tablets of human hearts

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
(Psalm 22:1, NLT)

These words were made famous by Jesus, as he hung, dying on the cross.

So often I have heard it taught that God abandoned Christ at that moment on the cross.
Abandoned him because of the sin of the world he bore. Abandoned His one and only Son because God cannot be in the presence of sin.  (I wrote about this topic in an earlier blog, on Psalm 10).

But might Christ have been doing something more when he cried out to God?  Instead of merely crying out in the midst of the pain and suffering, might our Christ, who was always purposeful in every action, even to the end, have also cried out the beginning of this Psalm for a specific purpose?

For those who spend time memorizing, whether Scripture, songs, poetry, or lines in movies or tv shows, there is an interesting phenomena that takes place.

One only needs to hear the first few words to recall the memorized piece.

If I were to say “Romeo, Romeo,” you, once a student of high school English literature, might continue “wherefore art thou Romeo?”  If you’re pretty good, you might go on to say “Deny thy father and refuse thy name.”  And if you’re that kind of person, you might even entertain us with the entire scene.

Or if I were to sing “”Hello darkness, my old friend.”  You might just start singing along  “I’ve come to talk with you again.” (Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence”)  Okay, maybe not, because those who know me, know I can’t quite carry a tune.

And one only needs to hear a few words to recall a scene or episode of a favorite movie or tv show.

“Beam me up, Scotty.”
“Elementary my dear Watson.”
“There’s no place like home.”

Likewise, when Jesus uttered those words from the cross, those present who were schooled in Jewish text, would also know the next line, “Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.  Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.”  And, having memorized, prayed, spoken, and sung the Psalms, they would more than likely know the entire Psalm.  The Psalm might begin with a lament of abandonment, but it does not stay there.  The Psalm talks about the experience of one who is scorned, mocked, surrounded, and beaten down.  It cries out for God to save. It talks about God’s holiness and his trustworthiness to rescue.  And then proclaims that God “has not turned his back on them” but rather listens and responds.

The Psalm carries us through a wide spectrum of emotion and, like a great symphony, carries us to the crescendo of  great victory, satisfaction, rejoicing, and even of feasting.

Indeed the Psalm ends with “His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.
They will hear about everything he has done.”

And isn’t that the case?  We know the words Jesus cried out on the cross.  We know he died and was buried.  But we celebrate because he was raised from the dead on the third day (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Indeed, as Jesus spoke these words, he knew how the Psalm ended and he reminds us to remember: the cross is not the final word, because in the end the victory belongs to the Lord.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me as You hung on the cross that evil did not have the final say.  That we are not abandoned.  That you hear our cries and You have provided the victory in Christ.

Grace & Peace

How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!
He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
(Psalm 21:1, NLT)

As I thought about this verse, I was coming up empty with what to write.  I read it.  Reread it.  Read the entire Psalm.  But nothing came.

Then I read it in another translation. Interestingly enough, the ESV says “in your salvation how greatly he exults!”  So I investigated further.  The KJV and NASB also use salvation, as do many others.  And, thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, I was even able to see the hebrew word and how it was translated.  Salvation.  But the ESV, NIV and some of the other translations use victory. One translation even uses the word deliverance.

How curious for some of the translators to choose the word victory.  But seeing both victory and salvation used interchangeably created a connection for me.

Because isn’t that what salvation is? Our victory?
We’ve come to think of salvation as being “saved.”  At least I have. The plan of salvation. Jesus is my Savior. He died for my sins. So I am saved. I have salvation.

But do I think of salvation in the context of victory?

To be saved is to be set free, liberated, delivered.
To have victory is to triumph, to conquer, to win.

Both assume a battle.  And the Psalmist shouts with joy because the Lord has given both salvation and victory.

The soldier stood, breathing heavily, face dripping with sweat, and probably blood as well.  The battle raged on every side, filling the air with a cacophony of death.   A blazing sun sank lower in the sky, pulling the day’s heat and stench with it.   Surely as night fell, they would fall also.  It was inevitable.   They were a pitiful army.  It was surprising they had lasted so long.  They were weak.  And ill-prepared for this mighty adversary.  They held inadequate weapons; wore inadequate armor.   And were sorely outnumbered.   A sure victory for their enemy.   While their numbers dwindled, their enemy’s kept coming.  An unending river of death.  Unquestionably unfair.  But here they were, fighting for all they were worth.    And it wasn’t much, what they were worth, because they were being crushed.

The soldier hefted a sword.  It felt heavy.  Too heavy.  But light faded quickly and soon their would be none to see by.  Another enemy soldier advanced.  The soldier took a deep breath and stepped forward.

That’s when she heard it.  Clear.  Pure.  Echoing across the surrounding hills.  The long sweet call of a horn.

She paused, as did her opponent.  And their eyes lifted to the hills.

There, on the ridge line, stood another army. Powerful. Mighty.  Beautiful.   Where did it come from?  In the golden light of the setting sun it swept down the hillside and plunged into the battle.

The soldier stared, amazed, eyes wide, mouth dropping open.

They were saved.

Their enemy melted before this new challenger.  She watched as they were struck down, overwhelmed, defeated.  Such was the number of their deliverers, it did not take long.  As sun slipped below the horizon, the last of their enemies fell.

For a moment, in the grey of dusk, the battlefield fell silent.

Then, in one voice, in one sweet, exceedingly glad and grateful voice, they cried out in a shout of victory.

Prayer  
Heavenly Father,  You give us salvation and victory.   Let us not forget.  Our enemy is defeated.  Let us raise shouts of joy.  Let us always celebrate your mighty acts and great power.  

Grace & Peace

In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
(Psalm 20:1, NLT)

After twelve Psalms of personal pleas or cries and seven Psalms of observation, the Psalms suddenly shift to a prayer of encouragement for someone else.

Twelve Psalms start out “free me,” “hear me,” “save me,” “help me,” “keep me,” a couple of Psalms start with proclamations of trust, praise and love, and several Psalms present questions.

But now, a Psalm prays for someone else.

As we walk in our relationship with the Father, we are often concerned about our own well being and cry out to Him.  We may struggle with questions we don’t understand and ask for answers  And we can even reflect on what we know about Him and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

But then somewhere, along the way, our prayers expand:  I becomes you.

And we remember to pause and pray for others.

As the Psalmist did, interceding for another, asking the Lord to answer, to protect in times of trouble, to send aid, to give what is desired.

And as Paul did, who included prayers in his letters.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13, NLT)

“I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”  (Ephesians 1:16-17, NLT)

“Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,”  (Philippians 1:4, NLT)

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,”  (Colossians 1:11, NLT)

In praying for others, our prayers continue to expand.  I becomes you.  And you becomes we.

And where there is we, there is joy.  Joy just seems to resonate when we pray for others.

I love verse 5 of Psalm 20:
“May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.”

And Paul says:

“Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.”  (Romans 15:32, NLT)

We don’t always understand this thing called prayer.  We wonder why God allows some things to happen.  We wrestle with how a sovereign God can be moved to act or change His mind because of our prayers.  We struggle with prayers that seem to go unanswered.

But one thing seems clear, as our prayers expand, as we pray for others, and as we are drawn into the answers to their prayers, we too are filled with joy, we will be an encouragement to each other, and we can raise a victory banner in the name of our God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, may we be ever faithful to pray for others.   May we always make requests for them,  May we ask You to answer their cries, to keep them safe from all harm, to fill them with joy and peace, to give them spiritual wisdom and insight, to strengthen them and fill them with joy.  And may we give a shout of joy as we see You at work in their lives.

Grace & Peace