Many who read the Psalms overlook the proper dispensational setting into which the Spirit of God has put them and import the Christian’s standing, experience and hope. This is a mistake because the Psalms really do not rise to the height of the Christian’s understanding and blessing. A careful study of the Psalms will show that they are not Christian but rather Jewish in their interpretation.
Six Reasons Why The name of the Father Jewish and not Christian
1) The name of the Father which marks Christianity is not known (Rom. 8:14-15, Gal. 4:6). Hence eternal life is not enjoyed (Jn. 17:3). The prayers and praises in the Psalms are directed instead to Jehovah (LORD)— His covenant relationship name to Israel, and to God (Elohim)— His creatorial name.
2) There is not the knowledge of Christ’s finished work on the cross and the believer’s perfect acceptance in Him before God (Eph. 1:6). Consequently those in the Psalms do not have a purged conscience (Heb. 9:14, 10:2, 22) nor do they know peace with God (Rom. 5:1). There is still a fear that God will judge them for their sins even after they have been confessed. See Ps. 25:7, 11, 18, Ps. 38:1-4, Ps. 51:9-11, etc.
3) Those in the Psalms are not sealed with the Holy Spirit as Christians are (Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30). The indwelling abiding presence of the Spirit is not known (Jn. 14:16). Compare Ps. 51:11.
4) The hope in the Psalms is to possess the kingdom on earth with its earthly blessings (Ps. 37:22, Ps. 65:10, Ps. 107:37, etc.). This is right and proper for the Jew, but the Christian has a heavenly hope, calling and destiny which is not known in the Psalms (Phil. 3:20-21. Col. 1:5, Heb. 3:1, 2 Cor 5:1).
5) The worship and praise in the Psalms is that of Jewish order in an earthly temple (Ps. 5:7, Ps. 26:6-8, Ps. 27:4-6, etc.), with the aid of musical instruments (Ps. 68:25, Ps.149-150). Those in the Psalms worship Jehovah (LORD), whereas proper Christian worship is of the Father and the Son in spirit and truth, in the immediate presence of God within the veil (Jn. 4:21-23, Phil. 3:3, Heb. 10:19-22, 1 Pet. 2:5)
6) Those in the Psalms cry out for vengeance on their persecutors and enemies (i.e. Imprecatory Psalms—see footnote on Psalm 5). This maybe proper for the Jew whose inheritance is earthly and must be possessed through physical combat, but is certainly not the attitude of the Christian. The Christian blesses those who curse him and prays for them that despitefully use him (Lk. 6:27-28). He does not invoke judgment on his persecutors (Rom. 12:19-21).
This does not mean that the Christian should not read or make applications from the Psalms for his circumstances in life. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness...” (2 Tim. 3:16). “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). The Psalms can give much comfort to the saints in all ages. There are three main trials in the Psalms that are common to the people of God of all times; persecution (i.e. Ps. 3-5), chastening (i.e. Ps. 6), and slander, (i.e. Ps. 7). Comfort can be gained through applying these trials in principle to the believer today. But it is a mistake to think that they give the true Christian standing, experience and hope. The primary application of the Psalms then is not to Christ and the Church, but to Israel and their Messiah.
To properly appreciate the marvelous order of the Psalms it is necessary that the reader have some understanding of prophecy regarding Israel. The Bible teaches that there yet awaits a literal restoration of Israel to their homeland and a fulfillment of their blessings promised to them. But nowhere in the Word of God does this refer to every Israelite by birth. The blessings promised to the nation will be accomplished in the remnant who hold to the Word of God and the promises of God. The great mass of the Jews today are rationalists, infidels, materialistic, and even atheistic, and will be cut off by the judgments of the Lord. Just as the apostates in Christendom will not share in the blessings promised to real believers, the apostates in Israel will not share in their national promises and blessings.
After the church has been taken to glory by the corning of the Lord (sometimes called the rapture, Jn. 14:2-3, 1 Thes. 4:16-18) there will be a time of tribulation for seven years (called a “week”, Dan. 9:27). During this time God will cause a national return of the Jews (the two tribes) to their homeland (Isa. 18:1-4).
The mass of the Jews will have no heart for God and will enter into a covenant with the newly revived Roman empire (a confederacy of ten nations from western Europe called “the Beast” Dan 2:41-43, 7:7, Rev. 13:1) for what they think will provide protection. There will be, however, a godly remnant among the Jews that will truly fear God and tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2). They will preach the gospel of the kingdom (Mt. 24:14) and suffer reproach and persecution for their faithfulness to God. In the last 3½ years (“the great tribulation”) a man called “the little horn” will rise up and take over the revived Roman empire (Dan. 7:8, Rev. 13:1-9). He will also be called the “the Beast.” Shortly thereafter another man will rise up in the land of Israel among the Jews and will be received by them as their (false) Messiah (Jn. 5:43, Rev. 13:11-18). He is Antichrist, the man of sin (2 Thes. 2:3-12). The Beast and Antichrist together will force idolatry on their subjects in the way of worshipping an image of the Beast (Rev. 13:14-15). The godly remnant for conscience sake will not receive Antichrist and will consequently be persecuted the more for it; to the point where they will be forced to flee from Jerusalem to the remote parts of the land, and even outside the land altogether. God will allow this to continue for a time (the last 3½ years) and will use it to cause the remnant to search their hearts as to their own uprightness before Him.
