Remarks on the Psalms
Table of Contents
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 1
We live in a day when almost everything is being shaken. Things social, ecclesiastical, commercial, and political are being so convulsed, that men seem ready to doubt everything, and to have no certainty about anything. The changes, too, are often so sudden and unexpected, that people are fearing as to what may come next. God's revelation of His own mind in the scriptures is so questioned, and so many attempts made to undermine its eternal beauty and authority, that it behooves every child of God to be acquainted with its real authenticity, to save him from being indifferent, if not carried away in the vortex of the various and insidious attacks of unbelieving people.
To the spiritual reader of the scriptures, they increasingly bear to his mind the stamp of divine inspiration. He sees that every part of it forms a portion of a great whole. Though many instruments were employed in writing them, they carry with them the evidence of being under the direction of One almighty, all-wise, omniscient mind. Like the component parts of a powerful machine, the smallest part seems necessary to the whole. We could not give up any portion of the scriptures without serious loss, and confusion; for the great testimony of all the inspired writings is Christ. It was a deep scheme of the adversary to suggest misgiving as to the divine authorship of the books of Moses. To many it might appear a very small matter, because we should have so much scripture left that is unquestionable. This, however, is not really the case. Our Lord not only said that Moses wrote of Him, but so vital and fundamental in doctrine were his books, that He further said, " If ye believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will ye be persuaded though one rose from the dead;" and again, " If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:46, 47; Luke 16:31.) Besides, the books of Moses were so abundantly quoted by ancient prophets, and by the apostles, that the refusal of their authority is really to cast a doubt on almost every other book of scripture, and therefore to undermine the faith of the gospel. It is generally admitted that the ninetieth Psalm was written by Moses.
The Psalms bear abundant testimony to their divine authorship. Our Lord, in His ministry, often quoted from the Psalms. On one occasion He put the Pharisees to silence by pressing on them a part of Psalm ex. Again, when He entered into Jerusalem as king, when all the city was moved, and the children cried out, " Hosannah to the Son of David!" He met the angry scribes and chief priests, in justification of it, by a quotation from Psalm 8 And, further, when He took farewell of impenitent Jerusalem and its temple, He quoted from Psalm 118, to show that when the people are really in a state to receive Him, they will say, " Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (See Matt. 22:44; 21:16; 23:39.) His bitter cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" when in deepest agony on the cross, is found in Psalm 22
It is remarkable, too, that our Lord, after His resurrection, again authenticated the Psalms as part of the scriptures. When He demonstrated to the affrighted disciples the reality of His being Man, though risen from among the dead, by eating food before them, He referred to the Psalms, and the other divisions of the Old Testament, as authoritative, and as testifying of Himself. " He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me." (Luke 24:44.)
We find the apostles also constantly referring to the Psalms, both in their oral ministry, and in their inspired writings. In Peter's memorable sermon on the day of Pentecost, he quoted largely from the Psalms. He reminded them of the prophecy of David in Psalm 16, when he insisted on the reality of our Lord's resurrection from among the dead. After quoting from this psalm, he says, "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne (Psalm 132:11); he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [hades], neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up," &c. (Acts 2:25-32.) And more than this; for when he proceeded to speak of our Lord's exaltation to the right hand of God, he referred to Psalm ex. as having predicted it. He said, " For David is not yet ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:34-36.)
Again, when the saints were troubled at the persecuting power of their adversaries, and deeply felt their own helplessness, we find them, with one accord, bowing before the Lord in prayer, telling out to Him what was written in Psalm 2 (Acts 4:25, 26.)
When Paul also delivered his comprehensive and well-known discourse at Antioch, he referred to the Psalms. And it is important here to observe, that when he quotes from Psalm 2, he mentions it as the second, thus showing that the psalm which we now know as Psalm 2 was accredited as such in the earliest days of the church. Paul quotes from it to show that Jesus, the Savior and Messiah, was the Son of God. He also refers to Psalm 16 to show that Christ who died saw no corruption, but was raised again by God from the dead.
Moreover, the inspired epistles abound in quotations from the Psalms. When Paul, the apostle, writes on the thorough ruin of man, as living in sin and rebellion against God, he goes largely to the Psalms for scripture testimony on the point. And, after so doing, he adds, that " we know that whatsoever the Ιαιυ saith, it saith to them," &c, showing that he regarded the Psalms as part of the law. When the question of a sinner's being reckoned righteous was the subject, he appealed to the Psalms as authoritative on this fundamental doctrine. Referring to David—a man who lived under law—as an example of being accounted righteous on the same principle as one before law and after law, he quotes from Psalm 32 He says, " Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom. 4:6-8.) In other epistles also the apostle Paul quotes from the Psalms.
