My God, My God, Why?

My God, My God, Why?
Psalm 22: 1-18

Each Palm Sunday as part of our church’s worship we read the story of Jesus’ trial and execution, with members of the congregation taking different parts. There are a number of frightening moments in the story. Particularly sickening is the point when we all join in the cry “Crucify him,” and when Pilate resists, we cry again, “Crucify him.” Equally horrifying is the moment when Jesus cries out in the opening words of this psalm, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” It’s not the only point where the Gospels take up the language of Psalm 22. When the executioners divide Jesus’ clothes among themselves, John 19 sees a fulfillment of verse 18. Some translations of verse 16 speak of piercing the victim’s hands and feet, which reminds one of what happened in the course of the crucifixion...