Wisdom
Gospel In
Psalms Book 1
Gospel in the Psalms - 1 We have over the last year written about many of the Old Testament books of the Bible. In particular, how the Gospel or ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ can be seen from an Old Testament light. It was Augustine the early Church father, the bishop of Hippo, commentator and prolific writer, who said of interpreting the contents of the whole Bible: “The New [testament or covenant] is in the Old [testament or covenant] concealed and the Old [“””] is in the New [“””] revealed.” This helpful comment summarizes nicely that the whole of the Bible contains the truth of God’s salvation as it pertains to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus’ words as recorded in Luke’s Gospel tell us: “Now He [Jesus] said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled’” (Lk. 24:44). In light of this we have written about the Gospel in various Old Testament books. We had a brief break to expose what we believe to be a problem following the Canada Day announcement (July’s Newsletter – Ichabod) and then followed with a proposed solution (August’s Newsletter – The Fear of the Lord) both transcribed and edited from previous sermon series (2003 and 2006); we now continue with the Gospel in the Psalms. The title given: ‘Salvation in the Psalms’, can be understood as ‘the Gospel’, as written in brackets, in that the idea of salvation from an Old Testament (O/T) perspective carries with it the ideas of deliverance, rescue, protection; which for those seeking God to that end it is ‘good news’ in that God hears their prayers and meets that request. But the way we have been approaching ‘The Gospel of …’ articles is with a view to Jesus Christ as the crux of the salvation message. And in the Psalms the overarching way this is seen is through the king. The king is a type of the King of kings. That is to say, David is a type of Christ and much of what King David said and experienced foreshadowed what the Lord Jesus would also quote and fulfill in His role as Israel’s King and Savior, Judge and Protector. This requires an extensive royal interpretation of the Psalter as a whole, of which there has been a modern movement amongst scholars to develop. I will spare you the history of the movement but suffice it to say that beyond seeing ‘some’ psalms as particularly ‘royal’ psalms (Ps. 2 and Ps. 110 are the clearest examples of this since they were used at the king’s coronation services. [See also Ps. 96 & 98]) the movement expanded came by not only identifying psalms of David to fit this category but even psalms not acknowledging him in the superscription.[1] These often refer to a figure that could only be understood as the king. Likewise, the psalms that had interchanging ‘I’ and ‘we’ references could also be seen as the king in solidarity with his people, as this was a common understanding within Israel. All of which means that it stands to reason along with the previous reference that David foreshadowed Israel’s ideal King – the Lord Jesus Christ who also lived and died with a view to His solidarity with His people. So much so, that the apostle Paul can sum up his thinking of the Christian’s salvation by two little words ‘in Christ’. So we understand the king has a close relationship with his people and the king’s victory is the people’s victory in that the king is in covenant relationship with God, and the king is God’s ‘anointed’ and called His son (Ps. 2:6-7). The ideal relationship with God is described as ‘blessed’ (Ps. 1:1; Ps. 2:12; Ps. 31:1-2; 34:8 etc.) and this has to do with the covenant relationship. Yet, the negation of this is called ‘cursed’. Psalm 37:22 brings both of these out clearly: “For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.” The Psalter begins and is built on the Law or Torah of God. As Moses was the man of God who brought the Law, David was the Mozart of Israel who put God’s Torah=instruction to music. The first psalm begins in keeping with a wisdom psalm and contrasts the righteous with the wicked. It describes how the righteous are ‘blessed’. And like the moral Law, it begins with a negation; what one ought not to do if they want to be blessed, like the Ten Commandments begin with ‘thou shalt not…’! Mark Futato has helpfully summarized the purpose of the psalms through the use of God’s instruction (Torah/law) by saying they intend to make one ‘happy and holy’.