We find Peter, too, referring to Psalm 118, when writing on the rejection of Christ, as the Stone which the builders refused being made the head stone of the corner; and also from Psalm 34, to show that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears open to their prayer.
Enough evidence, we trust, has been adduced, to show how abundantly the Psalms have been authenticated by our Lord and His apostles.
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 2
The Psalms were written by various persons, though the chief writer was David. He tells us he was divinely inspired. He says, " The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and His word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Hock of Israel spake to me." He is called " The anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel." (2 Sam. 23:1-3.) Asaph also wrote several of the Psalms. The sons of Korah, who were mercifully saved from going down into the pit, and being swallowed up alive with their wicked father, are also thought to have written some of the Psalms. Their names are connected with eleven of them; but their authorship is by no means certain. To Ethan, the Ezrahite, is imputed the authorship of a few of the Psalms; and, as before observed, Psalm 90 is entitled, "A prayer of Moses."
The word " Selah" occurs frequently in this book: it means " pause," and calls special attention to the context. The word " Higgaion" means " meditation," and it seems to be put in to enjoin us to meditate on what we are reading. When, for instance, we read, " The wicked is snared in the work of his own hand," we are called to meditate thereon, and " Selah" being added, bids us to pause as well. (See Psalm 9:16.) The word " Anointed" may be translated " Messiah." Messiah and Christ both mean Anointed. Messiah is Hebrew, and Anointed Greek.
The Psalms are a series of songs divinely inspired, written in Hebrew poetry, by various persons, and at different times. Nearly every Psalm has a title. It is generally admitted that the titles or headings, such as, " Mitcham of David" over Psalm 16, meaning " A Golden Psalm of David, "are in the original. " Shiggaion," the title of Psalm 7 means " Wandering ode."
The Psalms are not put together in a disorderly or promiscuous manner. The more they are prayerfully studied in the presence of God—the only way of rightly learning the truth of God—the more they will appear to have been arranged under divine direction. It is true they do not come before us as a continuous discourse, like some other books of the Bible, but the way in which they follow each other, is sometimes very striking and instructive.
Nor are the Psalms presented to us in a chronological fashion, for future events are sometimes recorded before what has already passed. For instance, we find a beautiful description of the millennial reign of Christ in Psalm 8, while the details of His atoning sufferings on the cross are not recorded till Psalm 22 Again, the resurrection and ascension of Christ are clearly brought out in Psalm 16, but the incarnation, as being of the fruit of David's body, is found well-nigh at the end of the book. (Psalm 132:11.)
Perhaps no part of scripture is more read than the Psalms. One reason may be that from the brevity of many of them, a portion complete in itself can be quickly read. This may be the case with such as are pressed for time. Others are educated to read portions of them periodically, and do so as an accustomed duty. Others read them on account of the pious breathings, longings after God, making Him their refuge in trial, and hoping in His mercy. Many, however, we are persuaded, read this book of scripture because of its legal character: for, strange as ύ may appear, those who are in bondage, and do not know the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, like to associate with persons in a similar state, and read writings of the same stamp. We have heard of one, who, when he was passing through much soul-distress, derived comfort from reading Psalm 88., which had not one word of comfort in it; his comfort was that there had been a truly godly person who was just as miserable as himself. No doubt many in affliction and trial are in a similar way refreshed and cheered by reading certain portions of the Psalms, and helped, too, in being led to cast themselves upon God.
Like the other scriptures, the Psalms were written for our learning and blessing, and, when spiritually apprehended, give us most profitable and comforting instruction. When we have a right sense of the true meaning of these divine songs, and can approach them as those who enjoy our new creation-standing, blessings, and relationships, into which the grace of God has brought us, and ponder them in dependence on the Holy Ghost, we find the book of Psalms to be an exhaustless source of blessing.
The Psalms consist of five books. They are so divided by the Hebrews. The different lines of instruction which the various books present are very apparent.
The first book consists of forty-one Psalms, and ends with, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen." Psalm 41:13.
The second book begins with Psalm 42, and ends with Psalm 72 The last words are, " Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen. The prayers of David, the son of Jesse are ended.יי This book consists of thirty-one Psalms.
The third book contains only seventeen Psalms. It extends from Psalm 73 to Psalm 89., and concludes with, " Blessed be the Lord God for evermore. Amen and amen."
The fourth book commences with Psalm 90, and ends with Psalm 106 It consists of seventeen Psalms. It ends with, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting, and let all the earth say, Amen, praise ye the Lord.'
The remaining Psalms comprise the fifth book. It consists of forty-four Psalms, and its last words are, " Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."
The Subject of the Psalms.
