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Why the Psalms Speak for Every Season of Life | Steve Bond et al. · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to the deep dive brought to you by Reformed Thinking.
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We are the place where we take complex source materials, the
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articles, research and notes you share with us, and distill the
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most important knowledge and insights.
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We're here to give you the shortcut to being truly well
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informed, but with enough surprise and humor to make the
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learning stick. Today we are undertaking a deep
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dive into one of the most remarkable and influential books
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ever written. It's one that has governed the
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devotional life of God's people for, well, for thousands of
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years. We are diving into the book of
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Psalms, the ancient hymn book of Israel.
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This book, it really acts as a bridge, you know, connecting the
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big historical story of the Old Testament to the individual's
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heart. It's a book that needs careful
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analysis, not just appreciation. Our mission for you, the
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listener, is not simply to affirm that the Psalms are great
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poetry. That's a given.
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We're taking the sources you provided these really
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comprehensive introductions to the Psalter, and we're going to
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extract 4 critical areas. We want to synthesize the books
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complex 1000 year old structure, clarify the the varied
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authorship, examine its functions in both ancient and
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present worship, and get right to its central theological core.
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We'll show how this inspired collection functions as the very
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model for acceptable devotion to God.
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That sounds great, so let's start with the name itself,
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because even the various titles give us a bit of insight into
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the books. Spiritual and I guess physical
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use the original title that was used in the Hebrew text it comes
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from a word that simply means praises, right?
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And that seems entirely fitting given the content.
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It does. I mean, the Hebrew title is all
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about the content, it's praise, it's devotion.
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But the title be used in English psalms, that actually comes to
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us from the ancient Greek world. When Jewish scholars translated
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the Old Testament into Greek, a huge task known as the
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Septuagint, they chose the word psomoy.
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And psomoy means something a little different than just
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praises, doesn't. It it does, it carries the idea
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of songs or codes, but crucially, it refers
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specifically to songs sung to the accompaniment of stringed
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instruments. So like the harp or the liar?
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Exactly. So by adopting that Greek title,
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we're really focusing on the musical and liturgical purpose
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right from the start. We're talking about praise
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songs, making it clear this stuff wasn't just for private
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reading, it was intended for public instrumental worship.
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OK, so let's unpack the origins of this collection.
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When you look at the 150 compositions in the Psalter, I
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think one of the most astonishing facts is just the
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sheer length of time over which it was put together.
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We're dealing with a composition period that spans nearly a
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Millennium of Israelite history. That's that's a living document
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covering most of the Old Testament era.
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That Millennium long timeline is so instructive.
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It shows you the Psalter wasn't commissioned or written all at
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once. It represents this, you know,
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slow, deliberate and and providential accumulation of
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Israel's inspired spiritual response to God's historical
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deeds and his covenantal instruction.
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Right. And to put that in perspective
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for you, the listener, the earliest Psalm that's recorded
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actually predates the Davidic monarchy by centuries.
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Precisely. The sources point to the oldest
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composition being the Prayer of Moses, which is Psalm 90.
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That places its authorship way back in the 15th century BC,
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probably during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
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Then the collection stretches all the way to the post exilic
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period, so around the 5th century BC.
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These are songs composed by those returning from Babylon.
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1000 years. Yeah, the thousand year span
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underscores the unity of faith across these radically different
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eras of national life, from conquest to Kingdom to exile and
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then to rebuilding. And even with that vast
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chronological range, the sources also make it very clear that the
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writing wasn't, you know, evenly spread, spread out.
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The bulk of this inspired collection actually centers on a
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specific, shorter period of history.
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Yes, the theological and devotional heart of the book was
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really forged during the Golden age of the United Monarchy,
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specifically during the reigns of David and his son Solomon, so
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roughly 1010 to 930 BC. This era established the
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foundational style, the central themes of kingship, covenant,
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and sanctuary worship that informed the entire collection,
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even those songs that were written much, much later.
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So if the authorship span a Millennium, let's talk about who
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actually pinned these songs. David is clearly the central
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voice here. He's the one who really defines
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the book. David holds a unique position
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for sure. He's known as the Sweet Psalmist
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of Israel, which is a title given to him in Second Samuel
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23.1. His contribution is vast.
