Job 22
Psalm 22 is a poem where suffering and loneliness intersect with remarkable trust and hope. Amid extreme hardship, the psalmist cries out to God and vividly describes his situation. But toward the latter part of the psalm, a firm confidence in God and an assurance of ultimate salvation come to light.
1verseThen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2verse“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3verseIs it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
4verseIs it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
5verseIsn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6verseFor you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7verseYou haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8verseBut as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
9verseYou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10verseTherefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11verseor darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12verse“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
13verseYou say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14verseThick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
15verseWill you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
16versewho were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17versewho said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
18verseYet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19verseThe righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
20versesaying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
21verse“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
22versePlease receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23verseIf you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24verseLay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25verseThe Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26verseFor then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
27verseYou will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
28verseYou will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
29verseWhen they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
30verseHe will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Structure and Flow
- Verses 1–2: It begins with a deep lament that God has forsaken him. The psalmist cries out in anguish that his prayers are not answered.
- Verses 3–5: Remembering how their ancestors relied on God and were saved, he seeks the foundation of trust.
- Verses 6–8: He openly confesses his plight—being despised and mocked by people around him.
- Verses 9–11: He appeals by recalling God’s care from the time he was born.
- Verses 12–18: The psalmist describes the threats of death and the physical and mental suffering in detail.
- Verses 19–21: A prayer follows that contains a fervent longing for salvation.
- Verses 22–31: The situation turns. The psalmist is confident that salvation will be accomplished, and he resolves to praise God and proclaim God’s name among all nations.
Overall Meaning
Psalm 22 contains a personal journey through suffering and deliverance. Even in moments of despair, the psalmist remembers God’s faithfulness and ultimately moves toward praise and thanksgiving. It shows that trust in God can go beyond human weakness. This psalm offers comfort to those who are experiencing hardship by allowing them to speak honestly about their pain, and at the same time it encourages an attitude of not losing hope.
Points for Reflection
- Even in hardship, am I approaching God honestly?
- Let’s think about whether I’m giving God an honest account of my suffering.
- Take a moment to see whether you have a basis within you for trusting God even during difficult times.
Applying It to Me
- In the face of suffering and loneliness in life, let’s strive to have an attitude like the psalmist of Psalm 22—crying out to God and trying to place our trust in Him.
- Let’s remember that we need a truthful time to honestly lay the reality we are facing before God, without turning away from it or denying it.
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