The great subject of which the Psalms treat has often been overlooked. By those who indulge in what is called spiritualizing the Old Testament scriptures, and imagine that every good thing there spoken of must belong to the church of God, have been bold enough to say that the Book of Psalms gives us an embodiment of all the great principles of Christianity; but if this statement be quietly and patiently tested, it will be found to be a serious mistake. That " all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable," is blessedly true; but that much of the scripture is neither addressed to, nor descriptive of, us, is also equally true. Though not written directly to us, nor about us, it is, however, all written for us, and reads us very precious lessons as to the patience, grace, and faithfulness of God, while it reveals over and over again man's thorough ruin, and in subjection to His will. For instance, the prophet Isaiah gives us "the word that he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem" (Isa. 1:1; 2:1); and though his prophecy is about Judah and Jerusalem, and addressed to those who lived in the days of Hezekiah and other kings of Judah, yet who among us has not gathered up sweet instruction concerning the person, path of humiliation, death, glory, and the reign of the true Messiah before His ancients gloriously; and also of Jehovah's patient grace and faithfulness to His ancient people?
With regard to the subject of which the Psalms treat, it is unmistakably clear that we find in them the doctrines of forgiveness of sins, and of righteousness reckoned without works, with many utterances of pious souls in trouble making God their refuge, and speaking of the blessedness of trusting in Him; but no one would say that these are peculiar and essential principles of Christianity, because they have been true, as to every believer, from Abel downwards, long before the precious doctrines of the church of God were revealed.
AW, however, we know that God has been revealed as Father, and that babes in Christ are spoken of as knowing the Father, and having the cry of Abba, Father: but in the Book of Psalms, though God is known as Jehovah, the Lord God,, the Almighty, the God of Israel, and the Most High, yet the Father, in the peculiar relationship of Christianity was not then revealed, nor is He once named in the Psalms.
We now are taught that believers are " blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ," of which there is no mention in the Psalms; instead of which God's earthly people are here contemplated, and are taught to look forward to an earthly inheritance—" Those that wait upon Jehovah, they shall inherit the earth. ·.. He shall exalt thee to inherit the land." (Psalm 37:9, 29, 34.)
It is since the glorification of Christ Jesus, and not before (see John 7:39), that the Holy Ghost has come down to seal and indwell us until the redemption of the purchased possession, and also to unite to Christ in heaven, everyone who knows remission of sins through His blood; whereas, in the Psalms, David Himself is heard to cry out, " Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." By this we understand that instead of their being sealed by the Holy Spirit, and indwelt by that other Comforter abiding with them forever, as we are, holy men, like David and others, were now and then moved by the Holy Ghost to prophesy; and this was so blessed to them, that they wished He might thus continue with them. Though the Holy Ghost has always been the divine Teacher and power of blessing, we judge they had little sense of His operations, except when moved to prophesy. "Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." It is no marvel, then, that any should say, " Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." How different is the writing of an apostle to us, " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30.) Again, believers are now addressed as a new creation in Christ Jesus, and members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, a relationship which could not have existed before the death and resurrection of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. With what confidence the apostle writes to us, saying, "We are members of his body" and " He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." A wondrous relationship, indeed! (See Eph. 2:15; 3:5, 9; 5:30; 1 Cor. 6:17.)
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 3
Another precious and essential truth of Christianity is that the veil is rent, because redemption has been accomplished; and Jesus is gone into heaven by His own blood. Hence we have purged consciences, with liberty to approach God as our Father, and to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus for worship and communion. Blessings and privileges we now therefore have, which were wholly unknown until the finished work of Christ had actually taken place. In the Psalms, we find no idea of these heavenly blessings; on the contrary, their sanctuary is on earth, and worship is spoken of as at Jehovah's footstool; a point of all importance to notice. " Exalt ye Jehovah our God, and worship at his footstool, for he is holy;" and again, " We will go into his tabernacles, we will worship at his footstool." (Psalm 99:5; 132:7.) How great the contrast between these words of the inspired psalmist, and those of an inspired apostle, when he says: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. 10)
The true hope of the Christian, which is the coming of the Lord at any time, when we shall be caught up to meet Him in the air, and so be " forever with the Lord," is not found in the Psalms; but His coming to Israel, to reign over the earth, and to judge the world in righteousness are repeatedly set forth, as suited to the people there contemplated. It is clear that our hope was not fully known in its details, till it was revealed to Paul the apostle—" by the word of the Lord"- for us. (See 1 Thess. 4:15.)
