Thank you for tackling this very difficult part of the Psalms. Many do avoid it because it doesn't seem in keeping with the usual ideas we have about Christianity. But based on my experience, it is the difficult verses that help us understand God more (and ourselves, too!). They help us to pray for guidance because it is so hard to deal with it by ourselves. These verses also serve a purpose, a very deep one. In a way, I think it was left there to help us know that God understands our humanity and our frailties. Wasn't Jesus Himself the one who asked, "My God, why have You forsaken me?"
Well said, Jocelyn! I love how you brought up Psalm 22, because that shows a great point about considering an entire text, rather just verses in isolation. In Jewish tradition, when someone quoted the first line of a Psalm, it was understood that they were actually referring to the entire Psalm. So, when on the cross in agony Jesus quoted the opening of Psalm 22, "My God, why have You forsaken me?" he was actually quoting the entire Psalm, which ends with triumph over adversaries and great hope. The Resurrection! "Men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation, and proclaim His deliverance to a people yet unborn" (Psalm 22:29). Sacred Scripture is so wonderful!
Thank you for tackling this very difficult part of the Psalms. Many do avoid it because it doesn't seem in keeping with the usual ideas we have about Christianity. But based on my experience, it is the difficult verses that help us understand God more (and ourselves, too!). They help us to pray for guidance because it is so hard to deal with it by ourselves. These verses also serve a purpose, a very deep one. In a way, I think it was left there to help us know that God understands our humanity and our frailties. Wasn't Jesus Himself the one who asked, "My God, why have You forsaken me?"
Well said, Jocelyn! I love how you brought up Psalm 22, because that shows a great point about considering an entire text, rather just verses in isolation. In Jewish tradition, when someone quoted the first line of a Psalm, it was understood that they were actually referring to the entire Psalm. So, when on the cross in agony Jesus quoted the opening of Psalm 22, "My God, why have You forsaken me?" he was actually quoting the entire Psalm, which ends with triumph over adversaries and great hope. The Resurrection! "Men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation, and proclaim His deliverance to a people yet unborn" (Psalm 22:29). Sacred Scripture is so wonderful!