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He wrote approximately half of the 150 Psalms in the book.
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And his personal experiences, I mean from shepherd boy to
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persecuted fugitives to conquering king, that provided
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the raw material for songs of every type, lament, Thanksgiving
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and royal celebration. His devotional sincerity and his
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poetic skill. They set the style.
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They left a definite Davidic imprint on the whole Psalter.
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But the Psalter is a choir. It's not a solo act.
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David was surrounded by other talented, inspired writers.
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That's a good way to put it. The titles name several others.
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The professional guilds of temple musicians are highly
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represented ASAP. For instance, he was the chief
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musician appointed by David, and he's credited with 12 Psalms.
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OK, then you have the sons of Korra, a group of Levites.
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They contributed 10. And these weren't just poets.
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These were liturgists. They were structuring the
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worship life of Israel. And we also find these smaller
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singular contributions from other major historical figures.
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That's right, Solomon contributed to, and fittingly,
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they focus on wisdom and kingship.
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Moses, as we already mentioned, contributed 1 Psalm 90.
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And then there are Heman and Ethan, also important figures in
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David's musical entourage, and they each contributed one.
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But when you count up all the named authors, they still leave
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a large number of compositions unaccounted for.
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Which brings us to the orphan psalms.
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Exactly. Approximately 48 psalms are
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anonymous. This means the ancient
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superscriptions don't specify the author.
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The rabbi's later gave them this fitting title orphan Psalms,
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because they lacked a father's name in the title.
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Yet their arrangement, alongside the name Psalms, suggests they
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were considered equally inspired and equally authoritative for
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worship. So the fact that these songs
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were written by different people across 1000 years, well, that
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necessitates an editor who took this massive chronological pile
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of inspired devotion and organized it into the unified
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collection we read today. The process was likely gradual,
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but the final authoritative redaction of the Psalter is
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generally attributed to Ezra, Ezra the priest and scribe.
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This would place the final organization around 450 BC
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following the return from exile, and this placement is key as
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Ezra was central to the settlement of the Old Testament
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Canon. This suggests the structure and
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organization were settled relatively early in the post
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exelic community. That brings us to a point of
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scholarly debate that's important for you to know about
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the reliability of the superscriptions.
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These are the titles you often find at the beginning of the
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Psalm. These titles can detail the
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author, the context, musical instruction, the purpose.
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So are these titles a late edition by scribes, or are they
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part of the inspired, authoritative text?
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This is a complex but really important question.
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While some modern scholarship tends to view the titles as late
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additions, the evidence for their antiquity and reliability
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is strong. It's not just plausible, but
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it's likely that in many cases the title was included by the
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Psalms author or by the 1st collectors of the material.
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What specifically suggests they are ancient and not just, you
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know, arbitrary additions? Well, there are two main lines
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of argumentation in the sources. First, the titles frequently
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contain obscure words and technical, musical, or
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liturgical voices whose meanings were already difficult to figure
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out, even for ancient commentators.
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So if later scribes were adding these for clarity, why would
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they use language that was already becoming obsolete or
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confusing? They would have used plain
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contemporary Hebrew. The use of obscure archaic terms
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points to their composition being during or very close to
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the original time of writing. And the existence of the orphan
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psalms also supports this view of antiquity.
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Right. Absolutely.
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The second point is the very existence of those 48 anonymous
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psalms. If later editors or redactors
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were simply adding titles to give context, why would they
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stop? If they were intent on adding
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authorship or context arbitrarily, they would surely
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have supplied a title to every single Psalm.
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The fact that the anonymous Psalms lack a title alongside
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the presence of these difficult ancient terms in the titled
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Psalms strongly argues that the superscriptions were genuine
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components of the original inspired compilation process.