Thus, however much we may have recorded in the Psalms for our instruction, (and, thank God, there is an abundance of it), yet we have seen that the special doctrines of Christianity do not come within their scope. The New Testament epistles set forth the heavenly calling, heavenly standing, heavenly relationships, accomplished redemption, rent veil, worship in Spirit and in truth, the indwelling, sealing, and communion, of the Holy Ghost, and the hope of our Lord's return. For these then we must look to the Epistles. We do find in the Psalms the calling, hope, worship, relationships, and experiences suited to God's earthly people, and (ever to be remembered), all written for our learning, blessed be God! But we may rest assured that those only, who can distinguish between instruction concerning God's ancient people Israel, and that about the church of God, will be able rightly to divide the word of truth.
The fact is, that David who is the chief writer of the Psalms, informs us himself that he was " the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel." (2 Sam. 23:1.) This gives us a key to unlock the great subject of the Psalms; and we do press this point, because of its importance, that he is not called the sweet psalmist of the church, but " the sweet psalmist of Israel," God's earthly people. Instead then of the people being described there as partakers of a heavenly calling, they are again and again spoken of as having been called from Egypt to Canaan -brought out of Egypt and led through the wilderness into the land of promise. (Psalm 78; 105)
Their hope, too, is constantly referred to as " the earth" or "the land." We read," They shall inherit the earth" Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth." " The righteous shall inherit the land" " He shall exalt thee to inherit the land." (Psalm 37:9, 11, 22, 29.) Earthly glory seems to be the hope of the faithful in this book. We see the longing of their hearts expressed in such words as, " Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Judah shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." Again, "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yea, the set time is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When Jehovah shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory." (Psalm 14:7; 102:13-16.) Their hope therefore, is, that Jehovah will come and judge the earth, and establish them in the land of promise. Then they will know that His eyes will be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Him; and that He will early destroy all the wicked of the land, and cut off all wicked doers from the city of Jehovah. (Psalm 96:13; 98:9; 101:6-8.)
The experiences too of the godly in the Psalms, though they have much in common with pious people at all periods, yet, in some respects, are they peculiarly their own; for experience and conduct must always be according to known relationships. For instance, their distress is very great because their city Jerusalem has been laid in heaps, and the carved work of their beautiful temple broken. They say, "They break down the carved work thereof with axes and hammers. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary: they have defiled by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground. (Psalm 74:6, 7.) Moreover, their prayers are for vengeance upon their enemies. Instead of loving their enemies, praying for them that de-spitefully use them, and supplicating God to save sinners, they say, " Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen, and render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach." And again, " Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones." (Psalm 79:6, 12; 137:9.) All this, however, is consistent, with a dispensation of law and righteousness, and a people having an earthly calling, blessings, and hope. But how different from the injunctions of an apostle—" If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." How unlike the perfect One, who prayed for His murderers, saying, 66 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Happy those who can now say, " Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body and fashion it like unto his glorious body." (Rom. 12:20, 21; Luke 23:34; Phil. 3:20, 21.)
We cannot be too often reminded that it is the Holy Ghost alone who guides into all truth; so that we need His operation to be taught rightly any portion of God's word. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." It is only by the Holy Ghost, that we discern, receive, know, or give forth to others, spiritual things. (1 Cor. 2) Thus, though born of God, and forever blessed in Christ, we are in constant dependence on the Spirit. We need to watch, lest we take up, and traffic in, divine truth, by mere natural intellect.
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 4
The quotations from the Psalms are not without striking significance. The careful way in which the apostles selected parts of Psalms in their inspired epistles, sometimes stopping in the middle of a sentence, because of what followed being suited only to another dispensation, shows how they were guided in distinguishing between that which suited a heavenly people, the church of God, and that which belongs to the earthly people, the Jews. Nor is this mode of treating Old Testament scriptures limited to the Psalms. When our Lord stood up in the synagogue of Nazareth, and read from the prophet Isaiah, He concluded the quotation, and shut the book, in the middle of a sentence. We are told, " When he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and he closed the book and sat down." (Luke 4:17-20.) Now on turning to Isa. 61:2 it will be found that our Lord stopped His reading in the middle of a sentence; and why? Because He was showing that the prophet spake of Him, and that he was there setting forth the character of His own present ministry, for he added, " This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." The next words, "and the day of vengeance of our God," stand in contrast with "the acceptable year of the Lord," and depended on the rejection of Messiah. It would, therefore, have been unsuitable to our Lord's object to proceed further with the reading.
We may also refer to the apostle Paul's quotation from Isa. 52:7 in Rom. 10:15 for another example of a similar dealing with scripture. He says, "As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel é peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" and here the apostle abruptly ends his quotation. And why? Because the words that follow, though applicable to the people of Israel when Messiah reigns, are inapplicable to the church on earth during our Lord's absence. When we are received to glory, and Israel is again taken up by God, and restored to their own land, under the blessing of Messiah's rule, then the words of the prophet so carefully omitted will have their fall accomplishment, "That saith unto Zion, thy king reigneth." (Isa. 52:7.)