[2] Holiness is another way of talking about what is separate, distinguished, or consecrated and set apart for a particular use. This happiness is the result of ‘blessed’ and this word ashrey=blessed carries with it the notion of fortunate, the idea of rewarded, and a state of joy. In short, as we have said, the Psalms were ordained of God to put God’s Torah/Law/Instruction, to music with the intention of teaching God’s people to pray and praise. It was Israel’s worship book and it begins on the note that those who will be blessed must separate themselves from the ungodly, sinners, and scoffers. But as much as they are told what not to do for acceptable worship, they are told what to do, and the blessed also meditate on God’s Law/Torah/Instruction day and night (Ps. 1:2). Those who do are given the promise and picture of prospering like a tree by much water that brings forth fruit in due season; its leaf does not wither, and ‘in whatever they do they shall prosper’. This portrays not only the ‘ideal Israelite’ but even the ideal King who, despite hardship and suffering, won the victory and defeated God’s and His peoples’ enemy at the cross of Calvary. Included in these enemies is the devil and even death (1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Cor. 15;54-57). The Anointed, who is God’s King and Son, whom King David foreshadowed in type, is also the One who reveals that “All things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).This verse reiterates the truth of the opening verses of Psalm 1. We can and will ‘prosper’ at ‘whatever=all things’ we do as we think, mediate, ponder, memorize God’s instruction; as the one who does will prosper ultimately – by doing God’s will. This includes times of trial and suffering, tribulation and persecution; as God uses even these for our ultimate good and for His glory, just as even Jesus humbled Himself and lived a short and difficult life, eventually suffering and dying a horrible death on the cross, crucifixion being one of the most heinous and despicable forms of death. But He was obedient to God’s will and was rewarded – ultimately, having done God’s will. Hence, He was rewarded and raised from the dead and given the Name above all names and exalted to the pre-eminent place in heaven and earth at God the Father’s right hand where He experiences great joy (Phil. 2:7-11). So ultimately to not give up or walk away or fall into a life of sin (apostasy), is to be ‘a tree whose leaf shall not wither’ and the presence of perseverance shows the fruit of the blessed’, as does bearing fruit in due time – God’s time, ultimately eternally, is the further fruit of the blessed. These are both encapsulated in the ideal Israelite, particularly the king who represents God and is a type of the King of kings, but also for those who are ‘in Christ’. O come to Christ and be blessed; know that God desires your happiness through a life of holiness. But know that there is not one without the other, as there is no salvation apart from the prayer that God has heard and has granted. He delivers from sin and enables, by His grace, to be rescued from the wrath of God to come which is on all who reject the Gospel of His beloved King, who is also the Judge that will right all wrongs (Ps. 2:12). The message is that salvation has come through His Son who died to satisfy the penalty of sin and to bring all God’s people into His Kingdom: the Kingdom of His beloved Son – in Christ! This brings LIFE, abundant and eternal (Jn. 10:10) for all who would believe on Him for mercy and pardon, and a life of forgiveness evidenced by a heart that continually turns from sin, or repents from rejecting and ignoring God’s instruction.[1] Willem A. Van Gemeren, General Editor, The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. pgs. 1101-1102[2] Mark D. Futato, Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook, pg. 67, 68. This connection between happiness and holiness is typical in wisdom literature.
Psalms Book 2
Gospel in the Psalms - 2 We had suggested in our last edition that to see Christ in the Psalms and to read them in a Christ-centered way is to recognize that the king is a type of the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. This requires an extensive ‘royal’ interpretation and the understanding that the king in the Ancient Near East was understood to be in solidarity with his people. Christians then can see Christ and relate to the psalmists in terms of their relationship to God in prayer and further, in the seemingly typical experiences that foster the same sorts of emotions that are expressed in the Psalms, and the praises that result on account of trusting in the character and promises of God. Furthermore, we said that we need to be reminded that in the Old Testament (O/T) there were corresponding words that related to ‘salvation’. Words such as, deliver, rescue, redeem, and ‘help me’. These all relate to salvation in that the psalmist is crying and passionately pleading for these things, as they are seen and understood in a very real sense as ‘his salvation’ if answered. This is not to undermine that salvation in a very specific context means one has been ‘saved’ from their sin and the punishment that is attached to it; it is simply saying that salvation in an O/T context is broader in scope than the very specific use of the New Testament (N/T). In this sense, we can relate all the more to the prayers of the people of God as encapsulated and inspired by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of God’s people throughout each generation. The ‘Israel of God’ has always found themselves to be a predicament from which they need to be rescued, redeemed and revived – which could also be included in our previous words that broadly include the idea of salvation. There are times that we feel that if we do not hear from God, do not see Him, or experience the light of His countenance we will perish (Ps. 28:1); so in this sense ‘revive me’ is a plea to be saved from dying. Because of this, we further relate to the psalms and salvation as God’s people were told at the outset of the Psalter that one, they needed to be separate from sinners and two, the second psalm explained that the world would be run by those who plot, scheme and devise in their thinking ways to undermine, oppose, and rebel against the Lord and His anointed (Ps. 2:1-2). As Michael Wilcock says of the opening two psalms that stand as the ‘gateway’ [our designation] or ‘preamble’ [his term] to the Psalter: “Psalms 1 and 2, the preamble to the book, offered us two complementary ways of looking at God and His world.” [1] This means that God’s people, living in a world that is rebellious against God, will also be opposed. Opposition will be to His ordained leadership representative, the anointed King, in the first instance, and in the governing authority God has ordained (Rom. 13:1-5) in the second, but ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Hence they need to walk in wisdom, and separate from sinners and meditate on God’s Torah/instruction. This truth comes to fulfillment in the unlawful and uncalled for crucifixion of the Lord Jesus to which the Psalms make allusion. This is a Christ-crucifying world and it rebels against God as it suppresses the Truth of God in all unrighteousness and thus warrants His just judgment against sin. The Lord Jesus Christ was sinless; He never did any wrong nor deviated from God’s will for Him. Yet even He would suffer wrongly. As the Psalms speak of king David’s experience of being ‘hated without cause’ (Ps. 35:19; 69:4) they also foretell what King Jesus would as well (Jn. 15:25). David is a type of the Lord Jesus as God’s king who is also a son who would receive the world as an inheritance (Ps. 2:7-8). In this too, the Lord Jesus is declared the ‘Heir of all things’ and the One through whom God made the world (Heb. 1:2). This as well points us to the crux of the salvation message or the Gospel, the ‘Good news’. It is the N/T that tells us that the King of kings was the One through whom God made the world. And when it was made it was given into the custodianship of Adam the first man; he was given dominion and was to act as God’s representative, His vice-regent or earthly king. Adam too is said to be ‘a type of Him to come’ (Rom. 5:14) and when Adam and Eve were tempted by satan, in the guise of a serpent, to sin they lost the blessed condition in which God had given them the world, and the paradise of Eden was lost in that God cursed the earth (Gen. 3:17). As a result they lost their blessed estate and the blissful conditions of harmony and peace, as well as wholeness and wellness – a place of rest. In Psalm 8:4-6 we have David reflecting back to Adam [2] and also upon his own calling to glory, majesty, and dominion, and this too speaks of the Lord Jesus, as both Adam and David are types of Him and reflect certain truths about Him. Adam is head of the creation and thus the head of the human race. The Lord Jesus comes as Head of the New Creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) and is Head of a new humanity in Him – even His body the Church, where we are all sanctified by one Father and He is not ashamed to call us brethren(Heb. 2:11-12). King David is called of God as a shepherd who will reign in God’s Kingdom and rule over His people. He is the anointed of God and called His son (Ps. 2:7). And those who seek refuge in him, those who trust in God’s appointed king and look to him for protection will be blessed in that they will not perish! King Jesus is the Good Shepherd of God's sheep and He lays down His life for them (Jn. 10:11). He establishes God's eternal kingdom and rules from Heaven even now while all who come to Him for refuge and trust in Him will be blessed. (Mat. 1:21). Both Adam and David were bestowed with majesty and glory, but the Lord Jesus was given this in a manifold way by being the Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2). He was given the Name above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).The devil is said to be the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) on account of usurping the worship that rightfully belongs to the Lord. But the Lord Jesus, who came as the Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), defeated the devil through His death and resurrection and became a ‘life-giving Spirit’, and like David conquered all his foes and established God’s kingdom by inheriting all dominion in heaven and earth (Mat. 28:18). So when we come to Christ by faith; believing, repenting, and obeying the King of kings, God promises to forgive our sins. And we leave behind the dominion of the old world under satan, the evil one, and also the old man in Adam which did not submit to God, nor was itable to do so (Rom. 8:7). The apostle Paul likens salvation in O/T