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We should treat them as integral to understanding the context of
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the songs. OK, moving now from the origins
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to the internal architecture, we see that the final editor, who
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was likely Ezra, didn't just arrange 150 songs in a
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chronological line. When we look at the Psalter, it
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has a definite intentional structure organized into five
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books. That intentional 5 book
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structure is the definitive macro organizational scheme, and
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it's spiritually significant, especially for our Reformed
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perspective. This five part division
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corresponds directly to the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus,
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Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy the Pentateuch.
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So why would the editors create that peril?
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It seems so deliberate. It is intensely deliberate.
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The Pentateuch serves as the foundation of God's law and
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covenant. It details creation, the fall,
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the promises to Abraham, the giving of the law at Sinai, and
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the establishment of the worship system.
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So by structuring the Psalter into five books, the editors
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were suggesting that the Psalter is intended to be the spiritual
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foundation of man's devotional response to that law and
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covenant. It acts as the inspired
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instruction manual for living under the Torah, for applying
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the Law to the heart. OK, let's lay out those
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divisions for the listener. Certainly Book 1 covers Psalms
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one through 41. This section is very heavily
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Davidic. Book 2 contains Psalms 42
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through 72. Book 3 spans Psalms 73 through
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89. Book 4 covers Psalms 90 through
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One O 6, and book five wraps up the entire collection, running
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from Psalms One O 7 all the way to 150.
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And what tells the reader or the singer where one book ends and
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the next word begins? Each of these five sections is
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sealed by a doxology, that is, a brief, formalized liturgical
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expression of praise directed to God, typically found at the end
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of a worship service or a collection of texts.
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This praise clearly signals the conclusion of that specific
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collection, setting it apart from the next.
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For example, the first book closes with Psalm 41, verse 13.
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Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to
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everlasting, Amen and Amen. That structure 5 separate books
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also has interesting implications for the compilation
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process, doesn't it? It suggests these were
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independent collections before the final version was put
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together. That's a subtle but important
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detail revealed by the structure.
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The fact that they are arranged as separate books suggests these
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five groupings may have circulated as distinct, smaller
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compilations for a time before Ezra brought them all together
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into one authoritative work. And we can see evidence of those
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independent traditions in the repeated material.
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Exactly. You look at Psalms 14 and 53.
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They are remarkably similar compositions.
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I mean virtually identical in content.
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They appear in different parts of the finished Psalter.
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Psalm 14 is in book 1 and Psalm 53 is in book 2.
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This is the clearest evidence that these two books originated
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from separate, distinct and highly localized traditions or
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compilations that were later integrated into the final
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unified 5 part Psalter. Beyond that massive overarching
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5 book structure, we also see these functional groupings,
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clusters of Psalms that were clearly intended for a specific
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use within Israelite life and worship.
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The most recognizable of these might be the Songs of Ascent.
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The songs of Ascent, which are Psalms 120 through 134, are a
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beautiful and highly specific liturgical grouping.
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They are titled A Song of a Sense, and the context is
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generally understood to refer to the upward climb, both physical
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and spiritual, to Jerusalem. So these were literally the
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travel songs of the devout Israelite.
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That's the consensus. They were likely sung by the
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Israelites as they traveled to Jerusalem for the three required
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annual pilgrimage feasts, Passover, Pentecost, and
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Tabernacles. These songs reflect the mindset
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of the Pilgrim asking for safety on the road, rejoicing in the
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unity of Israel, and expressing joy upon finally seeing the
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gates of the Holy City. They really shift the focus from
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the individual struggle to the collective worship of the
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community. Another powerful functional
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grouping directly aligns with our theological framework, the
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enthronement Psalms. These relate straight back to
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the Reformed doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty.
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They do. This group includes Psalm 93 and
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then 96 through 99. They are designated as
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enthronement psalms because their primary singular focus is
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celebrating Yahweh's divine kingship.
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They're not concerned with the earthly human ruler, they're
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concerned with the king over all creation.
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That's a strong theological assertion.
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It is the ultimate assertion. These songs proclaim that Yahweh
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reigns as king, a declaration that establishes his absolute,
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comprehensive control over the entire universe.