Nor is such distinction less carefully marked in the Psalms. When Peter, the apostle of the circumcision, is guided by the Spirit to quote from Psalm 34 to show how near God is to the righteous, and how much against evil-doers, he writes, " For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." Here the apostle stops, before finishing the sentence, because the next words, " to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" are wholly inapplicable to us, who are called to suffer for Christ's sake, to be rejected with Him, and to lay down our lives for the brethren; whereas a Jew's hope is connected with promised blessing in the earth—long life and prosperity in it; and these are to him the tokens of divine favor. (See Deut. 28:1-13.)
Let us now turn to Psalm ex. Repeatedly in the Epistle to the Hebrews are the words quoted, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek"; but never with the words that follow—" The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath." The reason is obvious. Now Christ is our High Priest, not after the Aaronic order of change, but of the Melchizedek order of unchangeableness; and, though He now carries on for us the Aaronic functions, He is, and ever will be, our blessing Priest. But when Israel shall know Him as their Priest, he will be also reigning in kingly majesty and glory, and putting kings and all enemies under His feet. Then He shall bear "the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne" (Zech. 6:13.)
Again, we may notice a quotation from Psalm 44 When, in Rom. 8, the apostle writes on the present sufferings of saints, he quotes from the twenty-second verse of that psalm, " As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter,' and in using it for us, he shows that " in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." But on looking at the context in the psalm 44 the sufferers there are in deep anxiety calling upon God to save them from their oppressors, and to redeem them out of their hands. They say, " Awake, why sleepest thou, Ο Jehovah? Arise! cast us not off forever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction, and our oppression?.... Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake." We need not say how unsuitable such language would be for us.
Look at another quotation. In Eph. 4, speaking of the ascended Christ having given gifts, the apostle quotes from Psalm 68,, " Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts for men." Here the quotation ends in the middle of a verse. The reason no doubt is, that in Ephesians the Spirit by the apostle speaks of gifts for the edification of the body of Christ coming from the ascended Head, to a people most of whom were Gentiles and not before in relationship to God. Whereas, when the psalmist speaks of gifts for men from the same triumphant Savior who "led captivity captive," he adds," yea, for the rebellious also [though they had been rebellious, they will then be restored Israel], that the Lord God might dwell among them."'
What the Psalms Teach.
From the above considerations, is it not plain, whatever may be the instruction to us, that the persons taken up in the Psalms are the people of Israel. And, this being the case, could it be possible that David, as a prophet, could omit to speak of the future godly remnant that will pass through the scene of unparalleled tribulation referred to by other prophets and also by our Lord? And could Israel either in her future sorrow, or subsequent blessing (when it will be said, " Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord,") be contemplated, without Messiah's sufferings and His reign also being set forth? It is not therefore to be wondered at that Messiah is so often brought before us in various ways throughout the Psalms. Some of the lessons then to be gathered from this precious portion of divine truth are,
1. The government of God; for though they be His earthly people, yet His ways in government must always be agreeable to the perfections of His own nature.
2. The sympathy of Christ with His own people.
Even when suffering for their evil ways. His heart could enter into their distress, for " in all their afflictions he was afflicted." Though personally free. He entered into this in perfect grace.
3. The Psalms present to us also the person of Christ, the Son, Messiah, Son of man; His perfect ways in a life of dependence, communion and faith; His sufferings from man for righteousness' sake, from God in making atonement for our sins upon the cross, and His deep sorrow of heart on account of His people. His death, resurrection,, glorification, priesthood and reign are all brought before us in this marvelous book. Christ must be the subject of the inspired writings, for He said, "The scriptures testify of me." It is possible to get truths apart from Him, but never the truth, for He is "the truth."
4. We find here also deep lessons of practical piety, and the ways of faith, full of instruction to us, and true of the faithful in every dispensation.
5. The way in which God deals with, and restores His people—the path of sorrow, self-judgment, and humiliation into which He leads them, before they are brought into those blessings His mercy has purposed for them.
No doubt there are many more precious lessons to be gathered from this blessed book, for, like every other part of God's word, its depth and range cannot but be infinite. May we meditate on it, with unfeigned dependence on the Holy Ghost!
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 5
As a suffering remnant of godly Israelites is frequently brought before us in the Psalms, it may be well now to point out briefly some of the distinctions which scripture makes in dispensations. Without some knowledge of dispensational truth, it cannot be understood what are the characteristics of the remnant, and where, in the order of events, their future history will come in.
