Psalm 110. This is a psalm of thanksgiving unto the Lord. His people feel the sense of His love, brought about when they realize that He has dealt very bountifully with them. They had been brought very low, the sorrows of death had taken hold upon them, but they had called and He had delivered them. Such will be the exercises of His earthly people in a latter day, when the Lord has caused them to pass through trouble and sorrow, that they might turn to Him. They realize that He is gracious, righteous and merciful, so now they have become worshipers. They take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. They pay vows unto Him in the courts of His house. In John 4:23, 2423But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23‑24) the Lord said: “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.” “Now is,” refers to this present time. The Lord does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17: 24, 25). But at the time spoken of in this psalm, the hour has run out, and those prophecies in the Old Testament which speak of worship are taken up again.
Psalm 117. All nations are called upon to praise the Lord, for they are looked upon as all having been made subject to Him. They can see that by His ways with Israel, He acts in merciful kindness and His truth endureth forever. It is a wonderful thing to be able to realize, though heaven and earth pass away, “one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass.., till all be fulfilled.” Matt. 5:1818For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18).
Psalm 118. Israel and the house of Aaron and all that fear the Lord are called to give thanks unto Him for His mercy that endureth forever. The Messiah who is leading their praises tells of being in distress, of their calling, their being heard and delivered. We must remember that the Psalms cannot be applied wholly to Him, because it is His people in their great sufferings yet future, that is largely before the Spirit of God. So they are called upon to put their trust in the Lord. They had been surrounded by several nearby nations but the Lord had helped, and though the enemy had thrust sore at them, they had been delivered.
Now the Lord had become their salvation, strength and song. Though the Lord had chastened them sore, He had not given them over to death, so they were to live and declare the works of the Lord. But Israel’s blessings cannot be reached without their Messiah being present with them, as this psalm shows.
In v. 22 we have that with which the Apostle Peter had charged the Jews; they, the builders, had rejected the Stone, which becomes the head of the corner. It was marvelous; it was the wonderful day the Lord had brought about. Then we have here that which took place when the Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt. The crowds cried, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Matt. 21:99And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. (Matthew 21:9). The Lord Jesus also quotes this after He told the Jews, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Matt. 23:3838Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23:38), and added that they would not see Him until they owned Him in this way. The psalm closed with the same call to give thanks unto the Lord as in verse 1.
ML 04/16/1961