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This mirrors the Reformed conviction that God's
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sovereignty is not partial or merely tolerated, but is the
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ultimate reality governing history, human life, and the
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destiny of nations. These Psalms invite the entire
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creation, the seas, the fields, the trees to join in celebrating
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the King's rule. The genius of the Psalter is
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also found in the poetic devices that are used to make these
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compositions memorable and easy to transmit for public worship.
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We see this brilliantly executed in the use of acrostic
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arrangements. The acrostic Psalms are a
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fascinating intersection of poetic form and theological
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intentionality. These songs are structured
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meticulously according to the Hebrew alphabet.
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What happens is that consecutive verses or groups of verses begin
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with successive letters of the 22 letter Hebrew alphabet.
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That seems like an enormous amount of effort for
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composition. What was the purpose?
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Well, the primary purpose was mnemonic.
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It aided memory, especially when you're learning large sections
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of text. But there's a theological
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symbolism to it as well. By running through the entire
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alphabet from LF to TAV, the author was suggesting
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completeness or totality. It's a symbolic way of saying I
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have covered this subject or praise God completely from A-Z.
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And the sources highlight several Psalms that employ this
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structured approach. Yes, Psalms 2530437111, 112, and
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145 all use the acrostic arrangement.
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But the most spectacular and monumental example is Psalm 119.
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It's the longest Psalm with 176 verses.
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It dedicates 8 lines of poetry to each of the 22 letters of the
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Hebrew alphabet. This result in a staggering,
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highly ordered and meticulous celebration of God's Word,
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demonstrating that even praise should be ordered and
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structured. OK, so that's the structure.
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Now let's get into the different types of Psalms.
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When analyzing the Psalter, we enter the world of
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classification. Scholars have long tried to
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categorize these songs into specific genres, and while this
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identification is helpful, we have to remember that genuine
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religious feeling rarely fits into need academic boxes.
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Right, so we use classification not as a rigid mold, but more as
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a lens to understand the author's intent and the original
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worship context. Precisely, classification helps
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us understand how these songs were used, but we must
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acknowledge that many psalms are mixed types blending elements.
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However, identifying the major forms helps you, the reader,
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find the appropriate Psalm for your current spiritual state,
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whether you're suffering, rejoicing, or learning.
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OK, where should we start? Let's start with the most
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numerous category. The laments.
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The sources list these as the largest single type.
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These are the cries that arise from distress, exemplified by
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psalms like 3839 and 22. Laments are essentially prayers
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directed to God occasioned by overwhelming distress.
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They are the songs of pain, doubt, and suffering, and they
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are vital because they legitimize the expression of
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negative human emotion and worship.
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They can be community laments, like Psalm 44 or 74, where the
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entire nation is facing a common external calamity, such as an
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enemy, invasion or persecution. Or they can be individual
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laments where the speaker faces private trouble like a grave
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illness, betrayal, or personal sin, as you see in Psalms 22 or
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38. What's fascinating here is that
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the laments are not just random outbursts.
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They follow a highly recognizable, structured
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pattern. It's like a devotional road map
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for suffering. It is a remarkable structure,
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and you find it across both individual and corporate forms.
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It almost always begins with the invocation of God calling out
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His name, often asking how long, O Lord?
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Next comes the most lengthy part, the description of the
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complaints. This is where the petitioner
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details the nature of their distress, often focusing on
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their physical ailment, the injustice of their enemies, or
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their own sense of abandonment by God.
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And there's often a look backward in history,
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particularly in the community versions.
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Yes, in community laments, there is frequently a recalling of
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past salvation experiences. This is a powerful moment where
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the community reminds God and themselves of his historical
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faithfulness. Like the deliverance from Egypt,
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this recollection bolsters their current faith.
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This then leads directly to the petitions, the specific request
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for deliverance or healing. But the lament doesn't end in
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sorrow. It usually pivots right.
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That pivot is theologically crucial.
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It signifies the movement from crisis to faith.
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The structure often includes a change of tone, signaling a
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moment of realization that God has heard the prayer, sometimes
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indicated by a divine response or Oracle.
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And the lament usually concludes with a vow of praise, a
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commitment to thank God publicly once deliverance is granted.
