Friday
March 6, 2009


Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel. [a]
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 "He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me [b] in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced [c] my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save [d] me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you [e] will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it.

Reflection

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?” 1

God isn’t listening. He’s not answering; not your prayers, not your pleas. He isn’t talking; not one word. Why isn’t He there? Why isn’t He giving you guidance? Why is He so far away?

“Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls encircle me…they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;” 11-14

You’re screaming: I’m tired. I’m overwhelmed. I’m stressed. I’m broken. But there is no help. God, where are you?

“For 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.” 24

Stop. Slow down. Is God really that far? Is He really leaving you to the bulls and lions? Was it really that God was forsaking you? Was He really not listening to your cries, fear, and distress?

Or was it you? Were you screaming and not listening, not allowing yourself to hear what He has to say? Or were you looking for the answers, only you were looking in all of the wrong places? Is there a chance that what He is saying, doing, and providing for you isn’t what you want it to be?

“Posterity will serve him…and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.” 30-31

Be still. Listen and look. Open your eyes; take a new, refreshed perspective. He’s there. In places you don’t expect to see Him. Doing things you didn’t realize He was doing. But you have to stop and truly look and listen. He’s there. He hears you, He cries with you, He holds you close, He rejoices with you. You just have to let Him.


Written by a PC Junior

Today Please Pray For:
The Baseball and Softball Teams