PSALMS TALK SERIES: KNOWING CHRIST FROM THE PSALMS

PSALMS TALK 1 – An Introduction to the Book of Psalms

Col 3:16.

The Psalms have featured prominently in the past. They are an important part of God’s Word!

Views of the Psalms

The Psalms are popular, especially Psalm 23 for atheists. There is a general approach to the Psalms that they are spiritual but not religious, so people think they can selectively read the Psalms. It is suggested that they mean different things to different people.

1. Whose Psalms?

Who’re the Psalms for? Can they really mean different things to different people? Eg. with Psalm 4, whose words are we reading? But, if we respect the Psalms and read them carefully, we’ll discover that they really aren’t for everyone.

We find out they are:

a) They are Israel’s Psalms.

- we hear the promises made to Israel (Ps 105:8-11)

- Ps 68:7-8 – Israel wandering in the desert

- Ps 78:5 – the law to Israel

- Ps 44:1-3 – Canaan to the Israelites

- Ps 137 – Babylon

- Ps 80 – Israel being restored

We need a historical reading of the bible, so we take it seriously. Thus we respect that!

b) They are David’s Psalms

Much of the time, we’re listening to David (Ps 3, 4…)

In 2 Sam 7, God made a promise to David, to establish His kingdom from David. David was the Lord’s anointed one (Christ/Messiah). Therefore, for Israel, David’s kingdom was very, very important. The Psalms ask why the kingdom promises have not been fulfilled yet.

c) They are Christ’s Psalms

They are very much aware of the promises to David, and point to the fulfilment of God’s promises to David. In the Psalms, we see it is forward looking as the Old Testament itself is also forward looking. Eg. Ps 9 anticipates the fulfilment of promises.

They are thus Psalms of the Lord’s anointed – they are Psalms of Christ.

Jesus understood and knew He was the anointed one whom the Psalms talk about.

d) They are Psalms for us.

If the Psalms point to Christ, then they belong to all who take refuge in Jesus. Thus, it is a mistake to look at the Psalms as spirituality for anyone and everyone.

2. The Shape of the Psalms

Many of the Psalms are songs that are sung. The Psalms are NOT a random collection of songs though! The Psalms move from lament to praise. Therefore, Psalms 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are Psalms of lament. But Psalms 144-150 are Psalms of praise and joy.

The Psalms take us from a focus on King David to a celebration of God as King. Eg. King David’s suffering in Psalm 2 -----------àGod is King (at the end of the Psalm).

3. Conclusion

A person whose mind has absorbed the Psalms is one who realises that God is king, and is establishing his kingdom. The Psalms are complex like life is complex, but it comes into focus when we realise the LORD God is King and he has begun His reign.

PSALMS TALK 2 – The Secure Life

PSALM 1

Security: found it yet?

How will you make yourself secure? Power? Contacts? Influence? Savings? Etc…

There are those who exploit our sense of insecurity. Psalms invites us to look at where our security is.

Psalm 1 is a Psalm about security, probably chosen to introduce the Psalms.

1. The Psalm.

a. The Man of Blessednesses: What he does (verses 1-2)

v1. “blessed” – a plural noun, such a man is so fortunate/enviable and blessednesses. It has the same paradoxical feel as the Sermon on the Mount. This man doesn’t sit/do the lifestyle of sinners. Ie. not accepting their ideas, then following them.

v2. the man has a joy and delight in God’s Law/Word in written form. Thus he is shaped by God’s Word.

b. The Man of Blessednesses: What he is life (verse 3)

v3. like a tree planted, he is SECURE and in all that he does, he prospers.

c. The Wicked: What they are like (verse 4)

v4. the wicked are not secure or prosperous, like chaff that the wind drives away. They are a group of people, and are insecure.

d. The Wicked: What they will do (verses 5-6)

Therefore the wicked won’t stand in judgment, or sinners amongst the righteous. Therefore the ‘righteous’ is different from ‘the man’. The wicked will perish.

2. The Psalm and David

Who is the ‘man’?

Deut 17:18-20 (God’s commands to Israel of a King)

Joshua 1:7 (God’s requirement of Joshua as Israel’s leader)

Psalm 19:7-11 (David sounds like the man of Psalm 1)

1 Kings 2:1-4 (David was telling Solomon he would be the man of Psalm 1)

THUS, the man of Psalm 1 is Israel’s leader. But, what happened? NO KING lived up to the expectations of God’s King (2 Kings 22:11-13). Therefore, judgement came, and they did not stand in the judgement.