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The fact that the most common type of Psalm is a song about
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suffering teaches us that the past to praise often run
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straight through petition and pain.
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So since the laments end with a vow of praise, the next
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category, the Songs of Thanksgiving, seems to be the
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natural resolution to that. They are the fulfillment of that
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commitment. The songs of Thanksgiving, such
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as Psalms 30 and 32, are responses to the liberation that
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occurred after the distress had passed.
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They are post crisis celebrations.
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How do they differ from a general hymn?
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Thanksgiving songs are specific and narrative.
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They typically recount the affliction the speaker faced,
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detail a prayer that was offered, and describe the
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deliverance God provided. They exist in corporate form
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celebrating national deliverance like Psalms one O 6 or 124,
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celebrating the defeat of an enemy, and an individual form
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celebrating personal rescue from illness or danger, such as
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Psalms 9 or 18. Their function is pure grateful
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expression of joy, completing the devotional cycle started by
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the lament. Next we have the hymns.
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These are the songs of pure adoration, the closest form we
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have to modern corporate worship music.
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Psalms 819 and 29 are listed as examples.
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The hymn is uniquely liturgical. While Thanksgiving is
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retrospective, focusing on what God did, the hymn is focused on
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God's essential being, His attributes, His Majesty, and His
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general works in creation and Providence.
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These songs were often used in temple services and were
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designed for mass participation. How is this participation
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facilitated? They were often sung
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antiphonally, so alternating back and forth between two
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different groups, such as the priests in the congregation or
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maybe 2 choirs. This format, along with the use
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of simple repeating refrains like you see in Psalm 8 or the
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Litany of God's goodness in Psalm 136, made them perfectly
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suited for a large public assembly.
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And structurally, how do hymns differ from the highly patterned
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laments? The structure of a hymn is much
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less rigid. It usually begins with a clear
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call to praise and exhortation to the people, or sometimes to
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creation itself to begin worship.
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This is then followed by detailing the reasons for
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praising God. Whether it's His power displayed
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in the Thunder, as in Psalm 29, or His Majesty displayed in the
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stars like in Psalm 8. The emphasis is wholly on God's
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worthiness and glory. Let's move to the song centered
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on monarchy, the royal and enthronement songs.
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We need to be careful to distinguish between them.
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This distinction is crucial. The royal psalms, including
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Psalms 218 and 20, are primarily concerned with the earthly human
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king of Israel, the Davidic monarch.
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These were practical songs used for court ceremonies, military
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processions, or to celebrate the King's enthronement.
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They seem almost like public relations for the Crown, but
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divinely inspired. In a way, they are.
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They're often mixed songs that included specific elements
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tailored for the king, such as a divine Oracle delivered
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specifically to the sovereign, or, as in Psalm 72, containing
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intercessory prayers where the people pray for the prosperity
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and wisdom of their human ruler. The key is that the focus is on
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the human, though divinely appointed.
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The enthronement psalms, on the other hand, shift the focus
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entirely to the Heavenly King. That is the defining line
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enthronement Psalms. So Psalms 96 through 99
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celebrate Yahweh's kingship. While they are similar to the
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general hymns in their celebratory tone, they are
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distinguished by their explicit assertion that God is king over
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all creation. They demand the attention of the
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whole world, celebrating God's universal and ultimate rule,
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reinforcing that sovereignty we discussed earlier.
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Next we have the penitential Psalms, defined entirely by
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their content of sorrow over sin.
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Penitential psalms are expressions of genuine
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contrition and repentance. They were the essential language
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of Israel's inward devotion when dealing with personal failure
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and guilt. Psalms 38 and 51 are the classic
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examples. Their central focus is pleading
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for restoration to a right relationship with God,
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acknowledging the depth of sinfulness, and confirming the
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absolute necessity of God's forgiveness for spiritual
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healing. They remind us that the greatest
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obstacle to our relationship with God is always internal.
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And finally we encounter the wisdom or didactic psalms.
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These feel less like singing and more like instruction or
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contemplation. They are distinguished by two
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traits, their contemplative content and their tendency
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toward proverbial language. They often sound like the book
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of Proverbs itself. These songs engage with deeper
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theological questions. For example, they contemplate
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questions of theodicy. For you listening, that term
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theodicy is basically the problem of divine justice, isn't
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it? Exactly.
