Psalm 22
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
3Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!
27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
29To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
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I’ve gotten to know King David with much greater depth in my Bible studies this past year. I find myself specifically reflecting on how humility kept him close and connected to God throughout his reign. In his humility, King David knows that he needs God and seeks him for wisdom, guidance and strength as he leads his people. Humility is not a natural quality, especially in our culture, nor does it come easily, but it is what the Lord requires of His people.
In Psalm 22 we see King David’s internal struggle with his feelings of deep sadness, loneliness and fear. We see him actively toggling between sadness and fear and praising God for his goodness. David shows vulnerability as he humbly brings his feelings to God knowing that it is only through Him and his grace, love and light that we can find salvation.
David was not perfect, and neither are we, but Psalm 22 gives us such a clear example of how he actively found refuge in seeking God’s will, trying to please him and follow his way — being a person “after God’s own heart”. And we can be too, if we walk daily with Him, prioritize His commands in our lives, humbly accept His correction when He gives it and leading others to do the same.
Prayer: God, we praise you for your love, wisdom and guidance in our lives. We thank you for continuing to grace us with your compassion and forgiveness. As Jesus accepted your will with humility as he died on the cross to redeem us, we pray that you bless us with humility and acceptance that without Him we will forever be imperfect and cannot be saved.
—Emily Sidhom