The company spoken of in the first book of the Psalms will be from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who will be brought back providentially to Jerusalem and the land of Israel soon after the church's history on the earth is closed, or possibly before. There is no nation now in Israel as God sees it.
Psa. 1-41
God will awaken some of the two tribes who will teach the remnant the truth of the King Jehovah's imminent return. "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come."
Matt. 10:23
The name Jehovah identifies Him with His promises to Israel.
Dan. 12
"And there was one Anna.... and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple" (Luke 2:36,37).
Anna valued the position in which providence had placed her, and she remained in the sanctuary, thus expressing the feelings of the Jewish remnant of a later day in Jerusalem.
Psa. 24:4-5
Psa. 1 begins, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Psa. 1:3
Anna's life bore fruit for God because she remained in the sanctuary. So with the remnant of Judah, as we shall see.
Psa. 4 finds the remnant calling upon the God of their righteousness. They say, "The LORD hath set apart him that is godly for Himself."
Psa. 4:3
"But served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:37).
There seems to be much prayer in the first two books of the Psalms. In the first, prayer is chiefly to Jehovah, whereas in the second book, God is more directly before the remnant.
The following quotations show the genuine character wrought by the Holy Spirit in the remnant during this period of their return:
"He heard me out of His holy hill."
Psa. 3:4
"He... speaketh the truth in his heart."
Psa. 15:2
"The LORD is my shepherd."
Psa. 23:1
"O my God, I trust in Thee."
Psa. 25:2
"Remember not the sins of my youth."
Psa. 25:7
"The LORD is my light and my salvation."
Psa. 27:1
"Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."
Psa. 32:2
"And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God."
Psa. 40:3
"Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ears hast Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hest Thou not required."
Psa. 40:6
This is the first confession of sins by the remnant. Others will follow in Psa. 51 and 130.
The unbelieving part of the returned tribes will resume the sacrifices again, but the remnant will have no part in this.
"And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord" (Luke 2:38).
It is in the weak things that God perfects praise. God has a time set for everything. It would be good if we were in the secret of His thoughts that we might know the time for each purpose to ripen in our experience. This instant will be the time for God to bring blessing again to His people "so scattered and peeled." He is about to set His King upon His holy hill of Zion.
Eccl. 3:1 Psa. 25:14 Zech. 8:3, 8, 13, 15
Anna saw that King with her eyes because she remained in the sanctuary in expectation.
"And spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).
"I have preached righteousness in the great congregation."
Psa. 40:9
During a period of three and one half years the few awakened will teach in the great congregation out of which a remnant, later spoken of, will come.
Dan. 12:2,3
Three distinct testimonies given by God to man are noticed in this first book of the Psalms.
1. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork."
Psa. 19:1
2. "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
Psa. 19:7
3. "The King shall joy in Thy strength." It is the anointed King.
Psa. 21:1
Here the remnant are speaking "of Him to all them that look for redemption in Jerusalem."
This is a complete testimony to those who have returned to the land. Some Jews may come out from the heathen, having known only about creation, now to hear the gospel of the kingdom.
Psa. 96
Psa. 22 lays the basis for redemption in Israel. Although the feasts of Jehovah have been fulfilled up to the feast of trumpets, historically, still the remnant can return only in virtue of the feasts of the passover and unleavened bread.
Ex. 21:1-11
Psa. 41 ends the first half of the prophetic week when all testimony in Jerusalem will cease except the two witnesses of "the God of the whole earth."
Rev. 11:3
Psa. 41:9 may have reference to the idol shepherd (antichrist) who will deceive the "many." At least it is the apostates showing their real colors just before the separation from the true remnant.
In these observations we draw a parallel between Anna, the first widow of Luke, and the remnant of the first book of the Psalms. Both are seen in the place of the sanctuary anticipating the coming of the Messiah and witnessing of Him.
Rev. 11:1