terms, “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” (Col. 1:17). The Psalms teach us about the domain of darkness with all its rebellious and formidable foes, within and without. And King David portrays how one participates in the battle of being called to represent God and how one becomes an ‘overcomer’ through finding refuge in God through prayer and praise. The shocking thing is to see from what quarters such enemies arise. Both David and Jesus were betrayed by the closest of friends and family! David by his own son Absalom (Ps. 3) and Jesus by Judas one of the twelve (Jn. 6:71) whom the devil enticed to betray Him (Jn. 13:2) and which the Psalms speak of as one who in close table fellowship, or in our modern vernacular, ‘in close quarters’ turned on him and attacked him; a friend who was trusted (Ps. 41:9). As Mark Futato reminds us, “In the book of Psalms the ‘wicked” are frequently people who are members of the covenant community, as Psalm 50:16 makes clear.”[3] So we are not surprised to see Jesus teaching that in His coming there will be division within one’s own household (Mk. 10:35-36). The king also points us to the One who does overcome all enemies, including the devil (1 Jn. 3:8) and even death itself (1 Cor. 15:51-57)! In conclusion, salvation and the good news in the Psalms is that God hears the prayer of His anointed and those who are upright of heart and fear the Lord. And since the king is identified with his people and the king’s victory is the peoples’ victory, this too brings God’s people hope that His Anointed King and Son will ensure His peoples’ victory; those who do not fear the Lord will not have victory. We must participate in the sufferings of the king/King to share in his/His glory (Rom. 8:17). In short, David’s experience becomes our experience, as this was Jesus’ experience, and the disciple is not above the Master! And both point us to God who hears and answers the prayers of those who love and fear Him (Ps. 22:23-24; Heb. 5:7). How blessed are all who seek Christ for refuge, and whose sins have been forgiven (Ps. 2:12; 7:1; 32:1; 40:4)![1] Michael Wilcock, The Message of the Psalms 1-72, pg. 34[2] Gerrard Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation in the Old Testament. pg. 341[3] Mark Futato, Transformed by Praise: The Purpose and Message of the Psalms. pg. 89
Psalms Book 3
Gospel in the Psalms - 3 We have given the last few months over to the study of the Psalms, apart from last month where we featured the whole Newsletter to the focus of our conference ‘What in the World is Going On?’ We continue with something of a concise overview, highlighting some of the pertinent aspects of the Psalter’s interpretation. The structure of the Psalter in its final edit is intentional to give emphasis to important particulars of faith and practice for God’s people. The psalms were compiled over a vast period and with different authors; they stand as something of a ‘mini Bible’ in that they convey various strands and themes that tell the wonderful story of God’s amazing grace and how the recipients ought to live in light of the covenant relationship God calls them to. The overall structure of the Psalter is that it is Comprised of five major sections or Books (Ps. 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150), following the five books of Moses. It has been further traced by Dr. Mark Futato to consequently see lines of separation in relation to the sacred history of Israel between the five books but particularly 1 to 3 and 4 through 5. He writes, “By the end of Book 3 we will be on the edge of our seats as the dramatic tension of the Psalms reaches its climax. Books 4-5 will resolve this tension in three specific ways…”[1] The first psalms of Book 1 combine to act as something of the gateway into the Psalter, as the first word ‘Blessed’ is also the concluding thought of Psalm 2 which invites the reader to find refuge in the Lord, thereby avoiding the wrath of God. The first book is often referred to as the Book of David and it illustrates how one is blessed by being ‘happy’ and ‘holy’ with the ‘holiness’ being necessary for ‘true happiness’ to occur. By the end of Book 2 we see that Solomon has inherited David’s throne and promise and that by the end of Book 3 the Kingdom has been divided, and with the people cast out of their land and with no Davidic king to continue, God’s peoples’ hope diminished. Hence, as Futato has noted, Books 4 and 5 answer this concern and reply to the dilemma with Psalm 90 beginning Book 4 as an ancient psalm of Moses, which, written prior to King David, intends for the people to remember the fact that God is their King! He was, and has always been King, even before establishing His anointed human king, and He remains so even when no earthly representative is present – as it was when they were in Exile. These books teach the people to live by faith in the promises of God as the King who rules and reigns. This includes that when the King comes, who is also the Judge, He will make right all wrongs, as the Hebrew word shaphat includes. But to bring it back to Futato’s three things that resolve the tension, he says that the first principle of Book 4 is to live by faith that the Lord reigns in spite of the evidence around.