“Persevering with Praise though Pierced”
Sept.21, 2008 Psalm 22[1-10,18-24] Play
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A Cry from the Heart when All Seems Lost
● What would you choose to say in final moments if
life threatened?
● Jesus chose Psalm 22 not 23 (Mk 15:34): “Why...?”
● blunt language helps us relate in our own hardships
Fearful Foes & Faith’s Re-framing
● brief ‘collect’ prayers combine God’s qualities
with current petition (Ac 1:24f)
● bulls / lions / dogs / the sword all hazards
(11-16,20-21)
● recalls past deliverance, anticipates future
deliverance (4f; 25ff)
● climactic assertion that God rules, despite our
hassles (28)
Our Hopes Pinned on Jesus at the Cross
● eery correspondence between David’s psalm and
Jesus’ crucifixion
● abandonment; insults; bones out of joint;
extremities pierced (1, 7f, 14, 16; Mk 15:29f; Mt 27:43; Jn 20:27)
● garments divided, lots cast, new ‘brothers’ brought
to glory (18, 22; Mt 27:35; Jn 19:23f; Heb 2:12)
God Brings Deliverance through Pain for His Glory
● mystery of problem of pain key religious question
● difficult to understand when don’t see the whole
picture
● Joseph treated abominably, but God ‘meant it for
good’ - saving many (Gen 45:5,7f, 50:20)
● God works for our good in all things - no hardship
can cut us off from God’s love (Rom 8:28, 35,37)
● Psalmist and ancestors trusted in God and weren’t
disappointed (4f, 9f, 22, 24)
A Quadriplegic Praising God and Telling Others
● Joni ministering to many with praise and hope
despite drastic diving accident
● difficulties ‘no mistake’ but keys to true
contentment & joy