What does "trouble is near" reveal about the psalmist's situation and mindset? Context of Psalm 22 - Psalm 22 opens with the piercing cry, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (v. 1), painting a scene of acute physical and emotional agony. - The psalmist is surrounded by hostile enemies (vv. 12-13, 16) and feels utterly abandoned. - Verse 11 sets the tone for our focus phrase: “Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” “Trouble is near” – Word-by-Word Look - Trouble (Hebrew tsa·râh): distress, adversity, tightness; the psalmist is hemmed in on every side. - Is near: not on the horizon, not theoretical—right at the doorstep. The danger is immediate and unavoidable. What It Reveals About the Psalmist’s Situation • Imminent danger – Enemies are already “encircling” (v. 16); deliverance must come now or not at all. • Complete isolation – “There is none to help” underscores the absence of any earthly ally (cf. Psalm 142:4). • Physical vulnerability – The psalm later mentions pierced hands and feet (v. 16) and bones out of joint (v. 14), indicating bodily suffering concurrent with the closeness of trouble. What It Reveals About the Psalmist’s Mindset • Acute awareness – The psalmist discerns the threat’s proximity with piercing clarity; denial or minimization is absent. • Urgent dependence on God – Because trouble is near, the psalmist pleads, “Be not far from me,” recognizing the Lord as the only rescue (cf. Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble,”). • Faith amid desperation – Even while feeling forsaken, he still calls on God, proving faith has not died; it is exercised under maximum pressure (cf. Job 13:15). • Honest lament, not hopeless despair – He names his distress without losing sight of God’s covenant faithfulness (vv. 3-5). Echoes Elsewhere in Scripture - Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted…”—God’s nearness counters trouble’s nearness. - Psalm 119:151: “You are near, O LORD…”—the nearness of God is the antidote to the nearness of trouble. - 2 Timothy 4:16-17: Paul, abandoned by men yet strengthened by the Lord, mirrors the same cry and answer. - Hebrews 5:7 points to Jesus, who “offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries,” directly linking Christ’s experience to Psalm 22. Immediate Application - Recognize trouble honestly: naming it helps direct earnest prayer. - Let the urgency of trial drive you to seek God’s presence (“Be not far from me”). - Remember: when no human help is available, divine help is still at hand (Psalm 121:1-2). Closing Insight The phrase “trouble is near” captures both the psalmist’s crisis and his confidence: crisis, because danger presses in; confidence, because he knows the God who hears when trouble stands at the door. |
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