What happens when the suffering of the Savior was foretold centuries before He ever went to the cross? Psalm 22 begins with the haunting words, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and takes us through anguish, rejection, physical suffering, and apparent defeat. Yet the psalm ultimately turns toward praise, proclamation, and the righteousness of God.
In this episode, we explore three major truths from Psalm 22: the suffering of the Savior was foretold, the Savior willingly suffered for us, and suffering does not have the final word. We examine the remarkable connections between Psalm 22 and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, consider the redemptive purpose of the cross, and see how the psalm's movement from anguish to praise points us toward the victory of Christ.
The encouragement of Psalm 22 is especially meaningful for anyone walking through suffering. We may not always understand what God is doing, and His silence can sometimes feel like His absence. But the cross reminds us that God can be accomplishing His purposes even when circumstances appear to be hopeless. Because Christ suffered, died, and rose again, suffering does not have the final word.
Key Takeaways
Psalm 22 shows us that we can bring our suffering honestly before God.