For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.
Review
- The first six lessons set the stage for the seventh, Psalm 51, which most epitomizes the theme of our series, Drawing Near to God.
- In the eighth lesson we tackled the thorny issue of the imprecatory psalms, prayers that are sometimes sub-Christian in attitude. This only throws into high relief the topic of the final two lessons in this series.
- We now turn to find Christ in the Psalms. In other words, we draw near to God not only because we hear God's voice and discern his will in the Psalter, but also because the Messianic psalms show us Christ. And by Christ we come to God.
The Christ is prophesied in the Psalms
- A large number of passages in the the O.T. point to Christ (e.g. Deut 18; Isa 53; Mic 5), but our study is based in the Psalms only.
- Luke 24:44-47 - Jesus fulfilled all three sections of the O.T., Torah (Law of Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Kethuvim (Writings). Yet the O.T. passages are much more easily understood looking backward than looking forward (see 1 Peter 1:10-12).
- Jesus applies the psalms to himself (e.g. 22:1 and 31:5). This naturally leads us to messianic readings of the Psalter.
- Hebrews especially elaborates the correspondences between specific passages in the Psalms and the life of Christ.
- Suggested CD: Back from the Edge: A Study of Hebrews (10 lessons, published by IPI)
- Suggested podcast: Hebrews: Bridge Between the Testaments (at this website)
- Suggested book: From Shadow to Reality (John Oakes, pub. by IPI)
- Many individual psalms points to Christ:
- 2:1-3 (Acts 4:23-28); 2:7-8 - begotten Son of God. Many ancient Jews considered the pair of scriptures Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 to refer to the Messiah.
- 16:8-10 - resurrection
- 22:1,7-8,16,18,22 - multiple points of contact with the crucifixion of Christ.
- 31:5 - committing spirit into God's hands
- 34:20 - not a bone to be broken (John 19:32-33, 36).
- 35:11,19 - malicious witnesses hating him without cause (John 15:24-25).
- 40:6-8 (Heb 10:5-7, quoting the LXX) - the incarnation.
- 41:9 (55:12-13) - betrayal.
- 45:6; also 93:2 (Heb 1:8) - he is God.
- 68:18 - ascension (Eph 4:8)
- 69:8-9,21 - rejected by own family; consumed by zeal for God's house; given vinegar to drink.
- 102:25-27 (Heb 1:10-12) - eternal creator
- 110:1-4 - divine descendant of David acceding to God's throne as priest in the order of Melchizedek.
- 118:22 (Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:7) - the stone the builders rejected.
Thought questions
- If a Jewish seeker asked me to jot down a list of Messianic prophecies, how many would I know off the top of my head?
- What is it about Psalms -- why do I think this was the most familiar book of the Bible to first-century believing Jews and Christians?
- How do I respond physiologically when I see Christ in the O.T. scriptures? Does my heart glow, my mind race, my pulse quicken?
Prayer points
- As Christ did on the Emmaus road, may he open also my mind.
- Help me to see Christ in every page of scripture.
- Make my vision of faith international -- that Christ may be preached in every nation.