Near the end of the seven years of tribulation God will raise up a confederacy of Arab nations under the leadership of “the King of the North” (Ps. 83:1-8). The armies of these confederate nations will enter and desolate the land of Israel (Dan. 11:40-45, Joel 2:1-11, Isa. 28:18-19). This is called the first attack of the Assyrian. God will use them to destroy the ungodly Jews who have received Antichrist and who worship the image of the Beast. But the remnant will be providentially preserved having fled to the caves and dens of the earth (Mt. 24:16). At about this time the Beast and his armies will come in from the west in an effort to rescue the Jews (Rev. 16:13-14, Num. 24:24). As the western armies enter the land, the Lord will appear from heaven in flaming fire to judge them (Rev, 16:15-21, 19:11-21, 2 Thes. 1:8, 2:8, Jude 14-15). The King of the North’s conquest through the land of Israel by this time will have proceeded into Egypt. In Egypt he will hear tidings of the movements of the other armies coming in and will return to the land of Israel and also be destroyed by the Lord (Dan. 8:24-25, 11:44-45).
The Lord’s appearing at this time will not only be for the destruction of the Gentile powers, but also for the deliverance of the godly remnant of Jews and for the restoration of the 10 tribes of Israel (Lk. 18:1-8, Dan. 12:1-2). The Jews will look on Him Whom they have pierced and mourn in repentance and be restored to the Lord (Zec. 12:10-14, 13:1). The ten tribes will then be gathered back into the land of Israel and will also be restored to the Lord (Ezk. 20:34, 34:11-16, 36:16-38, 37:1-28, Mt. 24:31). As the tribes of Israel are settling in their land, Russia and their enormous hordes will come down from the north in effort to overthrow Israel (Ezk. 38-39). This is also called the second attack of the Assyrian. The Lord, however, will defend restored Israel at this time. He will go forth out of Zion (Jerusalem) and destroy those armies (Joel 3:16, Isa. 10:33-34, 33:10-12). After this the Millennium (the 1000 year reign of Christ) will be ushered in with all its glory.
Understanding this simple sequence of prophetic events regarding Israel greatly helps us when we study the Psalms. The Psalms themselves do not contain prophecy, properly speaking, but rather develop the moral history of the remnant of Israel during the period when prophecy will be fulfilled, the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:27). The Psalms describe their feelings and sentiments of distress, sorrow, anguish, guilt, anticipation, hope, joy and victory, as they pass through the greatest trial of their history after which they will be delivered, restored to the Lord and brought into the Kingdom blessings.
There are really only two kinds of Psalms—those addressed to the Lord (Jehovah), Ps. 1-41 (except Ps. 16), Ps. 84-150, and those addressed to God (Elohim), Ps. 42-83. They are sometimes called Jehovahistic and Elohistic Psalms (G. V. Wigram, “Study of the Psalms”). The Psalms addressed to God are sandwiched between the Psalms addressed to the Lord. When LORD (Jehovah) is used it denotes a personal relationship known and recognized. When God (Elohim) is used it denotes a less personal and more distant way of addressing Him. It is used in Scripture usually by persons who either have not come into the good of their relationship to Him or by persons who do not know Him at all (see Jonah 1:6, 9. The Gentile seamen called Him God, but Jonah called Him LORD).
The Psalms in their prophetic application do not run consecutively through the whole collection. They are divided into five books. The books are divided by “Amen and Amen” and “Praise the LORD” (Ps. 41:13, Ps. 72:19, Ps. 89:52, Ps. 106:48). Each book focuses on a particular period in prophecy relating to the Jews and Israel. The psalms within each book are also not one continuous strain, but are divided into various series. Each series of psalms within the five books, however, is continuous in itself beginning at a certain point in prophecy particular to that book and running on to the deliverance of the Jews and the restoration of Israel by the coming of the Lord to establish His Kingdom. The various divisions within the books are indicated in J. N. Darby’s Translation by an asterisk. We have followed these divisions for the most part except where he or other reliable expositors indicate in their writings that the group immediately following is connected, being a continuation of the preceding psalms, therefore could be taken as one group. For example, J. N. Darby (“Notes and Comments,” Vol. 3, p. 137) indicates that Ps. 61-68 are a series in themselves although it is not marked in his translation.
The main persons in the Psalms are indicated by the following:
The Lord Jesus Christ— “LORD” (Jehovah), His covenant-relationship name of blessing with Israel—occurs about 700 times. “Lord” (Adon, Adonim, Adonay), His all-powerful Lordship—occurs about 65 times. “Jah” (abbreviated name of Jehovah)— occurs 43 times, mostly in J. N. Darby Translation. “Most High” (Gnelion), His Millennial title as King and Priest—occurs 22 Times. “Almighty” (El Shadday), the great Sustainer—occurs 2 Times. “The Anointed” (Messiah or Christ), occurs about 10 times. “The King”— occurs about 31 Times. There are also a few other references to Him such as “the Rock,” etc.
God— (Elohim) His creatorial name—occurs about 360 times.
The Godly Remnant of Jews—The godly, the righteous, the poor and needy, the oppressed, the humble, the upright, the afflicted, the saints, etc.
Antichrist—The wicked (singular), the bloody and deceitful man, the cruel man, the mighty man.
The Apostate Jews—The wicked (plural—often translated “the ungodly” in KJV), the fools, the workers of iniquity, the people, the evil doers, etc.
The Gentiles—The enemy, strangers, the nations, the peoples (JND Translation), the violent man (this is particularly the Assyrian)
The title (Acts 1:20) and numbering (Acts 13:33) of the Psalms are divinely owned of God.