[2] Secondly, live with obedience to the Lord who reigns, an obedience that springs from love and worship, both private and public.[3] And lastly, the third principle is to live in hope that the King will come into the reality of our lives and bring the salvation that describes the ‘blessed’ life of holiness and true happiness that results in the abundant life.[4][4] Thus they will live by the obedience of faith in God as King and His promises of a coming King, the Anointed Messiah. He will also be a son to God, as David was (Ps. 2:7) and will be His earthly representative with all the authority of the Heavenly King. And he will receive all the opposition and rebellion David did, and more, due to the rulers’ rebellion and hostility (Ps. 2:2-3). Thus we are not surprised to see that when Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God comes to earth He is said to come in the lineage of King David (Mat. 1:1), and that He Himself says He came not only to bring life but life abundant (Jn. 10:10). And, having been raised from the dead in the resurrection, all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Mat. 28:18) and over all of mankind (Jn. 17:2); and when He returns He will judge (shaphat = make right all wrongs) and bless all who took refuge in Him, and consign all who rejected Him as Savior and Lord to eternal punishment. Eternal blessing or eternal cursing is the end result of the judgment of an eternal God who inhabits eternity and has neither beginning nor end.[1] Mark Futato, Transformed by Praise: The Purpose and Message of the Psalms. pg. 114[2] Ibid. pg. 121[3] Ibid. pg. 125-127[4] Ibid. pg. 128
Psalms Book 4
Gospel in the Psalms - 4 We concluded 2008 with our continued focus on the Psalter and were honing in on Christ and the Gospel in the Psalms and how salvation is revealed in them. This article follows the same vein but is titled with a personal focus I want to pursue and Lord willing, possibly put into book form. We have previously stated that King David’s relationship with the Lord Jesus is that he is a ‘type’ of the Messiah in that he portrays aspects of revelation that we can learn more fully about the Savior. In the history of Israel, David’s life and character were a very real and tangible way for God’s people to see God’s intention for a leader of His people, which was also in accordance with His plan for a community to reflect His image or character and likeness.[1] This stands for the covenant people as much as the covenant king, and thus David stands in solidarity with the people, as Jesus does, and as Adam did. So in reading the Psalms we can relate to David’s experience as the covenant people, but also we can see the relationship of David’s experience to that of Jesus’ experience being related as one who would teach us of what to expect of the Messianic king to come, one from David’s lineage. In Typology, the O/T type never equates to a ‘one for one’ revelation but in part reveals what the greater anti-type would more fully reveal. In the case of King David to King Jesus, it is not David’s sin and imperfections that point to a greater reality in Christ but rather that his exemplary characteristics and experiences foreshadow Jesus’ excellencies and experience that is perfectly illustrative of the Father’s revelation for us. In short, David is a type of the Lord Jesus and is also unique as a priestly prophet, as well as the king of Israel. This means he is a two-fold means to enable us to relate to the revelation of his life. One, as the people of God were to be priestly in their service of God with a heritage of royalty having come from a line of kings, who reflect their heavenly King, we relate to David as the covenant people in his sin and failures –warts and all! But at the same time we are those who have been privileged to be called of God to His service and to be recipients of His lovingkindness. His hesed=lovingkindness is a rich word that can be translated mercy, love, grace, and of course lovingkindness, which is God’s unswerving commitment to His people to do all He has promised. The realization of this leads David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam. 23:1), to be a leader of worship, indeed Israel’s Mozart who puts God’s Torah/instruction to music. Thus, the covenant people of God can relate as a royal priesthood (Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet.2:9) and as ‘true worshippers’ (Jn. 4:23-24) to David as those who have found fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ our royal King and High Priest who enables His people to worship in Spirit and His truth. But also they can relate to their Savior the Messiah and Christ of God, as David reveals courage, faith, devotion and as king reflects God’s righteous rule, for the most part. His wisdom discernment and knowledge likened him to the Angel of God (1 Sam. 29:9; 2 Sam. 14:17, 20; 19:27). He was the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22 