affliction

Psalm 22:22-26

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!

Praise God! He cares for the afflicted! (v. 22-24)

Come Thou Fount

“I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.”

This Psalm has awesome parallels to the gospel! It says that God, “has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him”. Hallelujah! God sees people in their affliction and doesn’t despise them! He cares for them! In the same way, Jesus saw us in our sin and He loves us so much that he would die on the cross for us. We see God’s character in this psalm and we see it lived out on the cross. Praise God!

The call for our life is to turn away from sin and towards Jesus! The song Come Thou Fount is a cry to God to help us in our affliction. “Tune my heart to sing your grace”. “Hither by thy help I’ve come”. Our flesh is prone to wander (“Prone to wander Lord I feel it”) but, through Jesus living through us we can abide in Him and be assured of salvation(“here’s my heart Lord, take it, seal it; seal it for thy courts above”)!

Praise God! He Satisfies! (v. 25-26)

Christ is Enough

“From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!”

The parallels to the gospel continues in this Psalm. “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord!”. Through the love of Jesus, We shall be satisfied! “Christ is enough for me”. “Everything I need is in you”. Our response is praise to the Lord! “I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back”.

Devotional Questions

1. Do you find comfort in knowing God cares for you even in your affliction?
2. Do you find satisfaction in Jesus? Can you confidently say, “Christ is enough for me. Everything I need I find in Christ.”?