Psalm 22

In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Friends in Christ,

I debated studying this Psalm at this time, or waiting until next week or the following. The conclusion I have come to however, is to enjoy all that this Psalm offers us for the next weeks leading up to Easter.

Psalm 22 is one of the most important Psalms recorded. No Psalm so clearly relates the details of Jesus' suffering and crucifixion and no Psalm is quoted more times in the Scriptures. Thus Luther calls this "one of the chief psalms." Because Psalm 22 is so weighty, we will pick it apart piece by piece, little by little.

Read Luther's comments, the Psalm and prayer. For the next few weeks, meditate upon the portions of this psalm that we cover as well as what is recorded for us in the Gospels during Holy Week, that is, from Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem through Good Friday. Read one or all of these sections devotionally as you have time. If you live with your family this would be a great section of Scripture to highlight for daily reading from now through Easter. You will find these accounts beginning at:

Matthew 21
Mark 11
Luke 19
John 12

Now then, we will go no farther than verses 1-2 today. For already you are reminded of the crucifixion:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God I cry out by day but you do not answer, by night but I find no rest."

In Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 Jesus cries out, "Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani" which is translated, "My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?" Jesus words exactly.

Here in the first two verses of the Psalm the Messiah is pleaing for help from the Father. Just as He prayed in Gethsemane, "If it be your will take this cup from Me..." so now He continues to plea but it looks hopeless.

There are so many questions to ask, "What is going on here?" Why does the Son receive no help from the Father? Why is He tortured so? It is bad enough to be physically tortured, but being forsaken by your beloved, the Father no less, is unimaginable. We often miss the absolute horror of Christ's passion when we only talk about physical things. It is safe to say that Christ's spiritual suffering was far more torturous than the torture endured by His body.

The Son of God is the only one in the world who was ever forsaken by God. Yes, God's only-begotten Son from eternity, God Himself, the perfect one, is the only one to be forsaken.

To be forsaken is to be rejected, trashed, discarded, ignored, abandoned. Like an item left off at the local landfill, Jesus was dumped by the Father because He was loaded up with OUR SINS.

That's right. No human being, no matter how trashy and corrupt has, is or will ever be forsaken by the Father because out of His great love for the world, the Father saw fit to forsake the Son on our behalf. So there hangs Jesus, pleading for mercy from the Father, and He doesn't get it.

I don't know what was worse when I was growing up, getting a spanking or knowing that I displeased my father. When you have someone's full attention, full love and full trust and you do something stupid or thoughtless, you ruin a relationship. There is no way to fix something that is ruined. Your only option is repent. Say you're sorry. Be forgiven.

Christ took a spanking for us. Christ felt the heat. Christ was trashed, abandoned, forsaken for our sins so that we wouldn't be. By His death and resurrection He has brought us into a new relationship with our heavenly Father. Because Christ was forsaken, our God is not an angry judge, a Father waiting with a paddle. Rather, He is love, like the Father anxiously awaiting the prodigal sons return. Full of compassion, He wants us to come home and can't wait to lavish us with kisses.

In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Psalm 16

In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Having meditated upon Psalm 51 let's turn our attention to another Psalm fitting for the season of Lent.

Psalm 16 is a psalm where David reveals to us the very words of the preincarnate Christ, the Son of God speaking before His birth. This psalm therefore opens us up to the mind of God in a different way than we often consider.

Read Luther's comments on Psalm 16, the Psalm and prayer. Also, take time to read Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts chapter 2. (If you have been in bible class in the fellowship hall, you will notice the connection to Joel in this portion of Acts.) Finally, read Acts 13:35 and it's context.

Notice how Scripture interprets Scripture! If you had any doubt that Christ Himself was speaking in Psalm 16 or whether or not Psalm 16 was speaking of Christ, the apostles in Acts leave no doubt!

This Psalm and others leave the Church no question regarding our confession of faith. We should never leave our confession of faith up to the dictates of the times, we should not look at other churches to decide what we should believe and confess, we shouldn't even look to one another for guidance. Rather, we collectively "search the Scriptures" for true understanding. The Scriptures: Law, Psalms, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles etc. all testify of Jesus Christ. The one who was crucified, God has raised up from the dead not allowing Him to see corruption and has seated Him at His right hand!

Now, with Peter, Paul, David and the whole church we confess with joy that "Through this Man is preached the forgiveness of sins." (Acts 13:38)

As you study the relation between Psalm 16 and the New Testament, consider how closely are we keeping to the clear and bold confession Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen again for the forgiveness of sins and salvation of the world.

Would our church today confidently stand with Peter and Paul as they confessed their faith so clearly?
Would Peter and Paul be pleased with our confession of Christ? More importantly by far, would our Lord consider us faithful?

Mill that one around for a while.

Until we meet again, Peace in Christ.

Psalm 51

In the name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Friends in Christ,

Today is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday has historically marked the beginning of the season of Lent, the time of the Church where we focus upon our Lord's work for us. His sinless life in the midst of sin and tempation, His suffering, His death and ultimately His resurrection.

On Ash Wednesday, the Church has always called believers to repentance, sorrow over sin and recognize their need for God's mercy and grace. The name, "Ash Wednesday" reminds us of the historic rite called the "imposition of ashes." The ashes from the palms used in the former years Palm Sunday procession were used to "make the sign of the holy cross upon your forehead." This sign of the cross made in ashes reminds us of our human fraility and mortality due to our sin and rebellion. Yet, made in the sign of a cross and placed upon our foreheads, reminds us of our baptisms, where we have been clothed with Christ, granted forgiveness of sins and the certain hope of eternal life.

The annually appointed Psalm for Ash Wednesday is Psalm 51. Psalm 51 is the cry of King David after his grevious sins against the sixth commandment with Bathsheba, and against the fifth commandment against her husband Uriah.

If you have time today, read Psalm 51, Luther's commentary and the prayer. There you will notice many familair sections, many of which we have sung over and over in worship for hundreds of years. Tonight as you come to church, notice the singing of Psalm 51 by both the adult and confirmation choirs, especially verses 10-12.

If you are at prayer and don't know what to pray, the words of Psalm 51 that many of you know by heart are always very fitting.

"Create in me a clean heart O God. And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence nor take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to Me, the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen." Psalm 51:10-12

We will spend the next week or even two meditating upon this Psalm.