Prayer Guide: Psalm 22:1-21

By Daniel Henderson

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
17 I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

REVERENCE

God’s Praiseworthy Attributes

  • He is our God – v. 1
  • He is there even when we feel is far away and silent – v. 1-2
  • He is holy – v.3
  • He is enthroned as King – v. 3
  • He is worthy of our trust – vv.4,5
  • He delivers and rescues – vv. 4,5, 20,21
  • He is our God before and after our birth – vv. 9,10
  • He is our present help in trouble– v. 11, 19
  • His word predicted the sufferings of Christ – vv. 12-18

Possible Prayer Prompts:

  • Lord, You are Holy because You are…
  • I praise You that You are enthroned above…
  • I thank You that You have shown Your trustworthiness in the past when…
  • I praise You that You have delivered and rescued me from…
  • I praise You that You have been my God since the day I was born, but especially when…

 

RESPONSE

  • I confess that I felt forsaken by You when ______________ , but declare that You are truly my God.
  • I remember that my soul found no rest when ______________, but declare that You have always been a faithful deliverer.
  • I confess that my soul is sometimes troubled when the ungodly despise my faith and mock Your name. Help me to trust You even when….

 

REQUESTS

  • Help me to know that You are a holy, trustworthy and rescuing God, even when I feel…
  • Lord, today, I trust You to deliver me from….
  • Because You have been my God from birth, remind me that You are truly my God, in the midst of…
  • I pray for ________________ (name) whose soul is restless. Reveal Your holiness and great rescuing power to them today.
  • I pray for _______________ (name) that they will cry out to You, and that You will rescue them from . . .
  • I pray for our church as we face _________________. Help us and come quickly to our aid.

READINESS

(Note: As the Psalmist wrote, very often spiritual attack can feel like a sword, the power of the dog, the mouth of a lion and the horns of a wild ox. Embracing those images, and others like them, trust God for his help, aid, rescuing grace and deliverance).

  • Even though the attacks of our enemy can feel like ____________, we know You will deliver our soul.
    • Antiphonal response: You are our help! Come quickly to our aid.
  • Thank You that You are able to deliver, save and rescue us from ____________ (specific areas of attack, evil and temptation).
    • Antiphonal response: You are our help! Come quickly to our aid.