THE PRAYER
OF JESUS ON THE CROSS
(THE PSALM-22)
(A cry of anguish and a Song of Praise)
(PART-I)
1. My GOD, my GOD, why have you abandoned me?
I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come.
2. During the day I call to you, my GOD, but you do not answer;
I call at night but get no rest.
3. But you are enthroned as the Holy One, the One whom Israel praises.
4. Our ancestors put their trust in You; they trusted You, and You saved them.
5. They called to You and escaped from danger; they trusted You and were not disappointed.
6. But I am no longer a man; I am a worm, despised and scorned by everyone!
7. All who see me jeer at me; they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.
8. “You relied on the Lord,” they say.
“Why doesn’t the Lord save you?
If the Lord likes you,
Why doesn’t the Lord help you?”
9. It was You who brought me safely through birth, and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.
10. I have relied on You since the day, I was born, and You have always been my GOD.
11. Do not stay away from me! Trouble is near, and there is no one to help.
12. Many enemies surround me like bulls they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.
13. They open their mouths like lions, roaring and tearing at me.
14. My strength is gone, gone like water spilt on the ground. All my bones are out of joint; my heart is like melted wax.
15. My throat is as dry as dust, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have left me for the dead in the dust.
16. A gang of evil men is around me, like a pack of dogs they close in, on me; they tear at my hands and feet.
17. All my bones can be seen. My enemies look at me and stare.
18. They gamble for my clothes and divide them among themselves.
19. O’Lord, don’t stay away from me! Come quickly to my rescue!
20. Save me from the sword; SAVE MY LIFE from these dogs.
21. Rescue me from these lions, I am helpless before these wild bulls.
(PART-II)
22. I will tell my people what You have done; I will praise You in their assembly.
23. “Praise the Lord, you servants of the Lord!
Honour the Lord, you descendants of Jacob!
Worship the Lord, you people of Israel!”
24. The Lord does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering. The Lord does not turn away from them, but answers when they call for help.”
25. In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done; in the presence of those who worship You I will offer sacrifices I promise.
26. The poor will eat as much as they want; those who come to the Lord will praise the Lord. May they prosper forever!
27. All nations will remember the Lord. From every part of the world, they will turn to the Lord; all races will worship the Lord.
28. The Lord is king, and the Lord rules the nations.
29. All proud men will bow down to the Lord; all mortal men will bow down before the Lord.
30. Future generations will serve the Lord; men will speak of the Lord to the coming generations.
31. People not yet born will be told:
“The Lord saved the Lord’s people.”
TWO PARTS OF THE PSALM-22
Our Lord, our Savior, our One and Alone GOD never goes against promises. The Lord says:-
“Call to Me when trouble comes;
I will save you,
And you will praise Me.”
(Psalms, Chapter 50, Verse: 15)
This promise of the Lord contains this message that if in trouble someone will call the Lord, the Lord will save him and as a result the saved will praise the Lord for the favour done by the Lord.
Therefore, this message has two parts:-
1. Call to GOD.
2. Praise of GOD.
Jesus knowing this fact, prayed to GOD on cross in terms of Psalm-22.
CALL TO GOD
Verse 1 to 21 were uttered by Jesus as a call to GOD:
“O’Lord don’t stay away from me!
Come quickly to my rescue!
SAVE me from the sword,
SAVE my LIFE from these dogs
Rescue me from these lions!
I am helpless before these wild bulls.”
(Psalms, Chapter 22, Verses: 19 to 21)
PRAISE OF GOD
Verses 22 to 31 were uttered by Jesus as praise, thanks, promises and predictions.
GOD saved his life from death and not only rescued him but also blessed him, with a new life in another generation and time.
Therefore, Jesus is not only praising the Lord and paying thanks to GOD but is also telling great things about the One Alone GOD & the things to happen in future.
Nota bene
All the Biblical references given in this book (The Gospel by Jesus) have been taken from the “GOOD NEWS BIBLE”, (4th Edition 1976) Published by the “United Bible Societies”, the world-wide fellowship of “National Bible Societies”, in more than 150 countries of the world.
GOD - ONE, ALONE & ABSOLUTE 