Psalms (1)

     "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
     With these words from Psalm 19:14, David expresses the spirit of the entire book.
     Although theories have been set forth assigning some of the Psalms to writers ranging from Moses to Ezra, it is likely that David composed the vast majority them.  Several New Testament quotations from the Psalms attribute them not to the book itself but rather simply to the "mouth of David."
     There are five major divisions, or books, in the Psalms.   The first includes chapters 1-41, the second chapters 42-72, the third chapters 73-89, the fourth chapters 90-106 and the fifth chapters 107-150.  Many of these Psalms, especially those in the second and third books, contain headings which attribute them to Asaph or to the sons of Korah.  Book four begins with a chapter assigned to Moses.  Although these heading may very well be accurate, we should keep in mind that they were not part of the original compositions and were added perhaps centuries later.
     Included among the Psalms are words of instruction, praise, thanksgiving and trust.  Some express distress.  Others communicate hope.  Historical events are remembered in still others.
     But the greatest message of the Psalms is that of Jesus, the coming Messiah.
     "We wish to see Jesus," some people request in John 12:21.  And there is no better place in the Old Testament to see Jesus than in the Psalms.
     "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you," Jesus tells His followers in Luke 24:44 after His resurrection, "that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
     One of the things that the book of Psalms reveals about Jesus is that He was involved in the creation of the world.
     "Of old Thou didst found the earth;" Psalm 102:25-27 reveals, "and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.  Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed.
     "But Thou are the same, and Thy years will not come to an end."
     What makes us assume, though, that this passage is talking about Christ?  Actually, it is not an assumption at all.  The inspired writer of the book of Hebrews quotes these very verses in verses 10-12 of the first chapter.  Verse eight makes it clear that this passage, as well as others quoted from Psalms, are referring to Jesus.
     As we will soon notice, passages applying verses from the book of Psalms are quite common in the New Testament.  An author named Henry M. Shires has counted 130 actual quotations, plus an additional 220 identifiable citations and phrases.  He notes that 500 of the 2,450 verses (20 percent) of the book of Psalms are referred to in the New Testament.  Passages from 120 of the 150 Psalms have found their way into the New Testament.
     From the Psalms we learn that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God.
     "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord," we read in Psalm 2:7, "He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee.'"
     Hebrews 1:5 assigns this reference to Jesus.
     "Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me;" Hebrews 10:5-7 quotes from Psalm 40:6-7, "in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast taken no pleasure.
     "Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the roll of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.'"
     The book of Psalms pictures the Messiah as the "Son of Man."
     "What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him?" Psalm 8:4-7 wonders.  "And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?  Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and majesty!
     "Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field."
     This Psalm is applied to Jesus in Hebrews 2:6-9.
     Various Psalms look forward to the Messiah as a descendant of David.  Psalm 78:67-72 talks of the selection of the tribe of Judah and specifically the house of David.  Psalm 89:20-37 also foretells the victory of the Son of David.  Verse three of the same passage contains a promise that is cited by Peter on the day of Pentecost.
     David knew that God had promised to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, Peter explains in Acts 2:30.
     In addition, Jesus referred to Himself as the son of David.  As we read in passages such as Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37 and Luke 20:41-44, Jesus enjoyed quoting from Psalm 110:1 in reference to the Messiah.
     "The Lord said to my Lord," David says in the passage, "sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."
     "David therefore calls Him, 'Lord,'" Jesus would note, "and how is He his son?"
     The enemies of Jesus could not explain how the Messiah could be both son and Lord of David.  The only ones who could understand were those who accepted both the humanity and divinity of Christ.

     "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;" Hebrews 1:9 says of Jesus in a quote from Psalm 45:7, "therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions."
     This identifies Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Messiah of God.
     In Acts chapter four the apostles are threatened by the Jewish council for preaching about Jesus.
     "O Lord, it is Thou who didst make the heavens and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them," they pray in Acts 4:24-26 when they gather to encourage one another, "who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Thy servant, didst say, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people devise futile things?
     "The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ."
     This quotation from Psalm 2:1-2 again points to Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Messiah.
     The Hebrew writer combines a number of verses from the Psalms to establish the superiority of Jesus over the angels.
     "For which of the angels did He ever say, 'Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee?'"  Hebrews 1:5 asks in a quote from Psalm 2:5.
     "And when He again brings the first-born into the world," the next verse continues, "He says, 'And let all the angels of God worship Him.'"  This last phrase is a reference to the Septuagint version of Psalm 97:7.
     "Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels;" Hebrews 2:7-8 quotes Psalm 8:5-6, "Thou hast crowned him with Glory and honor, and hast appointed him over the works of Thy hands."
     In addition to these references from the Psalms dealing with the nature of Jesus, there are many passages which contain prophecies of his life, ministry, death and resurrection.  We also learn a great deal from the Psalms about the position of the Christ after His resurrection.  Lord willing we will take a look at these next week.  But there is one more lesson from the Psalms that we would like to mention before we close today.
     The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119.  It is divided into eight-verse groups identified by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  In reading the 176 verses of this huge chapter we are amazed to notice a single theme running throughout.
     "How blessed are those whose way is blameless," the chapter begins, "who walk in the law of the Lord.  How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.  They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.
     "Thou hast ordained Thy precepts, that we should keep them diligently.  Oh that my ways may be established to keep Thy statutes!
     "Then I shall not be ashamed, when I look upon all Thy commandments.  I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightneess of heart, when I learn Thy righteous judgments.  I shall keep Thy statutes; do not forsake me utterly!"
     The single theme that runs through the longest chapter in the Bible is the importance of following the word of God.
     "The sum of Thy word is truth," David observes in verse 160.  Throughout the chapter David calls for deliverance.  He associates this cry for deliverance with his willingness to observe the word of God, the truth.
     As David knows, only those who hold fast to the truth may call to God to be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)