Dispensations.
1. In Adam, before he fell, we behold man in innocence. (Gen. 2)
2. After sin came in, we see men from Adam to Moses, going on as having a conscience^ and responsible to God for what he saw of His ways in creation. During this period man turned god-maker, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator. (Rom. 1:19-32.)
3. From Moses to Christ, we see men under law; and they fell into such gross idolatry, that God gave them into captivity to their enemies. (Exod. 24:3-8; John 1:17.)
4. From the death and resurrection of Christ, and the descent of the Holy Ghost to the Lord's coming, God is calling out and forming the church- the body of Christ; and preaching grace to sinners—to every creature under heaven. His ancient people being for the most part in hardness of heart, scattered because of their sins—Israel outcast, and Judah dispersed. (Eph. 2:15-22; 4:10-13; Matt. 16:15; Rom. 11:25)
5. Between the rapture of the saints at our Lord's coming, and the Lord's appearing with His saints, the Spirit of God will move the hearts and consciences of a remnant of Jews; for though many Jews will be cut off in the time of the great tribulation, a remnant will be spared, brought through this time of "Jacob's trouble," and introduced into their promised blessing in the land spoken of by the prophets. It is of these godly ones that the Psalms so often speak. (Matt. 24:21, 22; Zech. 13:9; Dan. 12:1.)
6. At our Lord's appearing in glory, He will bring in the millennial period of blessing, by judging the living, and putting all enemies under His feet; and, at the close of the thousand years, He will execute the judgment of the wicked dead at "the great white throne." (Isa. 11; Rev. 20)
7. Everything now having been subdued by Jesus the Son of Man, it will be followed by "a new heaven, and a new earth," in which righteousness will dwell—the eternal state. (Rev. 21:1-8.)
Man was created in a state of innocence; he was " made upright;" after the fall and before law, he was " filled with all unrighteousness;" under law, righteousness was demanded from man in the way of works; by the gospel, righteousness is reckoned by God to man on the principle of faith; in millennial times, righteousness will reign, and, in the eternal state, righteousness will dwell.
In thus taking a hasty glance at the various ways in which God has been pleased to try man and to make Himself known, we cannot fail to see, that it has seemed good to Him to show what His creature man was in a state of innocence; what he was as a fallen creature having a conscience without law; what he was in responsibility to God as under law; what he is now under the ministry of the gospel of the grace of God preached by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, while the church is being formed; what man will be after Satan has been bound for a thousand years and the personal reign of Christ, before the eternal state. In all these changes as regards man's responsibility, we must remember that God is the same, and that He always acts agreeably with the perfection of His own nature. These various ways of God with man at different periods, are what are generally known by the name of 66 Dispensations."
Properly speaking, we cannot say that the time of the deep exercises through which a godly remnant of Jews will pass, so often referred to in the Psalms, is a dispensation; it is more of a transition state which comes in between the rapture of the saints and the Lord's being manifested with us in glory. It is rather a preparatory process of deep sifting and of God's governmental dealing with them, before they are brought into their blessing.
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 6
From what we have already noticed in the Psalms, the intelligent christian reader will be prepared to find that this remnant, like all pious Jews, are legal in their thoughts, in spiritual bondage, not knowing redemption, relying upon their own righteousness, longing for God to judge their wicked oppressors, and having no sense of the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. When the chief features of the people so prominently set forth in the Psalms are seen, the proper application of some parts to Messiah, and others to a remnant of Jews in sorrow, and circumstances of distress becomes apparent; and also the impossibility of many portions being now taken up by Christians as suitable to them. Nothing can more clearly show how far Christians have declined, and merged into principles of Judaism, than the improper application they make of the Psalms. We will try to explain our meaning, by briefly referring to a few examples, which are widely known.
Some mistakes from not distinguishing between GOD'S earthly and heavenly people.
It is from not discerning the difference between the earthly calling of the people of Israel, and the heavenly calling of Christians; and, consequently, not distinguishing between those who are associated with a sanctuary on earth and those whose citizenship is heaven, and who worship within the veil, that has been the source of serious mistakes both injurious to souls and dishonoring to God. In a word, this misapplication of truth has lowered the heavenly character of the church of God to a Jewish order of ritual and worship.
