. They don't want to be where God is. There's separation. And that's how we're born, isn't it? Dead in trespasses and sins, alienated, enemies in our minds. The carnal mind, the natural mind is enmity against God.

It's not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. their separation Isaiah says your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you and yet how strange it is that the Lord Jesus Christ had to feel something of that separation Christ knew it, he felt it in his own person Here's the mystery, you see. His humanity, as I've said, could never be separated from his divinity. In every action he is the person of Jesus Christ and he has two distinct natures. We cannot separate the natures one from the other. And it is the person who is suffering.

And yet on the other hand, there could never be any separation between the persons in the Godhead, the doctrine of the Trinity. God is one. You know, Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And yet God is three. There are three distinct persons. But that's not three gods, one God. who subsists in three persons.

How can we explain what this separation is? We can't really answer the question. We ask the question, what is this separation? What is it that the Lord is praying when he utters these words, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And I say, we can't answer the question. We can't understand.

We can't conceive. what is happening in the death of the Lord Jesus however we know this we know this of a certainty that the Lord Jesus Christ came to this world for a definite purpose he came to save sinners he came to save sinners even the Son of Man came not to be ministered on to but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many that's why he came How can we answer, how can we understand these things?

Well, think of what God is. Think of what God is. What is God? Well, we think of God normally in terms of his attributes. We can say, can't we, that God is life, and light, and wisdom, and truth, and righteousness, and goodness, and power, and joy and glory and peace and blessedness. Oh, this is what God is. He's all good. God is good. And on that verse in 119th Psalm, I can't remember just what number it is, a long psalm, but that verse that says, thou art good and thou doest good. Oh, God's a good God. Our God's a good God.

You know, I thought about that I've been thinking about that since we heard of the passing of dear Beryl Randalls and all that's happened. It's all those weeks ago, must be over two months ago now, that her husband, our dear friend Andrew, has occupied this pulpit many a time. And he went down to the Bethesda home at Brighton for some respite. He went there initially, I think for six weeks. He's been there over two months now. And I thought, how God orders things. Had he still been at home in Bournemouth, how difficult it would have been.

I know Beryl has a sister, an older sister who's unmarried, Phyllis. Andrew and Phyllis don't get on that well, really. They sort of tolerate one another, I suppose, but they're not the best of friends, let me put it that way. But Andrew The Lord took him to Brighton, settled him in the home, and he's so settled there, he's so happy there. The Lord makes the provision. His dear wife, you see.

That time had come, a time to be born, a time to die. And I couldn't help but think how good God is. How good God is. too wise to be mistaken, he's too good to be unkind and he makes that provision when we think of God then we can say he's all goodness well if that's what God is all those things that I just mentioned you know, he's life and light and wisdom and truth and righteousness and so forth what is it to be left of God? think of what it is to be left of God it's death It's darkness, ignorance, weakness, confusion, sorrow, dismay, damnation. It's all that's evil. And this is where the Lord Jesus is. He was spiritually under the law of God.

When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem. To redeem, to pay the ransom price. for them that were under the law, that they might receive the adoption of sons. And so what does Christ do?

Well, He has redeemed us from the curse of the law, Paul says to the Galatians. Right into the church of Galatia he tells them, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Oh, the wonder of what the Lord Jesus Christ did. I like the simple comment of dear Martin Luther that great protestant reformer and what Luther says of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at the same time he was the most righteous person and the greatest sinner that's Christ on the cross the most righteous person and yet the greatest sinner that's the mystery well that's the mystery of what we have here you see that sense of desertion and desolation but then let's just turn briefly to the end of the psalm and what I call this statement of faith they shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this Mark the word righteousness. They shall declare His righteousness.

You see, all that the Lord Jesus Christ did here upon the earth as God-man, all that He did was done in faith. He lived a life of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him. And the Lord Jesus lived a life of faith. Whatsoever is not of faith, Paul says at the end of Romans 14, whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly associated with what we see of his living here upon the earth where he lives the life of faith. And we see it in his prayers. Remember in the days of his flesh when he offered up prayer with supplication and strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared he had the fear of God in his heart this man though he were a son yet learned the obedience by the things that he suffered he would spend whole nights alone in prayer to his God He lived a life of faith. And we see it, don't we, in the cry that we have at the beginning.

He uses the language of appropriation. All right, he's deserted, but he can still say, My God! My God! Here's the paradox, you see. He's far off from God and yet he's near to God at the same time. One and the same time, he's far off as the great sin bearer and yet he's near to the Father.

He goes on, doesn't he, to speak of the fathers of Israel. Verse 4, our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee and were delivered, they trusted in thee and were not confounded. How they did cry unto God. and how God did deliver them and what cries they were that they made to the Father well remember what we read at the beginning of that book of Exodus well the second chapter here they are you see the bondage gets ever greater and we're told at the end of Exodus 2 in the process of time the king of Egypt died, the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage and they cried and their cry came upon to God by reason of the bondage and God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob and God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect for them and then the third chapter Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law they called him Moses here's the answer to their prayers God is going to grant deliverance to his people and the Lord here you see in his prayer reminds the father he pleads he pleads what God had done our fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them or when they cried they didn't cry in vain they were heard they were answered and he reminds God Verse 3, But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Oh, you see, the Lord gives the life of faith. He's looking to God.

God is not a man that He should lie, nor the Son of Man that He should repent.

Hath He said it, shall He not do it? Hath He spoken it, shall He not make it good? Thou art the Holy One, the Holy One of Israel. Thou inhabitest the praises of Israel, says the Lord. And so he doesn't pray in vain, does he? He says at verse 19, Be not thou far from me, O Lord, all my strength haste thee to help me. And he uses there in verse 19 that great covenant name, the very name that at its root in what God says to Moses there in Exodus 3 God says His name is I am that I am and the very name Lord really if we were to translate the Hebrew it is He is that's all Lord means God says I am God's people say He is He's the faithful God of the covenants and the Lord knows that is in covenant with the Father.

You know, there are two parts to this psalm. In the first 21 verses we might say we have the prayer, the great cry for help. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But then in the latter part, from verse 22 through to the end, we have the answer.

There's deliverance. deliverance by God and you see the pivotal verses verses 21 bring us to the end of the first part and verse 22 introduces us into the second part save me from the lion's mouth for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I pray unto thee Unicorns, in the margin it says wild bulls. From the horns of the wild bulls thou hast heard me.

And then verse 24, he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the affliction, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard him. He heard him. Oh yes, there they were, they were all encompassing him about. They were enclosing him, they were taunting him, they were scoffing, ridiculing him. But he didn't pray to the Father in vain. He didn't pray to the Father in vain.

What is it that God was accomplishing? What was wrought here? What did Christ himself accomplish? Well, he accomplished salvation. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this. He's obedient. And he's obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And so he can say in that great 17th chapter of John, his high priestly prayer, I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do.

Oh, what a psalm then is this. It's a psalm of the cross. I know there are other psalms, as I said, it's not only this psalm, you can think of Psalm 69, Psalm 110, they all speak of Christ. Many of them. Can we not say there's a truth in saying that Christ is in all the Psalms? Because Christ is in all the Scriptures. Search the Scriptures.

They testify of me, says the Lord Jesus. I close with words that we find there in the 23rd chapter in Isaiah. attention was drawn to it just the other day but it did strike me what's actually being said there at the 24th verse Isaiah 43, let's get the right chapter, Isaiah 43 and what does the Lord say at verse 24 and 25 and 26 the end of verse 24 thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities the Lord as he were speaking to his people that's what we've done if we're in the Lord We have the record of it there in Psalm 22, we have the record again in 4 Gospels, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, my sins, your sins if you're in Christ, by faith.

Thou hast made me serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, I am and I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins, put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare thou that thou mayest be justified. Oh, can we not take those words, plead those words?

And the Lord says, put me in remembrance. While presently the church will come, we're going to observe that holy ordinance. And Christ says, do this, do this, in remembrance of me. Oh, the Lord, help us in to remember, and in remembering, help us to pray and to plead, even as he himself instructs us, the manner of the Lord's praying, or that we were men and women of such faith as we see in the life, the ministry, and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless His word to us. Amen.

The Psalm of the Cross

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Jesus feeling forsaken on the cross?

Why is the cross significant in Christianity?

How do we know that Jesus' suffering was prophesied in the Old Testament?

Why is Jesus called the 'sin-bearer'?

What does Psalm 22 reveal about the character of God during suffering?

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The Psalm of the Cross

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Jesus feeling forsaken on the cross?

Why is the cross significant in Christianity?

How do we know that Jesus' suffering was prophesied in the Old Testament?

Why is Jesus called the 'sin-bearer'?

What does Psalm 22 reveal about the character of God during suffering?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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