Psalm 22

I have spent some time since Ash Wednesday reflecting on Psalm 22. The first sentence of the Psalm is what Jesus uttered on the Cross, “Eloi, eloi, lama sabacthani’ or “My God, my God why have you abandoned me.” The rest of the story relates to not how the Psalm begins but rather how it concludes:

                And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you.

The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought.

Jesus surely chose this Psalm for good reason. It begins with a long description of complete and utter despair but the Psalm concludes with optimism and prophecy of what was to come on the third day after the death. Jesus was not calling out to us not to call attention of what was happening to him but to encourage looking ahead to what was to come. Observant Jews of the time would have instantly understood what he was saying because they would have been as familiar with the Psalm as we are with Psalm 23. Jesus was not telling us he was abandoned. He was telling us to look ahead with great joy.