Psalm 22: 22-30. For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted;he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
To me, this is a psalm of suffering and celebration at the same time. It is also a psalm of darkness and light – both of which exist in our lives. The passages that precede this part of the psalm are very dark. The author David reminds us that in our own dark hours of our affliction, God has not abandoned us either. Rather, He remains with us in our suffering. It is often hard to remember, when the night is dark, that we are never really alone, even though we may feel like we are. And, because God is always with us, we should remember to sing His praises in the difficult times, just as we do in the good times. When God is merciful to us, and the darkness has passed, we yearn to show our gratitude through praise and thanksgiving. When I read this psalm, and consider all of God’s goodness, something makes me want to burst with joy and let the world know! What God has done for us is so wonderful that the only possible response is to shout, or perhaps rather to sing, His praises. I am reminded of a favorite hymn: “break forth o beauteous heavenly light, and usher in the morning”. For we, too, will experience many “deaths” and “resurrections” in our lives. After the darkness comes the light. After the suffering comes release. After sorrow, comes joy. How wonderful it is that God stays by our side through all these experiences. I am so thankful to know that when we call to God, he hears us and will not leave us alone.
— Catherine Blundell
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