and the fulfillment of 1 Sam. 13:14) and in such ways he typifies the Lord Jesus Christ who embodies these characteristics perfectly. In short, we learn from David in two important ways that help the people of God learn from his sin and failures, and in a positive role being exemplary in areas that we need to be as well. But also in his limited way, he points us to the greater example of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Prophet, Priest, and King par excellence. He is the One we need to heed as He is the very Word of God. It is He who as our great High Priest offered up Himself as the sacrifice to ensure our salvation and He intercedes for His people at the right hand of God (Rom. 8:34). And as He was born King of the Jews (Mat. 2:2), He is in fact the King of Kings (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16). But the one definite thing that the true covenant person should be able to relate to, in the first instance David, but ultimately to the Lord Jesus, is that both of God’s anointed were those who suffered. In fact, this could be argued to be the primary reason for relating to David and to Christ, is that they were both men of sorrow as this world is ‘against the Lord and His anointed’ (Ps. 2:2-3) and this opposition leads one to rely on God as both David and Jesus did and to be able to praise God while undergoing travail and turmoil of soul. Indeed, it is, as the Apostle Paul in the New Testament tells us, what ought to be the desire and experience of all God’s New Covenant people – to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings (Phil. 3:10)! For it is in this way that we know the ‘power of His resurrection life’ and it is also the necessary tribulation that one must endure to share in the glories of Christ and enter finally and fully into the Kingdom ofGod (Rom. 8:17; Acts 14:22). Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ in this way? Can you relate to David’s prayers of anguish and his cry to God for help? Have you born the reproach of being God’s man or woman by standing up for His truth and righteousness? The New Testament is clear that suffering is a part of the Christian’s calling as Christ is given as their Example (1 Pet. 2:21-23; Phil. 1:29; 1 Thes. 2:2-16; Rom. 8:17 etc.) The Psalter is helpful in this way in that it invites us to participate in the experience of the covenant people of God and to learn to pray and praise while enduring difficulty from opposition in this world that is so opposed to God and His anointed Christ and anointed servants! The pathway to heaven is a thorny one and so as our Lord wore the crown of thorns on His head here in this hostile and sinful world, so too He was given the crown of the Name above all names as King of kings and Lord of lords. As the old Baptist preacher and pastor Charles Spurgeon once said, “There are no crown-wearers above who were not cross-bearers here below”! May you find grace to follow after Jesus and relate to David as those who learn to pray and praise amidst sufferings that you may share in the glories to come. [1] Christopher JH Wright, Living as the People of God. pg. 35 Wright says, “…God’s purpose … was not just righteous individuals, but a new community who in their social life would embody those qualities of righteousness, peace, justice and love which reflect God’s own character…So too, Meredeth G Kline, Kingdom Prologue. pg’s 62-90 Kline uses the language of the principle or law of the ‘image-son of God’ meaning that “Though the son is like the Creator-Father, the son is derived and therefore under the authority of his Author, obliged to render obedience to his divine parent. To be image-son is, in covenantal terms, to be the covenant servant.” pg. 63
Psalms Book 5
Gospel in the Psalms - 5 The Psalter or the book of Psalms is like a mini Bible. We have in it many of the major themes of the Bible but especially, the central focus of both is God’s Anointed: the Messiah or the Christ. David is a type of Christ in that he shares many similar points of reference. He was a shepherd before God called him to be king over Israel and Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for God’s sheep (Jn. 10:11). Jesus is also the King of kings (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16) and the King of the Jews (Mat. 27:11; Mk. 15:2; Lk. 23:3). David was a prophet who spoke the words of God and Jesus was the Prophet par excellence that God finally and fully spoke through; Who was also called the very Word of God (Heb. 1:1; 2:1-3; Jn. 1:1). David acted in a priestly way by interceding to God and offering sacrifice; Jesus as the High Priest of God offered Himself and not only interceded for His disciples (Jn. 17:1-17) but even now intercedes at the right hand of God for His people presently (Rom. 8:34). What we see from reading the Psalms is not only David revealing glimpses of the Lord Jesus in his various roles and functions; but, through the prayers and expressions of the heart and particularly his words and arguments of prayer, how he is an example to all of