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Psalm 22:19-24  

But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 22 is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament. It was written by David describing a real life experience. And the psalm fittingly describes the suffering of Jesus on the cross. The psalm begins with the words Jesus quoted from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” In today’s portion of the psalm, victory is coming…God has not “hidden his face,” he “has listened to” the cries for help.

The writer to the Hebrews said that Jesus quoted these words from the psalm, “I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you” (Hebrews 2:12). These are words of triumph after Jesus had paid sin’s penalty and was raised to life. In this psalm, God is praised for His intervention. He is to be feared, praised, honored, and revered.

Too often our cries for help come in the heat of the battle. When we need strength we are serious about prayer. When we need deliverance we cry out. But our cries should not stop after the rescue. David and Jesus teach us that our cries for help should turn to cries of praise.

Lord Jesus, help me to be as fervent in my praise as I am in my crying out for help. In Your name. Amen.