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It's asking if God is perfectly good and sovereign, why do bad
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things happen? Or why do the wicked sometimes
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seem to prosper and oppress the righteous?
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Psalm 73 wrestles intensely with this difficulty, ultimately
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finding resolution not in the temporary circumstances of this
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life, but in the final, eternal outcome orchestrated by God.
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And the Psalms also contain the great praise of God's written
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revelation. Yes, they are obsessed with
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celebrating God's law, the Torah, as the source of all life
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and wisdom. Psalm 119, that acrostic
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masterpiece, is the prime example.
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Furthermore, they deal constantly with the two
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contrasting ways of life available to mankind, the way of
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the godly person who delights in the law versus the way of the
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evil or foolish person. It's a contrast that
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intentionally opens the entire Psalter in Psalm One.
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OK. So we've looked at the history,
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the structure, and the types. Having established the structure
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in the forms, we can now arrive at the books primary spiritual
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function. The Psalms are the inspired
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expression of the Old Testament religion, internalized in the
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heart of the believer. They provide the complete
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authoritative model for acceptable worship.
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So they aren't just historical relics, they are instructional
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guides on how to feel, how to think, and how to address God's
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sincerely. Absolutely.
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They were divinely intended to be the permanent pattern of
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acceptable devotion, both privately, you know, in the
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closet and publicly in the temple assembly.
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They move the locus of worship from the external altar to the
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sincere heart of the worshipper. This inspired hymn book doesn't
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operate in a vacuum, though. It clarifies and illuminates the
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rest of the Old Testament. How do the Psalms relate to the
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other major sections of Scripture?
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They function as a commentary and an application.
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First, they act as an extension of the law.
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The five books of the Pentateuch give the legal and moral
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statutes. The Psalms take those external
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commands and bring forth their true spiritual application to
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the human heart, showing how devotion flows from adherence to
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the covenant. It moves the legal statutes from
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outward command to inward desire.
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They also give us an inspired emotional framework for
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interpreting the historical narrative.
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That's right. They provide an interpretation
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of history. The historical books tell us
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what happened. The Psalms tell us how a
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faithful Israelite should have spiritually processed those
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events. They furnish spiritual insights
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and responses to major events like the Exodus, the
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establishment of the monarchy, or the destruction of Jerusalem.
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And their relationship with the prophets is crucial,
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particularly concerning the danger of ritualism.
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They directly illuminate the writings of the prophets by
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showing the danger of separating outward ritual from inward
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devotion. The prophets frequently
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condemned Israel for offering sacrifices, the external ritual,
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while lacking genuine piety, justice, and heart dedication.
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The Psalms reinforce this truth, demonstrating that true devotion
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is always marked by contrition, repentance, and sincere
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application of the spiritual truth, not an external acts
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alone. Let's delve into the core
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theological topics. Then.
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The Psalms affirm who God is and what he requires.
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The foundational affirmation is monotheism.
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The Psalter continuously and forcefully stresses that Yahweh
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is the only true God, contrasting him sharply with
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idols which are classified as man's powerless creations.
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You see this in the mockery of idols in Psalms 115 and 96.
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The Psalms are also a rich source for understanding God's
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nature and attributes. God's existence and character
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are constantly celebrated. We find His absolute knowledge
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and control, His omniscience and omnipotence, clearly detailed in
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the overwhelming scope of Psalm 139.
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His righteousness and truth are celebrated in Psalm 86.
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His goodness is the constant theme of Psalm One O 3, which is
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often recited in corporate praise, and His Holiness and
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majesty are affirmed repeatedly, such as in Psalm 99.
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These attributes are not abstract concepts.
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They are presented as living, dynamic realities that the
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believer interacts with. And, given the focus of our
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thinking, the doctrine of the Covenant has to be highlighted.
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It is entirely central. The Psalms consistently stress
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the Lord's covenant relationship with His people.
