Read
(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “A Deer at Dawn.”)
Suffering and Praise
1 My God, my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
2I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.
3Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
5When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.
6But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
7 Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
8 and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe.”
9You, Lord, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.
11Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan
are everywhere.
13My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.
14I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.
16Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at my hands
and my feet.
17I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18 They took my clothes
and gambled for them.
19Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
so hurry and help.
20Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
21Don't let lions eat me.
You rescued me from the horns
of wild bulls,
22 and when your people meet,
I will praise you, Lord.
23All who worship the Lord,
now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
so fear and honor the Lord!
24The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
and did not turn away.
25When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
keep my promises to you.
26The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
will be thankful
and live in hope.
27Everyone on this earth
will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
will turn and worship you,
28because you are in control,
the ruler of all nations.
29All who are rich
and have more than enough
will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
will come and bow down.
30In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
about you, our Lord.
31People not yet born
will be told,
“The Lord has saved us!”
Reflect
Today, as then, many people turn up their noses at our faith. “It’s a hang-up,” they say. “It’s self-deception. You imagine all kinds of ‘answers to prayer’ in what are really coincidences. You have feelings you think come from God, but really they’re auto-suggestion!”
Usually, it’s easy to answer this kind of criticism, or else just ignore it. But not when our world falls apart. That’s when all the cynical remarks come back, and suddenly become a real challenge to our faith. So it was with David.
- The force of suffering. Look at one or two verses. It’s real suffering – meaningless (v 1), crushing (v 6), terrifying (vv 12,13), draining (v 15), humiliating (v 18). Worst of all, days and nights go past, and God (if there is a God) does nothing (v 2).
- The power of faith. How to come through? Learn from David. Faith must feed on God’s Word (vv 3-5), or starve to death. Faith must draw from its own past experiences (vv 9,10). Above all, faith must fasten its eyes on the Lord, even in times of doubt (v 1), and keep them there, until the answer comes (vv 19-21)!
How much of this psalm was true of Jesus, in his suffering and death? Remember: he suffered FOR us; and he can suffer WITH us.
Respond
Father, thank you that when I hit bottom, Jesus Christ is there. Thank you that he suffered all this for us. I pray for all who are suffering and have no one else to pray for them. I pray in his name, Amen.
Tony Capon
Born in England, Tony served in the British Army in Germany 1945-48, then graduated from Cambridge University and Oak Hill Theological College London. He served as an Anglican priest in London and in 1956, Tony and his wife emigrated to Canada. There he served as Associate and President of Scripture Union. Later, as SU Co-ordinator for the Americas, he travelled widely in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean promoting the work of SU. From 1975 to 1978 he served as Director of Development at Wycliffe College, Toronto, and from 1978 to 1991 as Principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College. He has just celebrated his 90th birthday!