B. Anstey
Psalms 19 to 24 outline God's prophetic dealings with the godly Jewish remnant from the time of their first gathering back into their land at the beginning of the tribulation period. It continues until their deliverance from Antichrist by the coming of the Lord (the appearing) to bring in His kingdom.
Psalm 19Psa 19
This psalm gives the means by which God will bear testimony of Himself in the tribulation period. Since Christians will be taken out of the world at the rapture (see 1 Thess. 4:15-18), and the testimony of the gospel of the grace of God will be preached no longer, God will still have a testimony of Himself to man, namely, through His creation (vss. 1-6) and through His Word (vss. 7-11). God will work through these two testimonies particularly among the Jews who will return to their land early in the tribulation. A remnant among them will be awakened and seek to live uprightly in accord with the knowledge they have of God.
The final portion of the psalm shows the effect these testimonies will have upon their soul. There is a searching of heart and a seeking to be kept from the current of apostasy in the land referred to as "the great transgression" (vss. 12-14).
Psalm 20Psa20
While Psalm 19 shows how a remnant will be formed and separated from the mass of the Jews by having a conscience toward God, this psalm gives the persecution they will encounter as a result of their faith in Jehovah. Christ enters fully into the sufferings of the remnant, desiring that they be heard by Jehovah in the "day of trouble"—the tribulation (Dan. 12:1; Jer. 14:8; 30:7). He pleads their cause and speaks of the time to come when all God's counsels concerning Himself and Israel will be accomplished, when they will be delivered and able to rejoice in His salvation (vss. 1-5).
Meanwhile, the mass of the Jews (the "many" of Daniel 9:27) will put their trust in the military power ("chariots" and "horses") of the Beast, the revived Roman Empire, by a covenant which they think will provide protection from the pressures of the Arab nations of the Middle East. Consequently they are "fallen" deeply into apostasy. The godly remnant, however, will not put their hand in with the apostate mass of Jews (Isa. 8:11-13), but will lean upon Jehovah alone whom they trust will deliver them in His time (vss. 7-9).
Psalm 21Psa 21
This psalm is the answer to the call in the previous psalm. Christ, as Israel's Messiah, has appeared to deliver the godly remnant by putting down their oppressors. God has heard the intercession of Christ, and has granted the desires of His heart regarding His suffering remnant who have been waiting for Him. As Messiah, Christ manifests His kingly glory to the remnant. The use of His title "Most High" indicates He is about to set up His kingdom according to the promise given to David (vss. 1-7). Seeing their Messiah in His kingly glory and power, the remnant are confident that He will judge the remaining kings of the earth, whom they refer to as His enemies (vss. 8-13).
Psalm 22Psa 22
In the previous psalm the Lord manifested Himself to the remnant as their Messiah, but now they see something more in Him who has come to deliver them. They see it is Jesus of Nazareth, the One whom they, as a nation, have rejected and crucified. At once the light will flood into their souls. They will "look upon Me Whom they have pierced" (see verse 16) and mourn in repentance. (See Zechariah 12:10-44.)
This psalm unfolds the atoning sufferings of Christ as realized by the remnant. They now learn that on the cross the Lord Jesus was wounded for their transgressions and bruised for their iniquities (Isa. 55:5-6). The heading "Aijeleth Shahar" means "the hind of the dawn of the morning." With Christ appearing (Psalm 21) and the remnant brought to repentance through the realization of His sufferings on the cross by which they are restored to Him (Psalm 22), it is certain a new day is dawning indeed for Israel.
The psalm opens with the Lord's cry of abandonment on the cross (Matt. 27:46). During the three hours of darkness God took up the whole question of sin and settled it to His own glory by pouring out His wrath against sin on Christ (vss. 1-3). Then the whole story of the cross is unfolded with its suffering and shame (vss. 4-21).
The "strong bulls" (vs. 12) are the leaders of Israel—the Sanhedrin—in their headstrong character. The "ravening and... roaring lion" (vs. 13; 1 Peter 5:8) is Satan himself who has moved men to crucify Christ. "Poured out like water" (vs. 14) would refer to the tremendous perspiration that is a result of crucifixion. His "bones... out of joint" (vs. 14) was perhaps caused by the cross being lifted and dropped into its hole, and through the weight of His body hanging from the cross. His strength "dried up like a potsherd" (vs. 15) refers to His bodily weakness and physical exhaustion. His tongue cleaving to His jaws (vs. 15) is the result of immense dehydration. The "dogs" (vss. 16-18) who compassed about Him are the Gentile soldiers. The "sword" and the "power of the dog" (vs. 20) are the imperial power of Rome. And the "lion's mouth" (vs. 21) is death itself. Such were some of the sufferings of Christ on the cross.
The work He accomplished there in putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself is the foundation upon which all blessing flows to man. Hence, in the latter part of the psalm there is widespread blessing extended to Israel and the nations of the earth. The work of redemption then completed, Christ in resurrection sees the praise that will ascend to God from various groups of men. His "brethren" (vs. 22) are perhaps the heavenly company (Heb. 2:12). The "congregation" (vss. 22-24) is the remnant. The "great congregation" is all Israel (vss. 25-26). Then finally the Gentile "nations" are mentioned as participating in the praise of Jehovah (vss. 27-31).
Psalm 23Psa 23
Christ's having returned (Psa. 21) and Israel's being restored to Him through their realization of His work on the cross (.Psa. 22), the redeemed of Israel now speak of the Lord very personally as their Shepherd. This psalm sees Christ as Jehovah-Shepherd guarding and caring for the sheep of His pasture (Ezek. 34:11-13; Psa. 77:20; 95:7; Isa. 40:11). It has particular reference to the protection the Lord will give to restored Israel when enemies are still existent in the earth (Isa. 31:4-5; Zech. 9:8; 12:8). They rejoice over what the Lord has done. He has restored them, "He restoreth my soul," and caused them to be at rest in their promised inheritance "to lie down in green pastures" (vss, 2-3). Though they are still in "the valley of the shadow of death" through enemies existent, they fear no evil because the Lord is with them. Overwhelmed by the sense of the Lord's goodness and mercy, they see their future as dwelling in the presence of the Lord forever (vss. 4-6).
Psalm 24Psa 24
This psalm doses the series with Christ, the Icing of glory, associating Himself with "the excellent" in the earth—the saints (Psa. 16:3). Having taken possession of the earth by putting down the rebellious nations (seas and floods—compare Psalm 46:2-3; 65:7; 93:3-4), He enters the temple as the triumphant Jehovah. All who have purified themselves will also have the privilege of entering there for worship. This includes the Gentiles as well as Israel (vss. 7-10). Also see Ezekiel 43:1-5.