the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). David represents both sheep and shepherd; he typifies the King as well as represents the people. In other words, we can learn from David on two fronts: as those who identify with their Lord and Master, their King and Savior; and as those like David who find salvation and blessing by seeking refuge in Him (Ps. 2:12; Ps. 5:11: 7:1; 11:1 etc.). The amount of usage the Psalms get in the New Testament Scripture is one clear support of the above affirmation about David. While there are clear Messianic psalms that Jesus quotes in regard to Himself, such as Psalm 22:18 in John 19:24: “They parted My garments among them and for My clothing they cast lots.” There are others that simply recall the psalmist’s statements which are pinned on Christians as given truths to wear, such as the writer of Hebrews does: “The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me?” (Ps.118:6; Heb. 13:6).The assumption of course is that the believer in Christ, who is a participant in the New Covenant, relates to the offices of prophet, priest, and king by virtue of their association or union with the Lord Jesus. And just as David was a type of the Messiah, he too was an example of the child of God and the man of faith, despite being a sinner under the Old Covenant. But as much as he is that, he is also called and chosen of God; and as one of God’s elect he knows, “God has set apart the godly man for Himself” (Ps. 4:3). And so all who come to Christ and see their salvation rooted in God’s election can identify with the king who is a type of the King. Just as David the shepherd king also identified with the people who were God’s chosen, so we too should see our identity in Christ and also our security of salvation by terms that Paul spells out for New Covenant Christians: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us” (Rom. 8:29-31). In short, David is not only a chosen vessel of God whose life would characterize and portray pertinent revelation of the Lord Jesus, but also as Leslie Allan says of the parallels that Psalm 18 and 19 portray, “… the purpose of setting the two psalms side by side was to relate David’s experience to the individual pious believer who sought models for personal living from the “Torah”[1] of the Psalms… In his relation with God David was an exemplar for ‘all who seek refuge in Him’ (Ps. 18:30).” [2] Those who find refuge in Him are ‘blessed’ (Ps. 2:12). The blessed are those who will participate in the prayers and praises comprised in the Psalms, as those who identify with the Lord and His Anointed will suffer at the hands of those who reject His authority and absolute control as the heavenly Sovereign King who rules over the earth and those in it! The ‘blessed’ in essence find themselves in turn called ‘afflicted’, ‘persecuted’, and ‘poor’ and hence why they seek ‘refuge in the Lord’. This of course paves the way to Jesus’ explicit teaching on the Sermon on the Mount where He says, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness… Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me… for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mat. 5:10-12). But the Lord is also the just Judge of all the earth and He will right all wrongs. He only bids His people to walk by faith and to ‘wait on Him’ for vengeance is His and He will repay (Heb. 10:30). Faith is essentially expressed in waiting for God to act and vindicate and avenge. But in the meantime their prayer lives must be alive and working, which is why integrity is crucial for God to protect and defend. David models for all who would come to the Lord and worship His Anointed representative to pray and petition God to, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Ps. 25:21). In other words, to participate in proper worship and the life of the Psalter is to enter a life of faith that trusts God to be one’s Rock and Refuge. David knew only too well, “…Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart” (Ps. 15:1-2). Only those who walk by faith and take refuge in the Lord will be granted God’s presence. David models how to access this and points us to the Christ who lived that out perfectly as well as who permits us this fully! Hence we need to read and look to David in the Psalms to learn this, but we need to love and cleave to this Christ ever and always to enjoy this. Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23). And where His abode is, there the peace of His Presence will be found! This is the place of the holy and happy worshipper who guards against unholy associations and also meditates on God’s instruction, and by a living faith finds refuge in God through Jesus Christ.[1] Leo G Perdue, Bernard Brandon Scott, William Johnston Wiseman, In Search of Wisdom: Essays in Memory of JOHN G GAMMIE. pg. 57 In ‘Wisdom in the Psalter, Samuel Terrien writes … “the word torah [God’s instruction generally, the Pentateuch more specifically] came to designate the written Law par excellence, namely, the Pentateuch.”[2] Leslie C Allan, Word Biblical Themes. Pg. 125
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