Jesus references this psalm when he is on the Cross.
‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.’
It is possible to read this utterance of the psalm as an act of despair.
Certainly we might know of Jesus’ agony as he was crucified.
We can only wonder at Jesus’ agony on the Cross. There are so many possible layers of the meaning here. At once, this utterance might seem to us an action of despair, or perhaps better of nullity, and at the same time an action of triumph, as the psalm moves to reaffirm and reinforces faith in God.
The psalmist is abject. In a sense, he complains against God. He speaks of trust, and yet says that God does not answer.
The psalmist considers his state – as a worm, scorned by men, mocked by men – the cause of God seems broken and lost.
There is a deep and prolonged itemization of the physical poverty of the psalmist. Truly, this is a person at the most abject. Starving, dogs are set to prey on him.
This is truth: the affirmation thereby of God-fear and God-love.
This is Jesus.
Jesus speaks to teach us how to pray through the psalms.
This is a most important text – chosen by Jesus upon the Cross.
We cannot assume irony. We cannot say that Jesus on the Cross recited this psalm as if having given up on his mission. We can only say that Jesus’s recitation of this psalm was perfect and that it was intended to express perfection.
This is Christian prayer at the utmost. So much is fused. Jesus calls upon the Father – on the Cross. SO much of Jewish history is included and resolved. Jesus took so much upon himself. Jesus became the subject of these psalms. That is scary and that is triumph.
There is a sense in which this should be Christian prayer.
Sin is an action or thought that goes against the will of God. It is believed that all people are born with a predisposition to sin, and that everyone is capable of committing sin. Sin is often seen as a barrier between people and God, and it is thought to be the cause of many of the problems and difficulties that people experience in their lives. Some common examples of sin in Christianity include things like lying, stealing, murder, and adultery. Ultimately, sin is seen as a form of rebellion against God, and it is thought to be something that can only be forgiven through mercy [ … ]
The poem describes a vivid allegory in which the Virtues are portrayed as a courtly assembly, seated in an orderly hierarchy, with Humility occupying the lowest but most crucial position. The scene is set on an ‘azure throne’, emphasizing the elevated and celestial nature of these qualities. Around this throne, animals and birds bring symbolic tokens, illustrating their inherent traits and how these can be transformed or appropriated by the Virtues. The interplay between the virtues, the animals, and the chaos that ensues offers a meditation on the delicate harmony required to maintain moral order, the dangers of pride and discontent, and the reconciling power of humility [ … ]
Jesus has discussed the resurrection of the dead with those who question him. He has spoken truly and in accordance with the Old Testament teachings of the Bible. The scribe who now asks Jesus his question is clearly a just man; he is not seeking to test Jesus but rather to learn from him and discover the truth. Jesus sees this and makes time to speak to the scribe quite plainly. The scribe accepts what Jesus has to say and we hear of Jesus’ message sinking into his heart [ … ]