If, for instance, you inquire of some professing Christians, why they sanction "congregational worship," or union in worship by a promiscuous assembly of believers and unbelievers, you are at once met with a reply quoted from Psalm 67, "Let the people praise Thee, Ο God; let all the people praise Thee." (Vers. 3, 5.) Whereas, on carefully reading the whole Psalm, it will be seen that it contemplates a people living at a period of future blessing on earth, when God will judge the people righteously (instead of preach grace to sinners as He does now), when Israel will be peculiarly blessed by God above all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
The Psalms are also quoted as authority for the use of instrumental music as an adjunct to christian worship. An inquirer is at once referred to such verses as " Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song, play skillfully with a loud noise." Again, " It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High.... upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.' (Psalm 33:2; 92:1-3.) It needs we judge but little spiritual discernment to see that an order of service may be suited to an earthly people connected with a worldly sanctuary, and an earthly order of religious ordinances, and yet be quite unsuited to children of God—"a spiritual house," a people blessed in Christ in heavenly places, and indwelt by the Holy Ghost.
Therefore, we find in the Epistles, not only the entire absence of any idea of such congregational worship, and of instrumental music, but instead of these things, we are admonished to " Sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also," and to sing "with grace in our hearts to the Lord." How definitely too our Lord's teaching on the subject of worship, marked the change that had taken place since Jerusalem had been the place of worship, and how clearly also He set forth the kind of worship which now pleases God. Jesus said, " Believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But 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. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4. 21-24.)
It would have been impossible for the children of God to have adopted the use of the Psalms as hymns of worship, had they stood fast in the Lord, and owned the presence of the Holy Ghost on earth. So long as the contrast between the law and grace had power on the heart and conscience, worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth, would be known as becoming the objects of the Father's love. Such must certainly find that the legal tone of the Psalms, the frequent desire for vengeance on their enemies, the absence of our present standing and relationship, and entire silence as to the Father, whom the happy child of God delights to worship, would render them unsuitable for the expression of his heart's desires. Having known Christ, brought to rejoice in the redemption which He has accomplished, and taught by the Holy Ghost to have Him before the soul, His precious words comfort the heart, and His desire that we should love our enemies, and pray for them that despitefully use us, and persecute us, mark plainly the Christian's path. The doctrines of union with Christ glorified, the rent veil, and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, being entirely unknown in the Psalms, are enough to show how inadequate they are to express that character of worship which is now acceptable to the Father. It is manifest also how the practice of singing such sentiments, though most proper for a godly Jew, tend to keep the heart at a distance from God, and to lower Christianity to Judaism.
Remarks on the Psalms: Part 7
Portions of the Psalms are also referred to as authority for the gospel being the instrument designed by God for the conversion of the world. Some readily point to Psalm 2 The words, " Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession," are often wrested from the context as proof of the world's conversion by the gospel. Whereas, the words which immediately follow are, " Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel," and plainly show that it is judgment upon the enemies of Christ, and not salvation, of which this scripture speaks; and that He will take possession of the earth by righteous power, for when He comes out of heaven, He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. It is not grace here, but wrath; hence it is added, " Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little." (Psalm 2:8-12.) Or, part of Psalm 67 maybe quoted, " That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.....Ο let the nations be glad and sing for joy." Whereas the next words are, " For thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth, Selah;" which show that the time referred to here is not now, but when the Lord takes to Himself His great power and reigns, and the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ.
There is another matter for which refuse is taken in the Psalms for authority, we mean the practice of naming a building on earth, which may be used for preaching, " the house of God," or " the house of the Lord." It is quite true that it is there stated, " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah;" but what house is this? Do not the next words plainly show that it is the temple at Jerusalem, and no other house? "Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together, whither the tribes go up, the tribes of Jehovah, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of Jehovah." (Psalm 122:14.) Can there be a doubt that it is Israel's future which is here contemplated? So tenacious are many in regarding a certain character of building as the " house of God," and so entirely has the spiritual character of worship and service been let slip, that it is not uncommon to find the very words used in reference to the temple of Jerusalem, and the Jewish worship of Jehovah, applied to ecclesiastical buildings on earth now. Sometimes it may be seen in large letters over a building used for preaching and other ecclesiastical practices, " Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise." But we need only to read through the whole Psalm to discover that it points to the time of Israel's period of future blessing on the earth, when the temple with its services, worship, sacrifices and certain feasts will be restored, and celebrated according to the due order for Jehovah's glory. See Psalm 51:18, 19; Eze. 40:18.
However Christendom may have let slip many of the special doctrines of Christianity, and appropriated Jewish things to themselves, because a legal and carnal order of religion always gives man a place of importance, and distinction in the world; we trust enough evidence has been brought forward to show that the great subject of the Psalms is not the church, but Israel, a godly remnant of suffering ones, and, of course, much of their Messiah is also brought before us. Apostate Jews are every here and there referred to, and the distinction between the righteous remnant, and ungodly people of the land, remarkably kept up.
