Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.

Psalm 22: The Ultimate Journey from Despair to Deliverance

• James Long

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Title: Psalm 22: From Forsakenness to Praise in Christ

Psalm 22 moves from raw cries of abandonment to triumphant praise, offering hope to those who feel overwhelmed, rejected, or forgotten. In this episode, discover how Christ’s suffering fulfills this psalm and learn how God transforms lament into lasting worship for His people today.

Episode Highlights

  • The psalm opens with the cry of forsakenness—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—echoed by Jesus on the cross.
  • Honest lament is not faithlessness but clinging to God in the midst of pain.
  • Remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthens present trust in seasons of silence.
  • David’s suffering foreshadows Christ’s crucifixion, showing us a Savior who fully enters into our pain.
  • The turning point comes with deliverance: lament gives way to praise and testimony.
  • Personal rescue becomes a public witness, pointing to God’s global mission of salvation.
  • Suffering and worship can coexist—lament is transformed into praise through God’s redeeming work.

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ABOUT JAMES and LESSONS FOR LIFE

Are you seeking hope, wisdom, and practical solutions to life’s challenges? Dr. James Long, Jr., pastor, counselor, and professor with over 30 years of experience, helps people discover God’s solutions to emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges. Each episode of Lessons for Life points you to the peace and freedom found in Jesus Christ.

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Speaker 1:

Hey everyone, it's James Long. Do me a favor and grab your Bible and a journal and turn to Psalm 22. Today, psalm 22 moves from the depths of anguish to the height of praise, offering hope to those who feel abandoned or overwhelmed. It reminds us that honest lament can coexist with unshakable faith, pointing us to Christ who suffered for us and now leads his people in worship. The psalm speaks to emotional, relational, mental and spiritual struggles by assuring us that God's silence is never his absence. The first section we'll look at today is the cry of forsakenness and the choice to trust.

Speaker 1:

The opening words of Psalm 22 are among the most haunting in scripture my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Verse 1. They carry the weight of deep abandonment, echoed centuries later by Jesus on the cross. This is not a complaint of someone who is given up on God, but one who clings to God in the midst of confusion and pain. David's anguish is raw and unfiltered. He feels unheard, forgotten and surrounded by trouble. His body is weakened, his soul crushed and his enemies relentless. Yet even here, he addresses God as my God. Pain has not severed the relationship. It has driven him to speak with urgency and honesty In seasons when we feel forsaken. Psalm 22 invites us to keep crying out to the Lord. Silence does not mean abandonment, and unanswered questions are not the same as unanswered prayers.

Speaker 1:

Remembering God's past faithfulness In verses 3-5, david pivots from lament to remembrance. Yet you are holy In you. Our fathers trusted, they trusted and you delivered them. The memory of God's past faithfulness becomes an anchor in the storm. This is a powerful spiritual discipline. When our present feels dark, we recall God's track record in Scripture and in our own lives. Reflection on His character and deeds can steady our hearts when emotions threaten to overwhelm us. For the believer, this trust is not blind optimism, but a confidence rooted in the history of God's covenant love, the depth of humility, the death of humiliation and suffering.

Speaker 1:

David's description of his suffering verses 6-18, is vivid and prophetic. He is mocked, despised, physically broken and emotionally crushed. These verses foreshadow the crucifixion of Christ in astonishing detail the insults, the piercing of hands and feet, the dividing of garments. Here we see our Savior entering fully into human suffering. He knows the sting of rejection, the pain of injustice and the loneliness of abandonment. For those facing deep wounds, whether emotional, relational or physical, psalm 22 assures us that Jesus is no distant observer. He is the suffering servant who understands.

Speaker 1:

From plea to praise. The turning point of this psalm comes in verse 21. You have rescued me. The tone shifts from desperation to deliverance. God has acted and the psalmist responds with a vow to declare his name in the congregation verse 22. This movement of lament to praise is not denial of pain but an acknowledgement of God's power to redeem is not denial of pain but an acknowledgement of God's power to redeem. True worship often grows in the soil of suffering. We praise not only because God rescued us, but because His character is unchanging, whether we feel secure or surrounded.

Speaker 1:

The Global Vision of God's Salvation In verses 27-31, the psalm widens its scope. The personal rescue of the psalmist becomes the testimony to the nations. It says in verse 27,. What begins as a solitary cry ends with a global chorus. This is the trajectory of the gospel. Christ's suffering purchased salvation for people from every tribe and tongue. His cry for forsakenness becomes the foundation of our acceptance before God. And now, as His people, we are invited to join the worldwide mission of declaring His goodness.

Speaker 1:

Here are some of the doctrinal truths to remember. First, god welcomes honest lament. Expressing pain before him is an act of faith. Psalm 62.8 speaks to this as well. Number two remember that God's past faithfulness strengthens our present trust. We see that in Lamentations 3.21-23. Number three Jesus fully identifies with our suffering, having born it himself. Hebrews, chapter four, verse 15. Number four God's salvation often turns private deliverance into public testimony. Second Corinthians, chapter one, verses three through four. And then, finally, the gospel reach extends to all nations, fulfilling God's global purpose. Revelation, chapter 7, verses 9 through 10. Well, let's take that doctrine and let's make it practical, practical theology, walking from lament to praise.

Speaker 1:

Psalm 22 teaches us that suffering and praise are not mutually exclusive. You may feel abandoned, yet still trust. You may grieve deeply, yet still hope. The path from lament to praise often involves number one honest expression of pain to God. Number two recalling his character and past works. Number three holding fast to hope even before circumstances change. Number four allowing personal deliverance to inspire public witness.

Speaker 1:

If you are in the early verses of Psalm 22, take heart the God who seemed silent to David did not abandon him. He will not abandon you either. In Christ, the cries of forsakenness were answered with the. Let's reflect and respond. First, I want you to consider this when have you felt abandoned by God and how did you respond? Next, how can remembering God's past work help you endure present trials? 3. Which part of Psalm 22 most clearly points you to Christ? Next, how might your personal testimony encourage someone else's faith? Next, what steps can you take to move from lament to praise in your current season? And lastly, how does the global vision of verses 27 to 31 shape your prayers and priorities? Well, let's pray.

Speaker 1:

Father, thank you for being present even when we feel far away. Lord Jesus, thank you for entering fully into our suffering and bearing our sin on the cross. Holy Spirit, please strengthen our faith when we are weary and lift our voices in praise when you bring deliverance. Teach us to trust you in the silence and to proclaim your goodness when you act. In Jesus' name. We pray Amen From lament to lasting praise.

Speaker 1:

If you are struggling today, I want you to remind yourself that God hears, god sees and God doesn't abandon his children. If you're looking for more support, consider joining our free navigator level of our Lessons for Life community at jameslongjrorg slash. Sign up now. Slash community for devotionals meetups and training that will help you walk by faith, or explore one of our full memberships at jameslongjrorg slash. Sign up now for deeper coaching and content designed to help you grow emotionally, relationally and spiritually. So remember, even when the night feels long, your story is not over. The God who met David in his forsakenness and raised Jesus from the grave will lead you into praise. Well, thanks for being with us again. Look forward to having you next time. Be blessed, take care.

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