I love the progression of trust and abandonment seen in Psalms 22 and 23. From the heartfelt cry that opens Psalm 22... "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" we feel the despair of the psalmist. Then gradually, as he reminds himself of the faithfulness of the Lord in his ancestors past, and as he realizes where the Lord's hand has touched him in the past, he comes to the point of saying "Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me." Even though things are not going well, he knows the Lord is with him and longs for him to stay. Things will get worse... "They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing." He is now fully within God's embrace regardless of what is happening around him and can declare that "Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord." This leads quite naturally into the quiet peace of the 23rd Psalm where the psalmist may rest knowing that whatever happens the Lord will provide.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Progressively Leading
Psalms 21-23
I love the progression of trust and abandonment seen in Psalms 22 and 23. From the heartfelt cry that opens Psalm 22... "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" we feel the despair of the psalmist. Then gradually, as he reminds himself of the faithfulness of the Lord in his ancestors past, and as he realizes where the Lord's hand has touched him in the past, he comes to the point of saying "Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me." Even though things are not going well, he knows the Lord is with him and longs for him to stay. Things will get worse... "They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing." He is now fully within God's embrace regardless of what is happening around him and can declare that "Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord." This leads quite naturally into the quiet peace of the 23rd Psalm where the psalmist may rest knowing that whatever happens the Lord will provide.
I love the progression of trust and abandonment seen in Psalms 22 and 23. From the heartfelt cry that opens Psalm 22... "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" we feel the despair of the psalmist. Then gradually, as he reminds himself of the faithfulness of the Lord in his ancestors past, and as he realizes where the Lord's hand has touched him in the past, he comes to the point of saying "Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me." Even though things are not going well, he knows the Lord is with him and longs for him to stay. Things will get worse... "They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing." He is now fully within God's embrace regardless of what is happening around him and can declare that "Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord." This leads quite naturally into the quiet peace of the 23rd Psalm where the psalmist may rest knowing that whatever happens the Lord will provide.
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