Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

Even as he suffered on the cross Jesus continued praying to his Father and hoping for the coming favor of the resurrection. His prayer became more tender and impassioned as his suffering increased. God’s unfailing love and mercy is the only solid footing that he experiences as the floodwaters over- whelm him in the pit of death. Jeremiah was placed in a literal cistern full of mud: “So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard…There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it.” (Jer. 38:6) In the darkness of the pit of death ‘one smile of heaven will still the rage of hell 2 .’ “You know the insults I endure- the humiliation and disgrace. You have seen all my enemies and know what they have said. Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me. But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine to satisfy my thirst.” (19-21) It was not the physical pain of the cross that was the most difficult to endure, it was the insults, hu- miliation and disgrace that broke the heart of the Son of God and filled him with despair. Only John re- mained faithfully by his side to comfort and pity the Lord. The offering of gall and vinegar (poison and sour wine) is recounted in all the gospels although it is most explicit in John. Jesus drank the gall and vinegar to heal us of the poison of bitterness. “Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to ful- fill the Scriptures he said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished! ‘ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”(Jn. 19:28-30) This portion of the psalm is one of the darkest judgments in scripture. It can only be understood in divine terms and not from the standpoint of angry, human reaction to the injustice of the cross. It is not for us to fully understand but to stand in awe of a Holy God and respect a mystery far beyond our spir- itual capacity. Here are the horrible judgments: • Snared and Sightless- “Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and let their se- curity become a trap. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their bodies grow weaker and weaker. (Rom. 11:7, 9) (22,23) Paul quotes this passage in Romans when he deals with the subject of God’s purpose and love for the Jews. The blessing on them as a nation has kept them from seeing their Messiah. It is ironic that the crucifixion itself is the antidote to the curse. “…Most of the Jews have not found the favor of God they were looking for so earnestly…David spoke of this same thing when he said, ‘Let their bountiful table become a snare… • Disciplined and Deserted- “Pour out your fury on them; consume them with your burning anger. May their homes become desolate and their tents be deserted.”(24,25) Peter quotes this verse when he speaks of the ministry that Judas Iscariot forfeited: “This was predicted in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ …(Acts 1:20) • Insult and Injury- “To those you have punished, they add insult to injury; they scoff at the pain of those you have hurt.” (26) This verse reminds us that it was God who gave his son as a sacrifice and punishment for our sins. • Erased- “Pile their sins up high, and don’t let them go free. Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous.” (27,28) There is nothing more frightening than to have your sins eternally un-forgiven and counted against you. The unrepentant face this disastrous future. “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15) 4. Shame and Sour Wine- 19-21 II THE SNARE - 22-28

III THE SONG 29-36

5. Singing and Seeking

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