Psalm 22
Pastor David Groendyk

This psalm is a great lament, but it is also a great encouragement to the people of God. No one should ever say that the Bible doesn’t understand the human condition and the human experience. Psalm 22 knows us very well. The presenting issue is that David’s enemies surround him and try to kill him. He’s being ganged up on with no way of escape. However, the greater lament in this psalm is David’s unanswered prayer. Although no one may be trying to take your life, unanswered prayer is a trial all of us go through, and, in fact, it is surely one of the biggest reasons why those who are seemingly Christians walk away from the faith altogether. There could be any number of prayers that you’ve wished would be granted to you by the Almighty King in heaven, but he just hasn’t done it yet. Perhaps you feel like David—dried up, thirsty, melted, shattered, utterly spent, empty. Psalm 22 is a call to persevere in prayer. Why do we persevere in prayer? Because we know that God “does not abandon his afflicted people but will hear their prayer and give them reason to praise in the congregation” (Allen Ross). Whatever we need, God will provide. Whatever God does, his will is good. Did you notice the dramatic shift in verse 21? Even in the midst of his affliction, David resolves to praise the Lord and tell people of his glory. David sees a larger purpose for his affliction when he envisions the King being worshiped by all nations even into future generations, which ultimately gives God even more glory.

Jesus Christ himself experienced Psalm 22 and is the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 22. There are at least five foreshadowings of the crucifixion in this psalm:
1. Verse 1 is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 27:46 while hanging on the cross.
2. Verse 7 is fulfilled when passersby wag their heads at Jesus in Matthew 27:39.
3. Verse 8 is fulfilled when the chief priests and scribes mock Jesus for not being delivered in Matthew 27:43.
4. John 19:28 makes reference to Jesus being thirsty, described in verse 15.
5. Verse 18 is fulfilled when the soldiers divided up Jesus’ garment in John 19:23–24.
Jesus has felt the depth of sorrow, emptiness, and abandonment of Psalm 22. Jesus himself has felt the pain of unanswered prayer. Remember that he prayed that the cup would pass from him so that he would not have to endure the horror and pain of hell on the cross, but he also prayed that his Father’s will would be done. And on the other side of the cross, we all get to cry out with David, “He has done it!” He has delivered us from every affliction and will continue to do so until the day of heaven, and all nations will experience this salvation and glory and come to worship the King. There was a great purpose behind Jesus’ agony and unanswered prayer. Now, that doesn’t make our burdens and afflictions any lighter. But it should help us to resolve to praise the Lord through it and persevere in our prayers.