As before observed, the Psalms are divided into five books. We will now, in concluding our remarks, notice some of the leading characters of each of these books.
Book I. The whole of the first forty-one Psalms are included in this book. From the references to the temple, the utterances of the tried people, and other features, it seems to set forth the experience of the suffering remnant of faithful Jews while yet in Jerusalem, prior to their flight. More therefore is said of their Messiah, and especially of His personal history, than in any other book of the Psalms. He is set before us as the blessed Man, His Anointed, God's Son, God's King, rejected by the people, yet the Son of man, the last Adam, having all put under His feet. We have also His experiences and ways in life, His sufferings, His death as forsaken of God, His resurrection, and the King of glory remarkably brought out in this book. Messiah's death is surely that on which all their hopes are founded.
We must not forget that the suffering of the faithful in Israel at the close will be from ungodly and apostate Jews, the apostate Gentile power headed up in the beast, with the consciousness too of suffering under the hand of God in His governmental dealings with them on account of their sins. Though being upright in heart, under some teaching of the Spirit, and inspired with Jewish hopes, they do not know deliverance and redemption; hence, as before observed, their legal state, fears, and misery, with only now and then a gleam of hope.
Book II. begins with Psalm 42 and ends with Psalm 72. It is clear from the first few verses in the book that they are no longer keeping holy-day, or connected with the temple service in Jerusalem, but far away at Mount Hermon, cast down, and yet not without hope in God. They feel that the wicked are in power, and speak reproachfully, saying, " Where is thy God?" Having fled from Judea to the distant mountains, according to our Lord's word in Matt. 24:16, they seem not to have now the sense of relationship with Jehovah, so that we find them making God (rather than Jehovah) their refuge, as in the first book.
They are in deepest distress. It is the unparalleled period of the great tribulation. They have fled to escape death; yet they realize that God is their refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The last Psalm of this book gives us a beautiful prophecy of the millennial reign of Christ, the true David and Solomon.
Book III. We have seen that the first and second books follow each other as to time. Not so this book. It extends from Psalm 73 to the end of Psalm 89 If the first book gives us the experiences of a godly remnant of faithful Jews at the close before the great tribulation, and the second book the experience of faithful Jews who have fled, we have in the third book the experience of faithful ones in all Israel, in both of these periods. No doubt, besides these points we have great general principles.
This book opens with the gracious announcement that " God is good to Israel." Sometimes they call upon Him as God, and at others remember that He is their Jehovah. The thoughts of the faithful Israelite are not right about the wicked who prosper in the world, till he gets " into the sanctuary of God." At the close of the book, his difficulty is, with all God's promises to David, how to understand His ways in governmental wrath, profaning the king's crown, and casting it down to the ground. In spite of all, they still have some hope in Jehovah, and make Him their refuge.
Book IV., as has been often said, sets forth the bringing in of the First-begotten into the world. (Heb. 1:6.) When He came last it was as the " only-begotten"—God gave His only-begotten Son; when He appears in glory it will be as the First-begotten—the First-born from among the dead. This book extends from Psalm 90 to 106. It is the reign of Jehovah-Jesus. He is great in Zion. All the earth is called to fear before Him. It is frequently said, Jehovah reigneth. He cometh to judge the earth, reign in righteousness, when He will remember His mercy and His truth to the house of Israel, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.
Christ, as the rejected Messiah, but as yet to build up Zion, and to appear in His glory, is remarkably presented in this book, (102.) The blessings too of Messiahs reign, not only in forgiving the sins of His people Israel, but healing all their diseases, as well as His goodness to creation, are also found here. (Psalm 103; 104) The book concludes with an epitome of God's power, goodness, and faithfulness to His people (Psalm 105), and their rebellion and unfaithfulness to Him. (Psalm 106)
Book V. extends from Psalm 107 to the end. It gives the expression of the various feelings, and experiences of the faithful in the last days, before actually entering into their millennial blessings. They have faith in Jehovah, the name of their God constantly used here, as recognizing their true relationship, to be afterward fully established when Jehovah their King reigns before His ancients gloriously.
The faithful in Israel are looked at as redeemed, though going through various exercises under the government of God (Psalm 107); but the One who is now sitting at Jehovah's right hand is coming to reign in Zion, make His foes His footstool, and establish His people in blessing as the true Melchisedec priest; for then, in the day of His power, His ancient people, now outcast, will be willing. (Ps. ex.) The place given by the faithful to the word of God, in all its divine authority, is strikingly set forth (Psalm 119); the character of the kingdom (Psalm 145), and the goodness of God in connection with its introduction, full of encouragement to the faithful. The book ends with abundant praise to Jehovah. The last words are, "Let everything that hath breath, praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah."