Psalm 22 God Answers In Our Distress

Daily Bible Study for Thursday July 28 2016

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”

Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I will keep it with the New King James Version.

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

Philippians 3:14

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 

Song:  God Is Good   By: Lisa Page Brooks

Psalm 22

God Answers In Our Distress

When people get into deep trouble and cry out to God, they often times think He is not listening. But that is not the case at all! Today we will see the prophetic in motion and the reply from God to those who cry out to Him in their darkest hour – just like Jesus did. Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father;

Thank You for Your hearing ear to those who cry out to You in distress! Father, there are many on the planet today who need to really understand that You are here, You are everywhere present, and You are available and listening. People from every nation and tribe are suffering at the hands of their many enemies, but You, O God, are so much stronger than any enemy or situation we could ever face. We praise You for that Lord! Father, I ask You to touch every reader in this lesson today deeply. Help them Father to see You for the glorious Savior You truly are. Show them Your love as You speak to everyone through this message. Bring wisdom and understanding and light to every heart. Lord, as always, I ask You to think through my mind, my heart and my hands to bring a message of hope to Your people. May this go forth across the globe unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. As we study Lord, we will purpose to be doers of Your word and not forgetful hearers. Thank You Father for always watching over Your word to perform it in our lives when we truly place our trust in You in Jesus name. Amen.

As this starts out, it sounds a lot like Job in his cries to the Lord doesn’t it? When people find themselves in the midnight hour of their lives, they tend to think God is not listening because they are suffering so terribly. But nothing could be further from the truth. God is always watching and He knows everything that is going on in the depths of every heart every moment of the day and night. Sadly, this thought comes because they figure if God were really paying attention to them, they wouldn’t be in the mess they are in. Again, it is a lie from the pit. People get themselves into all kinds of terrible messes because they were not living God’s way to begin with. But the awesome thing about the Lord is that no matter why we got in the mess, be it our fault or the sin of another, we can call on Him for help. He will always be there – hallelujah!

The first sentence in the chapter today is 100% prophetic. David was uttering the exact words that Jesus would one day cry out as He would offer Himself up as a living sacrifice to the Father God to pay for the sins of all mankind. Little did David know what he was actually saying at the time – but the Lord knew. It was said through Him to show the world what was to come. It would also be proof in the future that God made this information available long before it would ever take place. No person on the planet could ever rightfully dispute it. That is the sovereignty of God. He can make things happen to fulfill His purposes in the earth without ever “controlling” a single person at any time.

 I will give you a personal example with one of the things I said way back now in 2002 or so. I was talking to a friend of mine from church. My daughters were still fairly young, in their early teenage years. I was going to a denominational church and as best I knew at the time, I loved Jesus. I wanted to follow Him and serve Him, but I knew so little about Him at the time. I still don’t know a lot, but He has brought me down the road a bit – praise His name forever. While I was talking to my friend, all of a sudden I blurted out this sentence without ever giving it any forethought, “Someday when my girls grow up I want to do something really big for God.”

Friends, that was a prophetic statement. Little did I know at the time what that was going to mean or what it would cost me. I didn’t know it then, but I was getting ready to go into the worst trial of my life – one that would last for 4 long and horrible years. I didn’t know that I would have to die and be raised again (by Jesus) before I would be able to enter into His service. None of the things I am now experiencing in ministry would be coming to pass unless the old Hanny had passed away.  I was about to face my midnight hour. Maybe you too can relate to the midnight hour of your lives. It is that time when we go through what seems to be the darkest and loneliest moments and it feels like we are all alone on the planet. But friends, we are not. God is here. And He is for us – all of us - getting the blessings He has stored up for us.

Jesus knew about the midnight hour. That’s why He can relate to us when we experience the same. He understands our infirmities, aka, our weaknesses, or trials…

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Saints, Jesus knew tough like nobody has ever known tough. David was crying out in a time of great distress, and he was used by the Lord to set the stage for what was going to take place as His Son would come into the sinful world and become sin for us so we could be declared righteous – praise the King forever! As David cried out in anguish, he acknowledged the Lord God as being holy. He acknowledged the things that He had done for the children of Israel in the past. It sounds a bit like our study yesterday, doesn’t it? It is always good to acknowledge before the Lord Who He is and all He has done for us, isn’t it? Amen.

Isn’t it wonderful encouragement for us to read in verse 5 that when the forefathers had cried out to the Lord, trusting Him fully to help, they were delivered. They were saved from their enemies and were not ashamed. The Lord didn’t let them down and He won’t let us down. He will never fail to come through for anyone who really does take Him for who He is and what He can do. Glory to God! Have you come to the place in your life where you really know that you know that you can trust in the Lord to help you? We can imagine that this will be a frequent topic of conversation as we wind our way through these beautiful verses of promise in the Psalms – the songs of deliverance, for you and for me. Hallelujah!

 After I went into my dark trial, I came to the bottom of the pit and made a firm decision that I had to get back to God. I started seeking Him with everything I had. I started going to church and reading about Him and looking for the hope I needed. After 11 months or so of seriously seeking Him, He came through for me in a big way! I could see how He had guided my every footstep as I sought to draw nearer and nearer to Him. And the moment that my heart was ready, I cried out and confessed my need for Him, and pow! He came through immediately. He was there. He had been there all along. Just because we can’t see Him does not mean He is not paying attention. In reality, He is the only One who really is. There was not one person on the planet I could really talk to. There was no one who could help me – no one. It had to be God and only God.

In looking at verse 6 today, David is talking like he is less than human. But again, he was prophesying what the Messiah – Jesus, the Christ, the Holy One of Israel would eventually say…

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
³ He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
⁹ And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
¹¹ He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

If anyone ever felt despised by men, Jesus most certainly did. I have felt that way. When I went through my trial every single person I knew turned their backs to me. Maybe you have been there and you know how awful that feels in your heart. Well, Jesus knows this feeling too, so we can never say that He doesn’t understand what we are going through. He faced every form of temptation that we face - He was on the earth as a human. The only difference between Him and us in the flesh is that He never gave in to the lusts of the flesh – like we all have at some point.

Jesus knew the heartbreak of being mocked by His own people. Look at this…

Mark 15:29-32

And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰ save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”

³¹ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.³² Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.”

We can be sure that it didn’t feel good to Jesus to see His people doing that to Him – but even in that He never ceased to love them, or us 100%. There’s a huge lesson in that saints! When I experienced my big trial, people were saying all kinds of bad things about me. It hurt me terribly. To this day I have to always watch to keep the devil from trying to remind me of the things that happened back then and try to make me feel bad. Whenever a thought like that comes, I kick it out as fast as it came in. I refuse to believe satan’s lies and I choose to believe what God says about me. How about you? Can you relate? Do you know that Jesus understands your pain in the midnight hour.? Do you know that He wants to walk you out of it into the glorious light of His presence?

David, bless his heart. No matter what he went through he still felt connected to God. He knew he had been formed in the womb by the Lord and brought forth and set aside for His purpose. That’s the place for all of us to start, isn’t it? Once we realize that it was God who formed us and we are no “mistake” at all, we are on a more certain path already…

Psalm 139:13-18

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works,
and that my soul knows very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

Friends, this is the absolute concrete truth about why you exist on the planet today – because God Himself formed you and He wanted You here. He wanted you to be His child and He wanted to bless you abundantly as He uses you to bless others. David knew this. I know this. Do you know this? Once you really believe what God said about you in His word, you will start to shake off all the junk that people say about you and finally start to really rise above it. You will come to a place where it truly does not bother you in the least when someone persecutes you or mocks you.

That is a glorious place to be saints. It is the place where Jesus had to live. He lived in total confidence in His Heavenly Father and what these people said about Him did not rattle Him. He understood why they talked like that and it was His determination to complete the journey to the cross so that they (and we) could be forgiven of many sins. That’s real love saints. It does not get any more real than that. Let’s not live by what we feel. Let’s tell our flesh and our feelings to shut up and start believing what God has said about us – amen?!

