Psalm 22:19 “But you, O LORD, be not far off;”
[You, Heavenly Father, only turned away from Jesus as long as was necessary; when His suffering was complete, you turned back and raised Him from the dead, gloriously defeating all your foes.
And because you, Lord Jesus, were willing to be abandoned on the cross while becoming sin for us, you can say to us, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13;5 ESV). Praise be to you, Lord God, that you are always near, always ready to help in grace, wisdom and power.]
“O my Strength, come quickly to help me.”
[You, Heavenly Father came with strength and help, defeating death by raising Christ. And you are my strength, Lord Jesus, the Source of all good, the Provider of powerful protection, my righteous rock and faithful fortress.
Praise you that you give us help at the right time and in the right way. And praise you that while waiting, we can be worshiping, trusting and thanking you before any answer comes–because you, Lord, are gloriously faithful!]
Psalm 22:20, 21“Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.”
[You did just that for Jesus, and for us. Praise you that whatever form the enemy’s attacks take, you, Lord, can and will deliver us in your time and way. No one and nothing is strong enough to overcome you.
You let through only the attacks that you will use for good in our lives, for strengthening our faith, for putting to death our wrong desires, our natural responses and selfish goals, while giving us a platform for sharing with others about you.
You are the perfect coach, putting us through the experiences that will equip, mature, prepare and train us for righteousness and faith.
Praise be to you, the Most High, King of Kings, Lord of Love, God of Goodness, Savior of sinners. Before you I now bow down in surrender. Help me to rise up to live in trust, obedience, praise and thanksgiving throughout today. Amen.