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Psalms 89 and 1:05 are detailed historical recitations of the
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Lord's promises, specifically relating to the Abrahamic and
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Davidic covenants. This focus aligns perfectly with
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the understanding that God graciously binds Himself to His
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people through defined, unbreakable promises and
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obligations, which provides the entire context for Israel's
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worship and security. Moving to the human element,
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what do the Psalms teach about man's inherent nature?
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They offer a pretty sobering view, affirming man's natural
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sinfulness. Psalm 51.
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David's response to his great sin is the definitive expression
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of this innate fallen condition. It speaks of being conceived in
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iniquity. Consequently, the necessity of
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repentance, contrition, and subsequent restoration to God is
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a constant subject seen not only in Psalm 51, but also in Psalm
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32. And how does the Psalter
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classify those who deny God or live outside of his reality?
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Atheism, in both its theoretical and practical forms, is
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classified in Psalms 14 and 53 as wickedness and foolishness.
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The person who says there is no God is defined as a fool.
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Furthermore, the Psalms tackle the problem of the evildoer who
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seems to succeed temporarily. The righteous are sure that the
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wicked's prosperity is fleeting, while the devout will ultimately
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be delivered and find their eternal reward in God's
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presence. This is illustrated powerfully
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in Psalms 37 and 73. Now we must address the topic
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that often gives modern readers the most difficulty, the
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imprecatory prayers. These are the Psalms where the
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writer calls down seemingly fierce judgments on his enemies.
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Our sources cite Psalms 3569, One O 9, and 137.
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This can sound highly personal and vindictive to a contemporary
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ear. This topic requires patient,
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impartial clarification. These prayers are pleased for
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God to execute righteous justice against God's enemies.
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The crucial interpretive distinction is that the psalmist
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is not asking for private individual revenge based on
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personal malice. They are appeals to the supreme
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judge, not acts of personal aggression.
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Precisely. The enemies of the psalmist are
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viewed theologically as the enemies of God.
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Their actions violate God's covenantal order, commit
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injustices against the poor and the weak, and are essentially
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crimes against God's character and rule.
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The psalmist is not seeking to take the law into his own hands.
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He is submitting his case to the only perfect righteous judge.
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The request is that God would uphold His own law and execute
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justice with the human system has failed.
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This shifts the action from the fallible, sinful human heart to
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the perfect righteous judgement of a sovereign God.
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The distinction lies entirely in the motivation and the direction
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of the petition. Absolutely.
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The motivation is zeal for Thou's honor and the restoration
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of justice, not personal vindictiveness.
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It's an expression of the Old Testament desire to see God's
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Kingdom established and all injustice purged.
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When read this way, these songs act as an argument for the
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absolute necessity of divine judgement and the moral
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government of the universe. And the sources confirm that
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this type of plea for righteous judgement doesn't suddenly
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disappear in the New Testament. No, it is consistent.
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We see parallel pleas for God to intervene and bring judgement in
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the New Testament, though filtered through the New
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Covenant understanding. For example, in Matthew 11.25,
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Christ praises the Father for hiding things from the wise and
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revealing them to babes, which is a kind of imprecation against
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the proud. More strikingly, in Revelation
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6.10, the souls of the martyred Saints cry out to God.
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How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our
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blood on those who dwell on the earth.
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The desire for God's justice to finally prevail is a constant
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thread across both Testaments. OK.
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So that leads us to the culmination.
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This brings us to the ultimate central focus of the entire
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book, the Messiah. This is the theological
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combination of our deep dive linking the history, the
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suffering, the kingship, and the devotion of the Old Testament
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directly and dynamically to the Christian faith.
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The Psalms are entirely saturated with the hope and
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fulfillment of all Israelite religion in the person and work
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of the Messiah. It's hard to read this book
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without finding Christ on almost every page.
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The Messianic teachings are integrated throughout the
29:58
Psalter, often presenting an ideal that no human king, not
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even David or Solomon, could ever fulfill.
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The Messiah is often seen when human limits are removed or when
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man is represented in a perfect ideal state, such as the perfect
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Son of man in Psalm 8 or the ultimate King in Psalm 2.