At the end of the day, David was found relying on God. Even if he had thoughts that God wasn’t listening, he still insisted on asking the Lord for help. There was no one to help. There never is saints, there never is. People cannot help us – only God truly can. Sure, He can use people to bless us, but God is the source of our help in every area of our lives. When we stop depending on people, our families, the government, the Doctor, the lawyer or anyone else and take our cares to the Lord, then we will begin to see victory in our lives such as we have never seen.

We all have to go through some stuff in the journey of this life, but it no reason to lose our hope in God. He is always wanting to help us. We cannot receive it if we won’t believe it. I remember asking people for help when I was in my trial. I know what it feels like to have the doors slammed shut in your face. I know what it feels like when everywhere you turn, you get nothing more than a cold shoulder. Unfortunately for many of us, we have had to experience that before we would look up to our Almighty, loving, giving and forgiving God to seek the true help we needed from the only One who could give it.

David had trouble surrounding him on every side. We have seen that a lot as we have been studying the Psalms, haven’t we? Again, Jesus experienced the same thing. Satan was in full swing as he worked night and day to make sure that Jesus – the Savior of the world would be killed. This fact alone should show all of us how stupid the devil really is saints. I mean really. He has been around for millennia. He has studied the scriptures and he has studied people. Did he ever really think for one minute that getting Jesus killed was going to get him anywhere? How ignorant! Look at this…

1 Corinthians 2:7-8

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

May this verse help us all to remember how much of a total loser the devil really is. And the next time he comes calling at your house, just kick him to the curb with the word of God and go on about your day – hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! I understand what it feels like to be surrounded by the evil one(s). When I tried to leave the bad situation I had gotten myself into, it felt like a legion of devils was rising up to try to stop me. It was not pretty. He was working overtime through the people around me trying to steal, kill and destroy me every step of the way. And when I finally broke loose from the people that were a serious problem, the phone rang off the hook with nasty cursing and accusations.

I had to change the phone number quickly as I crossed the Michigan state line and headed for Florida. I heard a loud voice in my mind trying to tell me that my cat was dead – but I later realized it was the enemy. God would never say anything like that. The enemy was trying to torment me. But I kicked off the dust and followed the Lord where He was leading me. I left the devil and his demons far behind as I trusted God and headed for my promised land in sunny Naples, Florida. Praise God!

We see a lot more prophecy in verses 14-18 today. Just think about it. This was David talking. And he was saying what Jesus would experience when He was headed to and hanging on the cross…

John 19:17-24

¹⁷ And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, ¹⁸ where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. ¹⁹ Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

²⁰ Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

²¹ Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”

²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³ Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. ²⁴ They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:

“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

When Jesus was going through His trial, He had been beaten beyond recognition. They tortured Him so much that it hurts our hearts to even think about it. The closest resemblance I have ever seen to it was the movie, “The Passion of the Christ” and we know that even that could not tell the whole story of what it was like for Jesus. He did all this without deserving it, yet He never wavered in His love for every human being that would ever live. How many of us come through our trials with hearts that forgive our accusers and abusers like that? No one can love like that without Jesus living in their hearts – no one.

Despite whatever David was going through He continued to pray to God and depend on Him. He cried out for deliverance and salvation. And as we can see in our chapter today, verse 21 specifically, God answered. Saints, He always does. If we are really trusting in Him for our help, He is right there waiting to help. He helped David and He surely helped Jesus – hallelujah! I know that He helped me out of what seemed like a living hell on earth. Friends, we can experience a taste of hell on earth when we go through a bad thing, just like we can experience a taste of heaven while we are on the earth. The Lord wants us to experience the latter, not the former. Praise His name forever!

Just like we learned yesterday, when we cry out to God in faith and believe that we have received our answer before it is evident, then the job gets done. In the very worst of moments, our faith can see us through. God is pleased with faith. We cannot please Him without it. The Bible says it; we must believe it.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Because of what God did for David, he wanted to praise Him all his life. He was determined to proclaim it to the rest of the church – his brothers and sisters, and anyone who would listen. I can understand his sentiment. Because of the terrible mess that God brought me through, I want to praise Him with my life and I want to tell anyone who will listen about how awesome He is, how loving and kind He is, how forgiving and generous He is. I could go on. What about you? Have you seen the Lord move mightily in your life? Are you praising Him for what He has done continually? Are you telling others so they too can experience His goodness in the land of the living? Friends, that is what it is all about. He helps us so we can tell others and He can help them too. It’s a domino effect – a really good one!