3. The Psalm and Jesus

Jesus was very much aware of this history – Israel’s failures of Kings.

i. Jesus made it clear that many of his hearers were not to be counted as the righteous (the religious leaders = the wicked)

ii. He, Jesus, came to turn this situation around

iii. 1 Peter 3:18, Christ died for sins, once for all, the RIGHTEOUS for the UNRIGHTEOUS…

Thus, Jesus is the RIGHTEOUS ONE! The man of Psalm 1.

4. The Psalm and Us

This Psalm is about Jesus and his people. Jesus didn’t walk in the way of the wicked, and neither will we if we follow him. He is like the tree, even death couldn’t destroy him, he prospers! And so it is with us if we follow Him. And because of that, we stand now in the congregation of the righteous.

So, Psalm 1 tells us the only true security that survives the judgement is Jesus, the man of Psalm 1.

PSALMS TALK 3 – The joke

PSALM 2

The Question of Authority and Power

A theme today in newspapers is ‘power’. The necessity and danger of power – every nation needs power to protect. But, power is dangerous because it can be turned against those who it protects. Power is confusing to us, and the relationship between authority and power is confusing as well. We don’t trust those in power anymore (politicians, the media).

What would the world be like if those with power used it to protect only those under them. Is there are right response to power?

The Bible’s account of the history of the world

The bible gives us the proper context of power. In God, power and authority perfectly coincide. But we’ve rejected God, and therefore power and authority in us has become very messy. Therefore God is re-establishing his power in His kingdom.

Psalm 1

The man is Jesus. The Psalms is about God the ruler, and his appointed ruler – every one of them fall short except for Jesus.

Psalm 2

It is an introductory Psalm, connected with Psalm 1. Psalm 2 is the ‘worldview’ of the Psalms.

1. The Psalm

a. The nations (verses 1-3)

The nations, rulers, peoples, king put themselves as the wicked in Psalm 1. Why is it like that? Why do the peoples reject a GOOD ruler in this world, that ruler and God encounter bitter antagonism.

b. The Lord (verses 4-6)

The Lord is the object of their plotting and raging. How futile is it for those wicked to shake their puny fists at God! It is one great joke. (cf. Pharoah, the nations of Canaan).

v6 – how dare you shake your fists at God’s ruler!

c. The King (verses 7-9)

The King has been speaking this Psalm. He will be like a tree…the imagery has changed but the promises remain. God adopting David as his king. Then the Son of David speaks, how dare they shake their fists at David. What if there was a king with absolute power and authority who was God?

d. The wise (verses 10-12)

Therefore, the wise thing is to gladly submit to him.

Psalm 2 is one of the most important Psalms, quoted in the NT.

2. The Psalm and Jesus

a. verses 1-3

The word Christ = the word in 2:2 “the Lord and his Christ/anointed”. Therefore, ‘Christ’ is an allusion to Psalm 2; it fits Jesus better than every King.

b. verses 4-6

Jesus is the Christ. The wicked is still firmly against the Lord.

c. verses 7-9

The most important part of Psalm 2 is v7 – quoted at Jesus’ baptism, the transfiguration and connected to his resurrection.

d. verses 10-12

Therefore, Psalm 2 is a great place to understand the gospel – this is Jesus, the Christ!

3. The Psalm and us

a. The Nations (verses 1-3)

To be ruled over by Lord Jesus is a joy and not a burden! Therefore we are astonished at the utter absurdity at the world’s opposition to Christ as we proclaim Christ. Notice the media, using its power wrongly to mock God and his anointed one. Why? It’s absurd!

b. The Lord (verses 4-6)

The God of the Lord Jesus; the futility of rejecting God! God laughs at the Sydney Morning Herald.

c. The King (verses 7-9)

Do you know the authority and power of the Lord Jesus? The resurrection of Christ puts Psalm 2 on Jesus.

d. The wise (verses 10-12)

Therefore wise up – tremble and fear Him for those who defy God’s king will be overthrown. Rejoice at that, for He is good! Therefore it is good to take refuge in Him.

Do you fear Him? All the power struggles are futile; be wise, and not really, really stupid.