“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” (Psalm 22:1 NLT).
This Davidic psalm begins with the question that Jesus cried out from the cross. The NLT chose the word “abandoned” in place of “forsaken,” but it has the same meaning. David surely wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the future suffering of the Messiah. Did the Spirit awaken him at night to feel the agony of crucifixion, moving him to write, “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint, they have pierced my hands and feet and cast lots for my clothing?” (Psa. 22:14-16). Written centuries before the Romans invented the cruel practice, the Spirit revealed the crucifixion of the Messiah to David. Psalm 22 is filled with such detail, that it is astounding in its prophetic power. It was clearly fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the Holy One of God, took on our sins and died in our place. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). When the sins of the world fell on Christ, He felt the Father turn away from HIm. This had never happened in all eternity. O what loneliness! What grief! Not even the pain of the whipping post, nor the cruel cross could match this! His people, the Jews, had forsaken Him, even His disciples had abandoned Him. Yet worst of all, His Father had turned away from Him, letting Him bear not only our sins and our death, but our separation from God.
However, Christ is forsaken no more. He has risen! He has conquered sin, death and the grave! He sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for us (Rom. 8:34). He has fulfilled David’s prophecy of Psalm 22. It is finished! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
PRAYER: Dear Father, You sent Your only begotten Son to be forsaken that we might be forgiven. We are in awe of so wonderful a salvation. We will always sing and shout of His great sacrifice and love. Strengthen us that we may never forsake our Lord Jesus as we walk by faith in His name. For it is in Jesus’ name that we pray, amen.