The testimony of Christ―the faithful witness―in the midst of an evil world.
This psalm reviews the whole history of Christ in His path of suffering through this world. They see in Him the faithful witness for God, and that all their blessing is secured through Christ. Hence their only plea before God is Christ; His sacrifice and His petitions. It is no longer the witness of creation, as in Psalms 19, but the witness of a living Person―God’s Anointed―come down into the midst of an ungodly people, and suffering at the hands of men.
The psalm anticipates the recognition by the godly Jews that the suffering and rejected Christ is the Anointed of God―their Saviour. Simeon, in the gospel day sees in Christ God’s salvation, while at the same time he recognizes that He will be rejected of the nation―One that is “spoken against” (Luke 2:3434And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Luke 2:34)). Simeon and those associated with him represent the godly remnant of the latter day, and anticipate their experiences.
(v. 1) The godly identifying themselves with the rejected Christ, see Him “in the day of trouble” surrounded by His enemies, and look to Jehovah to defend Him.
(v. 2) They see the trouble deepen. Gethsemane is reached, and they look to Jehovah to send Him help and strength (Luke 22:4343And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:43)).
(v. 3) The cross comes into view, and the godly desire that the great sacrifice may go up as a sweet savor to Jehovah.
(v. 4) On the ground of the accepted sacrifice, they look to Jehovah to answer the desires of the heart of Christ.
(v. 5) The godly, realizing that their blessing is bound up with the deliverance of Christ from death by the intervention of God, express their joy and confidence in God. They say, “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.” Owning that all blessing depends upon Christ, and not upon themselves, they say, “The LORD hear thee”; “defend thee”; “send thee help”; “strengthen thee”; “Remember all thy offerings”; “Accept thy burnt sacrifice”; “fulfill all thy counsel,” and “fulfill all thy petitions.”
(vv. 6-9) The assurance of faith that Christ will be heard, and that Jehovah will intervene with “the saving strength of his right hand,” and deliver His Anointed in resurrection power, gives the remnant the confidence that all His enemies will be brought down, and His own raised up. Thus Christ, risen and exalted, becomes the resource of His people.