When we pray psalm 22, it is hard not to think of Jesus on the cross but the very fact that Jesus is quoted as praying that prayer in the depth of his agony should give us permission to also pray it in our times of despair. Remember that the psalm was prayed for many years before Jesus as a way for a people to bring their agony before God. Allow this to become your personal prayer.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken ___?
Why are you so far from helping ___, from the words of ____groaning?
O my God, ___ cries by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but finds no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
But ___is a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
All who see ___mock at ___;
they make mouths at ___, they shake their heads;
“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver —
let him rescue the one in whom ___delights!”
When you get to verse 12, take time to picture the bulls that encircle you and the ravening lions that want
to eat you alive. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate. God can parse the difference after you have unburdened yourself of the depth
of your feelings.
Take time to let it sink in and allow God to know the full depth of your agony.
