On the cross, Jesus prays the first part of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It’s the first stanza of a prophetic “trouble and trust” psalm. Trouble and trust, meaning the psalmist laments in the first half, and lists God’s faithfulness in the second half. Verse 19 begins the expressions of trust. In verse 24, he affirms trust: “he [God] has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” (By the way, this verse is how we know the Father did not turn his face from the Son as he hung on the cross.) Today’s Sunday Psalm is modeled on Psalm 22. Pray it with me in our troubled world that we may come to trust our merciful God.
My God, my God,
Why have you taken so long?
My heart, like a stone,
Cries out.
Not with praise as you predicted stones would,
(Forgive me)
But with rending pleas for healing,
Justice, peace, provision, and life.
Pain cuts at my muscles,
Death fells my loved ones,
And lurks in the shadows,
Waiting impatiently for me.
Injustice marks our world
Like an ill-drawn tattoo,
Even on your church.
Cancer eats at my cells,
Doubt dampens my faith,
Fog envelopes my mind,
Life-giving friendships falter,
Loneliness shrouds my home,
Money and accomplishments clamor,
But offer no hope,
Presidents, pastors, governors,
Pretend to care, preen after power,
And bring no answer.
All the while, I stand alone,
Arms raised to you,
A tree in drought, reaching for rain.
Universe-Ruler,
Hear my prayer.
Resurrect my hope,
Rescue me even from myself,
Like that day
I first found love in your eyes.
You cracked the dark,
Like hammer on tombstone.
You come alongside.
You alone stand sure-footed
On a wildly spinning world,
On earthquake-riven rubble
I call life.
Resurrected Jesus,
You fear not the mystery,
The silence,
The triumphant shout of evil.
Speak peace with whisper of power,
Cry love with tears of healing,
Love that fills the cracks of my brokenness.
Come now with truth
That shatters the lie I view
The world through,
The dark cave of deceit I hide in.
Tear down our mansions of pain,
Bring your kingdom to reign.
Come, Lord Jesus.
I wrote this prayer in the first person to make it more intimate. Not all of these troubles happened to me. I do not have cancer. Others are true troubles of mine. Also, many of my friends have experienced what is listed here. Thus, I ended the poem by changing to the third person.
Also, realize that neither the psalmist nor I moved from trouble to trust in one sitting. This journey takes time. Sometimes a lifetime. Many of us are still on the road.
Finally, The Redheaded-Wildflower reminded me that lament is an act of faith. In the very act of speaking our troubles to God, we are putting trust in God. Lament/complaint to God is not a sin. The opposite is true. When we hide our hurt and pain from God and pretend all is well, we are not trusting God.
May Jesus bring you peace.
Other readings for your encouragement.
Sunday Psalm: Disarming Fake Hope through the Way, Truth, and Life
Are You Burned Out on Religion and Life? Join Jesus!
Eugene – Your blog today is exceptional. I think I have experienced all these things as have many family
In joy and in sorrow I am constantly reminded of 1 Thess. 5:16-17. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” These two verses always bring me to an understanding and acceptance of God’s sovereign will. The understanding and acceptance bring hope and peace.
Terry
Thank you, Terry. That Thessalonians verse is always a great encouragement.
Thank you, again, Eugene!
So often, your writing speaks not only to my heart, but my very heart.
I take comfort and solace in reading your words, your faith, your struggles; your own as well as those of others.
I am blessed by you, your written thoughts.
Blessings, my friend!
❤️🙏🏻
Thank you, Cindy. As you know, poetry has a way of knifing to the very heart. Thank God my struggles can speak God’s voice.
I am so thankful for the exposure to the truth of God’s Word,… if all we had to “go on” were the confusions and contradictions that surround most of us in Life, would we be able to figure this out?,…
one thing that has occurred to me recently, is that learning to “hold one’s peace”, and waiting in relative silence before just expressing the first reactions, opinions and thoughts, that come to mind, might be an effective technique for gaining in wisdom ~ possibly an attitude of “listening” for something deeper to “teach” us,… it seems there might be a more “teachable attitude” that could be encouraged,… a humility,… when there is “so much clamor” abounding around us, doesn’t it seem to call for an antidote?,…
Yes, listening is a powerful skill to learn and practice. Thanks for engaging with this psalm.
listening for “the still small voice”, comes to mind,… (-: