Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 3344
“O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You hear not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” Psalm 22:2.
It is very clear to everyone who reads this Psalm that these are not so much the words of David as they are the words of David’s Son and David’s Lord, our blessed Master. He prayed with strong crying and tears. He came before His Father’s Throne with supplications and for a long time it seemed as if He would have no answer. It did appear as if God had utterly forsaken Him and that His enemies might persecute and take Him.
Now, why was the Savior permitted to pass through so sad an experience? How was it that He whose lightest word is prevailing with Heaven, that He who pleads with Divine Authority this day in His continual intercession, was permitted, when here below, to cry, and cry, and cry again and yet to receive no comforting answer? Was it not mainly for this reason—that He was making an Atonement for us—and He was not heard because we, as sinners, did not deserve to be heard?He was not heard, that we might be heard! The ears of God were closed against Him for a season, that they might never be closed against us—that the mourner’s cry might forever find a way to the heart of God—because the cry of Jesus was shut for awhile out from Mercy’s gate. He stood the Surety for our sins and was numbered with the transgressors! Upon Him the Lord laid the iniquity of all His people and, therefore, being the sinner’s Representative, He could not, for awhile be heard.
There was also, no doubt, another reason, namely, that He might be a faithful High Priest having sympathy with His people in all their woes. As this not being heard in prayer, or being unanswered for awhile, is one of the greatest troubles which can fall upon the Christian, and fall it does, the Savior had to pass through that trouble, too, that so it might be said of Him—
“In every pang that rends the heart, The Man of Sorrows bore His part.”
When I fear that I have not been heard in prayer, I can now look upon my Savior and say—
“He takes me through no darker rooms Than He went through before.”
He can now have a tender, touching sympathy with us because He has been tempted in all points like as we are.
Was it not, also, once more in our Savior’s case, with a view to display the wondrous faith, fidelity and trustfulness of the obedient Son of God? Having been found in fashion as a Man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to His Father’s will. Now, obedience is not perceived until it is tried, and faith is not known to be firm and strong until it is put to the test and exercised. Through what an ordeal did this pure gold pass! It was put into the crucible and thrust into the hottest coals—all glowing with a white heat, they were heaped upon Him and yet no dross was found in Him! His faith never staggered! His confidence in His God never degenerated into suspicion and never turned aside into unbelief. It is, “My God! My God!” even when He is forsaken. It is, “My Godand My Strength” even when He is poured out like water and all His bones are out of joint! In this thing He not only sympathizes with us, you see, but He sets us an example. We must overcome, as He did, through faith. “This is the victory which overcomes the world, even your faith.” And if we can copy this great High Priest of our profession who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself—if we can copy Him so as to be neither faint in our minds, nor turn from our Master’s work—we shall triumph even as He overcame!
But my chief objective in considering this theme is not so much to speak of the Savior’s trial as to address myself to those of our number who may even now be passing through the same experience as our Lord. It will already comfort you to know that Christ has been where you are.
It will already comfort you to know that Christ has been where you are. It will already guide you to know that He has set you an example and that He bids you follow in His steps. Let us now draw near to His sorrow and think on it for awhile for our instruction and comfort.
In the first place, the text—without any inquiry into the cause of unanswered prayer, seems to give—
I. A General Guide for Our Conduct
Suppose that we have been seeking some blessing from God for many months and have not obtained it? Whether it is a personal blessing, or on behalf of others, what ought to be our conduct under such a trial as that, the trial of a long delay, or an apparent refusal?
In the first place, Brothers and Sisters, it is clear the text teaches us that we must not cease to trust God. ’ ‘O my God.” Oh, that appropriating word! It is not, perhaps, “My Father.” The spirit of adoption is not here so much as the spirit of reverent trustfulness, but still there is the hold-fast word—“O my God.” Christian, never be tempted to give up your hold upon your only strength, upon your solitary hope! Under no conceivable circumstances, ever give place for an instant to the dark thought that God is not true and faithful to His promises! Though you should have seven years of unanswered prayer, yet suggest any other reason to your mind than one which would dishonor Him. Say with the Savior in this Psalm, “But You are holy.” Settle that in your mind. Oh, never allow the faintest breath of suspicion to come upon the fair fame of the Most High, for He does not deserve it! He is true. He is faithful. In this apparently worst of all cases, He did deliver His Son and come to the rescue in due time. In all other cases He has done the same—and I pray you never to distrust your God until you have some good and valid occasion for it. Never cast a slur upon His integrity till He really does forsake you—till He absolutely gives you up to perish! Then, but not till then, shall you doubt Him. Oh, believe Him to be good and true! You may not know why it is that He deals so strangely with you, but oh, never think that He is unfaithful for an instant, or that He has broken His Word. Continue to trust Him! You shall be rewarded if you do—and the longer your faith is tried, it shall be with you as when the ship is longest out at sea—it goes to the richest climes and comes home with the heaviest and most precious freight. So shall your faith come back to you with joy!