Passage:
1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far from my deliverance
and from my words of groaning?
2 My God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
by night, yet I have no rest.
3 But you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 Our ancestors trusted in you;
they trusted, and you rescued them.
5 They cried to you and were set free;
they trusted in you and were not disgraced.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by people.
7 Everyone who sees me mocks me;
they sneer and shake their heads:
8 “He relies on the Lord;
let him save him;
let the Lord rescue him,
since he takes pleasure in him.”
9 It was you who brought me out of the womb,
making me secure at my mother’s breast.
10 I was given over to you at birth;
you have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 Don’t be far from me, because distress is near
and there’s no one to help. -- Psalms 22:1-11 (CSB)
Song:
Forsaken (Psalm 22) by Aaron Shust
Lyrics:
(O) my God my God
Why have You forsaken me
My God my God
Come quickly to my aid
(Come quickly to my aid)
O my God I cried
I cried out by day
But You did not answer
O my God I cried
I cried out by night
But there was no rest for me
Our fathers trusted in You
They were never disappointed
'Cause You delivered
But I’m poured out like water
My bones are all disjointed
And all who see are mocking me
A band of evil men
Has closed in on me
And pierced my hands and feet
Dogs are surrounding
Mockers are shouting
If God delight in him let Him deliver him
Oh Lama azavtani Eli
Eli Eli lama azavtani Eli
Enthroned on the praises of Israel
You are holy still
Enthroned on the praises of Israel
You are You are You are
Prayer:
I have no other helper than you,
no other father, no other redeemer, no other support. I pray to you.
Only you can help me.
My present misery is too great.
Despair grips me,
and I am at my wits’ end.
I am sunk in the depths,
and I cannot pull myself up or out.
If it is your will, help me out of this misery.
Let me know that you are stronger
than all misery and all enemies.
O Lord, if I come through this,
please let the experience
contribute to my and my brothers’ blessing.
You will not forsake me; this I know.
Amen.
(A prayer from a young Ghanian Christian. Taken from I Lie on My Mat and Pray.)
