I\u2019ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together.<\/p>\n
![\"psalm](\"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/a-psalm-a-day-21-1024x1024.png\")
Here’s Psalm 22:<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/sup>My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?<\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;<\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>But I am a worm\u00a0and not a man,<\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>Yet you brought me out of the womb;<\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>Do not be far from me,<\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>Many bulls\u00a0surround me;<\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>Dogs\u00a0surround me,<\/span> 19\u00a0<\/sup>But you,\u00a0Lord<\/span>, do not be far from me.<\/span> 22\u00a0<\/sup>I will declare your name to my people;<\/span> 25\u00a0<\/sup>From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;<\/span> 27\u00a0<\/sup>All the ends of the earth<\/span> 29\u00a0<\/sup>All the rich\u00a0of the earth will feast and worship;<\/span> What is this Psalm about?<\/strong><\/p>\n Reflecting on Psalm 22 is difficult, as someone who’s been a Christian for a while – it’s hard not to see Jesus (who quoted it on the cross) and his suffering as being in view the whole time. This may well be the primary Christian way of reading this Psalm – but in addition, it is a Psalm of David lamenting suffering and unanswered prayer, as well as balancing honest reality and the worship of the God who holds the future. It is a beautiful Psalm of praise – even if it might not feel quite like modern worship songs!<\/p>\n What does this Psalm teach about God?<\/strong><\/p>\n In the complaint of forsakenness, we see that God has not forsaken – God is a listening God, a hearing God, and God will communicate, as the rest of the Psalm goes on to say. God can be beseeched – we don’t have to come through any particular form of words or actions, God is a God who can be reached out to. Perhaps, then – Christological interpretation aside – Psalm 22 is fundamentally about worship, and that God is a God to be worshipped. Among other things, Psalm 22 reminds us, for the purpose of worship, that God is enthroned, can be trusted, listens, rescues, delivers, and is righteous.<\/p>\n How does this Psalm connect to God\u2019s people today?<\/strong><\/p>\n As well as encouraging Christians to ponder the connections between the cross and this Psalm, Psalm 22 encourages us to worship God regardless of our circumstances. When we feel forsaken, we are invited to praise. When we feel our prayers go unanswered, we are challenged to pray. When we feel like we are the only ones left, we are reminded that ‘future generations will be told about the Lord’. Indeed, verse 30 is ‘fulfilled in your sight’, as we read and enjoy this Psalm today!<\/p>\n A prayer from Psalm 22:<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord, you are enthroned as the Holy One – take your place in all parts of my life. Lord, I come to you with pain and anger, hurt and hope, and ask that you intervene. Remind us, lord, that your purposes are sure and your ways are good. Amen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For September 2022, I\u2019m trying to read and reflect \u2013 briefly \u2013 on a Psalm each day. I\u2019ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions: What is this Psalm about? What does this Psalm teach about God? … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"kt_blocks_editor_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[105,554,223,288,606,49,722],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3831"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3831"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3833,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3831\/revisions\/3833"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Why are you so far\u00a0from saving me,<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>so far from my cries of anguish?<\/span><\/span>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>by night,\u00a0but I find no rest.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you are the one Israel praises.<\/span><\/span>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>In you our ancestors put their trust;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they trusted and you delivered them.<\/span><\/span>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>To you they cried out\u00a0and were saved;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in you they trusted\u00a0and were not put to shame.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>scorned by everyone,\u00a0despised\u00a0by the people.<\/span><\/span>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>All who see me mock me;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they hurl insults,\u00a0shaking their heads.<\/span><\/span>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cHe trusts in the\u00a0Lord<\/span>,\u201d they say,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u201clet the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0rescue him.<\/span><\/span>
\nLet him deliver him,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>since he delights\u00a0in him.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you made me trust\u00a0in you, even at my mother\u2019s breast.<\/span><\/span>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>From birth\u00a0I was cast on you;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>from my mother\u2019s womb you have been my God.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>for trouble is near<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and there is no one to help.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>strong bulls of Bashan\u00a0encircle me.<\/span><\/span>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>Roaring lions\u00a0that tear their prey<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>open their mouths wide\u00a0against me.<\/span><\/span>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>I am poured out like water,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and all my bones are out of joint.<\/span><\/span>
\nMy heart has turned to wax;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>it has melted\u00a0within me.<\/span><\/span>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you lay me in the dust\u00a0of death.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>a pack of villains encircles me;<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they pierce my hands and my feet.<\/span><\/span>
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>All my bones are on display;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>people stare\u00a0and gloat over me.<\/span><\/span>
\n18\u00a0<\/sup>They divide my clothes among them<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and cast lots\u00a0for my garment.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>You are my strength;\u00a0come quickly\u00a0to help me.<\/span><\/span>
\n20\u00a0<\/sup>Deliver me from the sword,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>my precious life\u00a0from the power of the dogs.<\/span><\/span>
\n21\u00a0<\/sup>Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>save me from the horns of the wild oxen.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in the assembly\u00a0I will praise you.<\/span><\/span>
\n23\u00a0<\/sup>You who fear the\u00a0Lord<\/span>, praise him!<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Revere him,\u00a0all you descendants of Israel!<\/span><\/span>
\n24\u00a0<\/sup>For he has not despised\u00a0or scorned<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>the suffering of the afflicted one;<\/span><\/span>
\nhe has not hidden his face\u00a0from him<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>but has listened to his cry for help.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.<\/span><\/span>
\n26\u00a0<\/sup>The poor will eat\u00a0and be satisfied;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>those who seek the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0will praise him\u2014<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>may your hearts live forever!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>will remember and turn to the\u00a0Lord<\/span>,<\/span><\/span>
\nand all the families of the nations<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>will bow down before him,<\/span><\/span>
\n28\u00a0<\/sup>for dominion belongs to the\u00a0Lord<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and he rules over the nations.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>all who go down to the dust\u00a0will kneel before him\u2014<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>those who cannot keep themselves alive.<\/span><\/span>
\n30\u00a0<\/sup>Posterity\u00a0will serve him;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>future generations\u00a0will be told about the Lord.<\/span><\/span>
\n31\u00a0<\/sup>They will proclaim his righteousness,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>declaring to a people yet unborn:<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>He has done it!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n