What is the meaning of Psalm 22:24? He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted Psalm 22 opens with David’s heart-wrenching cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (v. 1). Yet by verse 24 the tone changes. Here David states with confidence that God never looks at suffering with contempt. • Think of Psalm 34:18—“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.” • Isaiah 53:4 declares that the Suffering Servant “took on our infirmities,” showing how seriously God regards human pain. • Jesus identifies completely with the afflicted (Hebrews 4:15), proving that heaven’s regard for suffering is personal, not detached. When we hurt, the enemy whispers that God must be disgusted with our weakness. This phrase shatters that lie. The Almighty’s eyes soften—never harden—when His children ache. He has not hidden His face from him To “hide the face” is biblical language for withdrawing favor (see Numbers 6:24-26). David insists that the faithful sufferer has not been abandoned. • Job wrestled with the fear of a hidden face (Job 13:24) yet ultimately confessed, “My Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). • Even when Christ quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross (Matthew 27:46), the Father’s plan remained intact; the resurrection proved He had not truly turned away (Acts 2:24-27). So, in seasons when God seems silent, this verse reminds us that divine presence persists behind the veil of circumstance. But has attended to his cry for help God not only notices but actively responds. The Hebrew idea is leaning in to listen. • Psalm 34:15 echoes, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.” • In Exodus 3:7, God says, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people...and I have heard their cry.” • Jesus’ own prayers “were heard because of His reverence” (Hebrews 5:7), guaranteeing that our cries in Him reach the same attentive Father. Practical implications: - Bring every pain to God honestly; He welcomes it. - Expect real intervention—whether comfort, wisdom, or deliverance—because He promises to act (1 Peter 5:7). - Encourage others by reminding them that their groans register in heaven. summary Psalm 22:24 assures believers that God never scorns suffering, never withdraws His favor, and always bends down to hear. In Christ this promise is sealed: the Man of Sorrows proves once for all that the afflicted are precious to God, His face remains turned toward them, and their cries set heaven in motion. |
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