By Brian Yoder Schlabach, news and media manager
Scripture: Psalm 22:23-31 (NRSV)
A sudden snow storm arose in the Rocky Mountains as my wife and I were returning to the city from a weekend trip several years ago. Our fishtailing Kia Optima barely made it over Vail Pass, and with cars sliding off the road, conditions worsening and night falling, it didn’t look promising that we’d make it back that night. We decided to exit the highway and try to find a town with a cheap motel.
For several more miles we managed to avoid slide-offs, despite some close calls and white-knuckle driving, until we came over a hill where the car ahead of us had slowed to a crawl. I braked. Despite my best efforts, we ended up in a ditch in several feet of snow.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
The first 23 verses of Psalm 22 are a lament that parallels Jesus’ words on the cross. In verses 23-31, the psalmist’s words change to those of thanksgiving. The psalmist holds both deep lament and joyous hope, anticipating salvation, saying that future generations will praise God.
In that ditch, I lost hope. It was dark. It was cold. We were stuck. But we were eventually rescued by a good Samaritan with a truck and a tow rope. We found refuge in a roadside motel, and I gave thanks. We were delivered.
I recognize that my experience was more of an inconvenience than true suffering that too many in our world experience, and yet in that moment the uncertainty and anxiety were real. Like the psalmist, our despair turned to gratitude upon being rescued. Our lives are always a mix of deep sorrow and cause for rejoicing, and this psalm reflects that reality.
Scripture: Psalm 22:23-31 (NRSV)
You 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.