Forsaken by the LORD God …

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why do you seem to be so far away when I need you to save me?

Why do you seem to be so far away that you can’t hear my groans?

My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don’t answer.

I cry out at night. I can’t keep quiet. (Psalm 22 written in Hebrew by King David of Israel c. BC 980, translated into Greek c. BC 200 – preserved in the national archives of Israel, repeated by Jesus upon the cross c. AD 30 (New International Readers’ Version))

But you rule from your throne as the Holy One. You are the God Israel praises. Our people of long ago put their trust in you. They trusted in you, and you saved them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you, and you didn’t let them down. People treat me like a worm and not a man. They hate me and look down on me. All those who see me laugh at me. They shout at me and make fun of me. They shake their heads at me. They say, “He trusts in the Lord. Let the Lord help him. If the Lord is pleased with him, let him save him.”
But you brought me out of my mother’s body. You made me trust in you even when I was at my mother’s breast. From the time I was born, you took good care of me. Ever since I came out of my mother’s body, you have been my God. Don’t be far away from me. Trouble is near, and there is no one to help me.
Many enemies are all around me. They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan. They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill. They open their mouths wide to attack me. My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground. I feel as if my bones aren’t connected. My heart has turned to wax. It has melted away inside me. My strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You bring me down to the edge of the grave. A group of sinful people has closed in on me. They are all around me like a pack of dogs. They have pierced my hands and my feet. I can see all of my bones right through my skin. People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer. They divide up my clothes among them. They cast lots for what I am wearing.
Lord, don’t be so far away. You give me strength. Come quickly to help me. Save me from the sword. Save the only life I have. Save me from the power of those dogs. Save me from the mouths of those lions. Save me from the horns of those wild oxen.
Beneath the cross of Jesus, I find a place to stand And wonder at such mercy That calls me as I am. For hands that should discard me Hold wounds which tell me ’Come.’ Beneath the cross of Jesus My unworthy soul is won. Beneath the cross of Jesus, The path before the crown, We follow in His footsteps Where promised hope is found. How great the joy before us – To be His perfect bride. Beneath the cross of Jesus We will gladly live our lives. (© 2005 Thank You Music)

Sinner Syvret

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