Psalm 22
[Praise be to you, O Triune God, for your rich and revealing Word. Here we have another prophetic, Messianic Psalm, written 1000 years before your coming into the world, foretelling your suffering both on our behalf and for your glory. Praise you for your wisdom in preparing the way in such a manner that your revelation in this Psalm helped both those before Christ and inspires wonder in us who came after.]
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
[David was feeling far from you, abandoned and alone, and cried out in anguish. But this is much more a “pre-echo” of the actual abandonment by you, Heavenly Father, of the God-man Jesus as He became sin for us while hanging on the cross.
You, Father, had to turn away, breaking the relationship of the Trinity–that perfect, eternal intimacy which was without strife, without conflict, and in perfect harmony, commitment, love and unity–and all was torn asunder. All three of you, Father, Son and Spirit, suffered great pain in this ripping of the relationship.
It was brutally broken by the burden of iniquity, as you, Lord Jesus, took upon yourself all the sins of everyone who ever lived or will live, and as you, Heavenly Father, turned away from such sin, leaving Jesus utterly alone. Your shared reason for doing this, was that we would not be left alone, that all people might have the possibility of entering a rich and intimate relationship with the Trinity.
In offering your enemies such a never-ending connection with you, Lord God, the possibility of abandonment of us from your side became impossible, while the possibility of rest, stability and safety became rock-solidly certain for those who believe–for you are faithful to the end.
In you is all that our hearts long for—belonging, worth, competence, purpose, hope and a future with you–and we can only have it because you, O Triune God, were willing to suffer the pain of separation to bring salvation.
I praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for your great, deep, powerful Love that led you to embrace and endure such anguish for the undeserving. You are a gloriously wonderful God, full of love and wisdom, grace and goodness, selflessness and tender mercy. To surrender to you is such a powerful privilege, embracing the truth that. when we are weak, then we are strong. Rule in us today, Lord, and use us for your glory.