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And this vision is often communicated through typology,
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the historical experiences of figures like David prefiguring
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Christ's experiences. That is the essential
30:25
interpretive key. The Messiah is frequently seen
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typologically through the great kings.
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Psalm 22, for example, details the sufferings of the ideal
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afflicted righteous one in a way that goes far beyond David's
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literal recorded life. It anticipates the crucifixion
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centuries later. The language constantly strains
30:43
beyond the human type. And sometimes the language
30:45
leaves the human type entirely behind and applies exclusively
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to Christ. Absolutely.
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The language progresses until it is entirely supernatural.
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Passages like Psalm 16.10 which speaks of not letting God's Holy
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one see. Corruption could not be applied
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to David who died and decayed, and Psalm 110 describes an
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eternal non levitical priesthood.
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These passages applied directly and exclusively to Christ in His
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resurrected glory and eternal office.
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Let's list some of the most specific prophetic references
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the Psalms make to Christ's life and work, as cited in our
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sources because of the application is constant in the
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New Testament. The Psalms reference everything
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from His arrival to His exaltation.
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They speak of His incarnation and obedience in Psalm 40, which
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the New Testament book of Hebrews 10.5 explicitly applies
31:30
to Christ entering the world, offering his body instead of
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animal sacrifices. And his kingship and dual nature
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are certainly established early on.
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His eternal throne and deity are established in Psalm 45, which
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Hebrews 1.8 to 9 sites to prove the divine nature of the sun.
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Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
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Likewise, His humiliation and exaltation are detailed in Psalm
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8, which Hebrews 2.510 applies to Christ's temporary lowering
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below the angels and His subsequent crowning with glory
31:58
and honor. The details of the passion are
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startlingly clear in the Psalter.
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His sufferings are most vividly detailed in Psalm 22, the one
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Christ quoted from the cross. The Psalm speaks of the physical
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agony, the casting of lots for his clothing, and the sense of
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divine abandonment, details cited extensively throughout the
32:14
crucifixion narrative in Matthew 27 and immediately following his
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death. His resurrection is foretold in
32:20
Psalm 16. The apostle Peter explicitly
32:23
uses this in his Pentecost sermon recorded in Acts 2.2431,
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arguing conclusively that David could not have been Speaking of
32:30
himself, but of the Messiah. Finally, the Psalms consolidate
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all three of his offices as prophet, priest, and king in one
32:37
person. Particularly in Psalm 110.
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This speaks of the Messianic King who rules from God's right
32:42
hand and is simultaneously a priest forever after the order
32:46
of Melchizedek, uniting the political and the spiritual
32:49
authority in the one person of Christ.
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The Psalms thus serve as the spiritual biography of the
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Messiah. That is a comprehensive and
32:56
integrated look at Israel's great hymn book.
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It's clear that the Book of Psalms is not just a collection
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of historical songs. It is inspired liturgy and
33:03
prophecy compressed into devotion.
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As we summarize this deep dive, let's reflect on the main
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function of the book for the people of God today.
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It has always been intended as a source of instruction, comfort,
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and blessing because it teaches God's people how to feel, how to
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respond, and ultimately how to worship, serve, and glorify God
33:21
completely. And for you, the learner, the
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take away is this. By understanding the intentional
33:27
structure and authorship of the Psalms, you gain a massive
33:31
shortcut to understanding the spiritual heart of the Old
33:33
Testament. The Psalter provides an
33:35
inspired, comprehensive language for every single human
33:38
experience, for the darkest, most despairing lament to the
33:41
highest, most joyful expression of covenant praise.
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That brings us to our final provocative thought for you to
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consider. Psalm 19 tells us the Lord's
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physical revelation is in nature, and Psalm 119 shows His
33:52
written revelation is in the Word.
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Since we now understand the structure of the Psalms, a book
33:58
designed to provide the faithful response to God's revelation,
34:01
how does knowing that structure clarify how you should order and
34:04
respond to both God's general revelation and creation and his
34:07
special revelation in the Scriptures in your own daily
34:10
devotion? Something to maul until our next
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deep dive.