The Psalm Of The Cross Series

Summer Psalms #2 - The Psalm of the Cross

Psalm 22:1-31

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - June 3, 2009

(Revised for Grayson Baptist Church - Oct. 16, 2011)

*Charles Spurgeon tells us that “this is beyond all others The Psalm of the Cross. It may have been actually repeated word by word by our Lord when hanging on the tree... It would be too bold to say that it was so, but even a casual reader may see that it might have been. It begins with, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ and ends, according to some, in the original with ‘It is finished. . .’

*We may say of this Psalm, ‘there is none like it.’ It is the (picture) of our Lord’s saddest hours, the record of his dying words, the (vessel) of his last tears, the memorial of his expiring joys. . . Before us we have a description of both the darkness and the glory of the cross... The sufferings of Christ and the glory which shall follow. Oh for grace to draw near and see this great sight!” (1)

*What will we see in this Psalm? -- We will see 6 things about Jesus.

1. First: We see Jesus wondering about injustice.

*In vs. 1-3:

1. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

2. O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.

3. But You are holy, Who inhabit the praises of Israel.

*“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” -- First, let me say that there is a circle of prophecy and fulfillment in these words.

-Yes, Jesus was quoting this Psalm on the cross, but that was a most appropriate thing for the Lord to do. Jesus was quoting these particular words, because God knows the end from the beginning. And a thousand years before it happened, God revealed the words He would speak on the cross.

*But notice that the Lord was wondering about injustice in our world: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

*Our wonderful Savior was so willing to identify with us that He was willing to subject Himself to the same kind of confusion that we go through.

-Why? -- Why is this terrible thing happening to me?

-Why did I lose my job?

-Why did I get sick?

-Why is my family member sick?

-Why did that wreck happen?

-Why did they die so soon?

-Why is my family so messed up?

*Once I got an email from a young Christian who was going through a tough family problem. She was frustrated with God, and wondering why things were going wrong. One thing I told her is that it is o.k. to ask “why.” We know this because Jesus asked “why” on the cross, and He never did anything wrong.

*The problem with asking why is that many times we won’t get an answer in this world. That’s why a wise man once said that a better question is, “What now?” -- “What should I do now, Lord?”

*I told the young lady that over time, God will surely show her the answer to THIS question. God will show us what to do. He will lead us even through the darkest valley.

*And it helps to know that He has been there too. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

-In this Psalm we see Jesus wondering about injustice.

2. And we see Him in a wondrous relationship with the Heavenly Father.

*God reveals this wondrous relationship to us in vs. 9-10. And this is an amazing revelation:

9. But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust when I was on My mother’s breasts.

10. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.

*Mysteries of the incarnation: Surely Jesus had to learn to walk and talk, just like you and me. He had to be potty-trained.

*But at the same time, Jesus never stopped being God. And His relationship with the Father was so close from all eternity past, that He could utter these amazing words: “You made Me trust when I was on My mother’s breasts. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.”

*I have known some people who got saved at a very young age. My mentor, Bro. Savoie, got saved when he was 5. And our daughter, Becky, was saved when she was 5.

-But only Jesus could say: “You made Me trust when I was on My mother’s breasts. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.”