Psalm 22  This psalm of David is titled "A Cry of Anguish and a Song of praise."  Anguish and praise.  Hardly a combination that we would make...  This psalm is also prophetic.. pointing to the anguish of the cross.. "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" ( v1)  "They pierced my hands and my feet." (v16)

David felt anguish also.  He was groaning and crying out to the Lord.  He felt abandoned . "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; It is melted within me." 

Ever feel like that?  We may not be in the desperate place that David was in.. we certainly have not felt the anguish of the cross.. but we have all felt at times like the Lord is far off.. not hearing us.. or not willing to meet our need. Perhaps even today, some of us are feeling abandoned... 

David shows us how to deal with these feelings.. he reminds himself (and us)  of what is True... " Yet Thou art He who didst bring me forth from the womb; Thou didst make me to trust when upon my mother's breasts. Upon Thee I was cast from birth; Thou hast been my God from my  mother's womb." (v9-10) We are His.. 

God is near and not far off. He does hear our prayers. He does know our deepest need.  He is worthy of our praise. He will not hide His face from us. He does not despise us.. He loves us!

"The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the Lord."  We enter the Lord's Presence with thanksgiving and His courts with praise... With David we praise the Lord who rules the nations. "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. And all the families of the nations will worship Thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the nations." (v27-28)

Lord, help us to seek You always. To know You more. To trust You fully.  When our days are bleak and our hearts are hurting.. be near to us. Make us to remember Your love and to walk in Your Light.. abiding in Your Spirit. Fill our hearts and minds with Your Truth and fill our mouths with praise and thanksgiving.  You are our great and awesome God and we give glory to Your holy Name.  We speak of Your greatness that all will "come and will declare [Your] righteousness.!  We will tell of Your goodness to the next generations.. Help us to be faithful to do this!   We ask this in Jesus' name.Amen.