I essence David was also saying that because of what the Lord had done for him, he would fulfill the promises he had made – his vows to the Lord for all to see. That’s what I want to do. How about you? Have you made promises to God when you were in the heat of the midnight hour? How many folks cry out when they are in distress and their backs are up against the wall, promising things like, “Oh God, if You will get me out of this, I will..” You fill in the blanks. Then, once the heat is off, they forget to thank Him and go the other way, not fulfilling the promises they had made to Him. Look at this… 

Luke 17:11-19

¹¹ Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. ¹² Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. ¹³ And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

¹⁴ So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, ¹⁶ and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? ¹⁸ Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Going back to yesterday’s lesson once again, we see the importance of acknowledging God’s answers to our prayers – amen. With the Lord, the poor will be satisfied – they will be fed and cared for. When I cried out to the Lord for help back in October of 2005, I was poor spiritually, emotionally and financially. Yes, I went to Him as a poor beggar, but now I walk with Him as a rich, saved, joy filled prospering Christian and I give Him all the glory – praise His name forever. And what He has done for me He wants to do for you. I have said it before and I will say it again. God is no respecter of persons. He said so and I believe it – do you?

Anyone who seeks the Lord will end up praising Him. I sought Him, I found Him, and I live in a state of continual praise to Him. He has been so good to me. From one end of the earth to the other, many people will turn to the Lord and worship Him. And He wants to use people like you and me to draw them to Himself. For now, we should remember that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the Lord. And the wonderful thing is that the government is on His shoulders – not ours once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We no longer have to live under the heavy burden of the law. We get to live in the freedom of Christ…

John 8:36

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

All those who are prospering in the earth will eat and they will worship – that’s what the word says. We may not see it now, but God sees the future. Today was a glimpse at how the Lord used His anointed to bring out the things that would happen hundreds of years in the future. Jesus would come. He would suffer, be crucified and be buried. But one day, just three days later, He would rise again…

Mark 16:6

 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

Even those who are perishing will bow before Him – even if they did not receive Jesus as their Lord in this life. They had to make a choice to believe that He was who He said He was. Do you believe it? Who do you say Jesus is?

John 8:24

 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

And the “seed” as it says in the King James Version (rather than posterity), that’s you and me, shall serve Him – hallelujah!  We will tell this generation about His righteousness. We will tell them that though a man must die (to the flesh), yet shall he live. God gets all the glory because He alone is the One who causes these things to happen – praise His name forever. Friends, may this encourage you in your relationship with Jesus. He is a real, living God who longs for you to be completely devoted to and dependent upon Him. And He will never let you down – it’s a promise!

Questions:

What did David’s opening statement reveal?

What chapter of the Bible do you see this same statement other than here?

Explain your understanding of the prophetic.

When you experienced the “midnight hour” in your life, who did you turn to for help?

What means the most to you in the Isaiah 53 chapter? Why?

Do you believe that God specifically designed you? Why, or why not?

Name the one characteristic about David that stands out to you the most. Explain why.

What does it take to please God?

What does it mean to fulfill your vows to the Lord?

Explain what happened with the 10 lepers.

What does it mean that the “government was on His shoulders?”

Who do you say that Jesus is?

What must we do before we can truly live?

2 Samuel 24:14

And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

This Psalm is highly prophetic

Jesus understands our trials

God is waiting for us to call on Him in trouble

                        Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for hearing me when I call on You in my distress. Father, there is no man, woman or child that can help me or comfort me the way You can. Nothing can help the way You do. You are my defense and my Strong Tower. Thank You for Your faithfulness. I praise You because of my salvation. Thank You for Jesus and all You have done for me through Him. Father, help me to be a beacon of Your light to others. Show me ways that I can tell people about how good You have been to me. Use me to bring in the lost, the hurting and the wandering in Jesus name. Amen.

How can you tell others about the mighty ways that God helped you in distress?

And God Said… You fill in the blanks.

John 11:25-26

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”