Theme:
A song for suffering
Scriptures:
Psalm 22
Objectives:
(From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)
Know:
David chose to call upon and praise God in the midst of suffering.
Think:
View suffering and difficulty as opportunities for God to work in my
life.
Do:
Choose to praise God during times of suffering.
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People:
-
The Psalm Project
-
Miranda de Vlieger - soloist
-
Eelco Vos - piano
-
Luca Genta - cello
-
from The Psalm Project Band (Netherlands) with local musicians
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Lyrics:
Psalm 22
My God, My God, Why?
My
God, my God, why have you left me here?
Where
are you now, when I need you near
to
rescue me, deliver me from fear?
Please,
don't forsake me.
LORD,
answer me; do you not hear my sighing?
All
day and night, my eyes are sore from crying?
I
long for you, to keep my hope from dying.
I
find no rest.
My
God, my God, why have you left me here?
Where
are you now, when I need you near
to
rescue me, deliver me from fear?
Please
don't forsake me, my God.
See,
O my God, that I am poor and weak.
I
have no voice, I have no strength to speak.
They
scoff and stare, have pierced my hands and feet.
My
heart is melting
O
LORD, my God, my enemies despise me.
They
steal my clothes;
they
mock and compromise me.
"Where
is your God?" they taunt and terrorise me.
Don't
stay away.
My
God, my God, why have you left me here?
Where
are you now, when I need you near
to
rescue me, to deliver me from fear?
Please
don't forsake me, my God.
Words:
Lee Ann Vermeulen-Roberts 2010.
Music:
Eelco Vos, based on the tune for Psalm 22 in the Genevan Psalter,
1542/1543.
©
2010, The Psalm Project
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Introduction to Psalm 22
C1
Writer is King David and author is Holy Spirit.
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This is a Psalm of David’s feelings and emotions.
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King David did not experience all that is recorded in this Psalm.
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Being a prophet, King David foretells the suffering of Messiah—Jesus,
Yeshua.
C5
Bob Utley points out this reference that is important: Matthew
5:17-18 NKJV - "Do
not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfill. "For assuredly, I say to you,
till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no
means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
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Jesus did fulfill the words of the Psalm.
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Forsaken is עָזַב
`azab
and is pronounced ah-zav. It is the Qal perfect, thus means (Qal) to
leave; to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone; to leave,
abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise; to let loose, set free, let
go, free.
(Source).
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Psalm 22
C1
The first 2 verses describe Messiah’s feelings of being abandoned.
C2
Verses 3-5 describe Messiah’s appeal to God: “You delivered our
ancestors when they asked you to.”
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Verse 6, Messiah describes His opinion of Himself.
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Verses 7-8, Messiah tells of the mocking He hears about Him.
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Verses 9-10, Messiah testifies that He has trusted God since birth.
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Verses 11-18, Messiah speaks of His suffering, His pain, His
rejection, His troubles, the indignity, the humility, the torture of
His body and soul.
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Verses 19-21a, in these Messiah pleads with God to save Him from this
torture.
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Verse 21b, Messiah is relieved; “My prayer has been answered.”
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Verses 22-23, He now speaks loudly and clearly for all to hear. He is
testifying of His deliverance by His deliverer.
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Verse 24, Messiah states, “Even though, I was so abhorrent to look
at; you still delivered me.”
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Verses 25-29, Messiah states that He will pay His vows.
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Verses 30-31, Messiah tells the results of His vows—We will serve
Him and testify of His goodness.
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Suffering—Why?
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The Lord Jesus suffered for our sins:
D1
Acts 1:3 NKJV - to
whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many
infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
D2
Hebrews 2:9 NKJV - But
we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the
suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the
grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
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People suffer because of sin: Jude 1:7 NKJV - as
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to
these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone
after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire.
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Christians suffer for preaching the Gospel: Acts 5:41 NKJV - So
they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
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Christian suffer for living like Christians: Romans 8:17 NKJV - and
if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with [Him], that we may also be glorified together.
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Christians suffer because the Gospel is exclusive, for it is only
through Jesus can anyone be forgiven and reconciled: 1 Timothy 4:10
NKJV - For
to this [end] we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in
the living God, who is [the] Savior of all men, especially of those
who believe.
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Christians suffer because the government has outlawed Christian
worship: 2 Timothy 2:9 NKJV - for
which I [Paul] suffer trouble as an evildoer, [even] to the point of
chains; but the word of God is not chained.
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Christians suffer because we reject the temporary pleasures of sin:
Hebrews 11:25 NKJV - [Moses] choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
passing pleasures of sin.
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Christians suffer because the devil hates God and Christians:
Revelation 2:10 NKJV - "Do
not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed,
the devil is about to throw [some] of you into prison, that you may
be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until
death, and I will give you the crown of life.
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Suffering—How do we respond?
C1
Pray to God: James 5:13 NKJV - Is
anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him
sing psalms.
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Trust in God’s grace: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NKJV - And
He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength
is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will
rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I
am weak, then I am strong.
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Commit our soul to our God: 1 Peter 4:19 NKJV - Therefore
let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls
[to Him] in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
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Pray for our enemies: Matthew 5:44 NKJV - But
I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good
to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you.
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Be patient: 1 Peter 2:20 NKJV - For
what credit [is it] if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take
it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it
patiently, this [is] commendable before God.
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Know to burn off our dross: Hebrews 12:10 WEB - For
they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure;
but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his
holiness.
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If all forsake, God will not: 2 Timothy 4:16-17 NASB - At
my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not
be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened
me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished,
and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the
lion's mouth.
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Questions:
C2
Why does God not always answer our prayers quickly, especially when
we are suffering?
C3
How are we to handle being mocked, bullied, or beat for our faith?
C4
When praying, why are we to be honest with our God?
C5
How does God show Himself as the best counselor?
C6
Does God always deliver us? Why not?
C7
When God delivers us from suffering, what is to be our response?
C8
How does God understand our suffering? (Perhaps, we can refer to the
first question).
C9
If God is a God of love, why do the innocent suffer? (Sometimes it is
a loving chastisement to affect repentance. Sometimes it is a bad
choice. In general, it is because of evil—people, spirits, sin, or
situation. Evil is the absence of good).
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Why isn’t the Christian life easy?
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Next week
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He shall reign forever.
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Theme: A song for the King
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Scripture: Psalm 72
