For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.
Review
- We have covered 9 lessons on the Psalms, and are about to begin the 10th. (Future lessons will surely follow.)
- The Psalter points to Christ, as Jesus indicated in Luke 24 to the disciples on the Emmaus Road. In fact all three divisions of the Hebrew Bible -- Law, Prophets, and Writings -- direct us to Christ.
- The imprecatory Psalms point us to Christ in that their spirit is so unlike that of Christ. They accentuate the loving spirit of Jesus all the more.
- Some passages contain specific prophecies, as we noted in our previous lesson. In the 9th lesson we considered quite a few of them. Yet we can go much further.
- Remember this: although we read the Old Testament forward, it is best understood when viewed backward -- in the light of Calvary.
Further Christological aspects of the Psalms
- Psalm 1 - Jesus is the way (John 14:6; see Acts 24:14)
- Psalm 8 -- Jesus is Lord (LORD, or Yahweh [YHWH], rendered kyrios [Lord] = the Lord God) (gospels, Acts, etc -- e.g. 2 Peter 1:1-2)
- Psalm 23 - Jesus is the good shepherd (also Pss 28, 80; Ezekiel 34:10-16,23-24,31; Isaiah 40:11; Zechariah 13:7; John 10:11,14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:5, 5:4; Revelation 7:17)
- Psalm 27 - Jesus is the light (John 8:12, 9:5; 1:9, 3:19; also Matthew 5:14)
- Psalm 49:7-9,15 - Jesus is our ransom (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 9:15; see also Hosea 13:14)
- Psalm 55:22 - Jesus is our burden-bearer (Matthew 11:28-30; see 1 Peter 5:7)
- Psalm 119 - Jesus is God's Word (John 1:1,14; Revelation 19:13)
Thought questions
- Which passages in Psalms present Christ most clearly to me?
- If I were a first-century Jew who knew the scriptures (like Nicodemus), how obvious would it have been to me that Jesus was the Messiah?
- How familiar am I with the Messianic passages in the prophets? in the Law?
Prayer points
- Open my eyes that I may see Christ in the entire Bible. Let me see him clearly, neither reading too much into the text nor missing his glory in these many passages.
- Strengthen me in my knowledge of the Messianic passages, and solidify my appreciation of Christ in the Psalms.
- Give me courage to live in faith on the basis of all I am learning, that I may show Christ to others.
