6. My God, O My God

(Psalm 22)

Psalm 22 is a lament psalm, a prayer from the mouth of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is a moment of faithfulness in the midst of terror.

Singing this Psalm is a moment of connection with Emmanuel, the God that is with us in suffering. To pray the Christ’s prayer of Psalm 22 is to share in the fullness of Christ’s story.

This is a prayer not only for the moments we ourselves might be crying out. It is an opportunity to be in solidarity with the Christ and all his brothers and sisters who suffer.

Behind the song:
On the recording, the first three verses of the song—my own paraphrase of the Psalm text-- are spoken, to reflect weariness. Verses four and five gain energy and are sung to match the turning of the Psalm text from complaint to praise, from despair to hope.

Refrain:
My God, O my God
Why have you forgotten me?
My God, O my God
How can you be silent now?