The Essential Jesus (Part 4): Psalms About a SaviorSample

Psalms About a Savior

THE BOOK OF PSALMS IS ONE OF THE MOST loved and perhaps most read sections in the entire Bible. It contains what amounts to prayers, poems, and praises. It laments some passionate servants of God from the past: people like David, Solomon, Moses, Asaph (the "worship leader" during David's lifetime), and several others.

Another feature that makes the psalms so rich in meaning is that they continue the developing storyline about Jesus Christ that we've been following throughout the Bible. These psalms are often called "messianic psalms" because they contain previews of the coming Savior (see "Previews of a Savior" on pp. 35-36). Psalms that point to the Messiah are Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22, 24, 40, 41, 45, 69, 72, 89, 102, 110 and 118. (If you have the time, you may want to read all of these messianic psalms back to back to get the full effect.)

To give us a good sense of what these special psalms are all about, we will read five of the most popular ones; in so doing, we'll gain several insights that instruct us today. First, we'll discover that Jesus often quoted from the psalms, which reminds us that when we read the Old Testament, we're reading the same Bible Jesus read. And what's obvious is that Jesus studied and memorized the Scriptures; that's a good example for us.

Second, we'll discover that these psalms give us an amazingly graphic picture of what would happen to Jesus. (We'll see this dynamic again in the prophetic books.) One of the most famous messianic psalms is Psalm 22, the one Jesus quoted on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" But what's even more striking is the detailed description of a crucifixion that it contains, which reminds us that the cross was no accident. God knew how he planned to offer salvation to the world and us.

So get ready to dig into the psalms about a Savior.

The Case for Christ

PRAY: Heavenly Father, I'd like to have a closer relationship with you today, as close as a child feels toward a loving parent.

READ: Psalm 2:1-12

REFLECT: From 1945 to 1991, the Soviet Union was one of two superpowers in the world. Yet despite a strong central government and a feared military capability, the U.S.S.R. had a fatal flaw: it rejected God. Atheism was its official policy, and Christianity was brutally suppressed. In the end, it wasn't a nuclear confrontation that toppled the mighty communist regime. Instead, it was undone by the church's faithful witness and courageous resistance.

That would be no surprise to the writer of this psalm, whose intent was to advise the kings of Israel on the key to successful leadership. Foolish kings "conspire" and "plot" to banish God from his earth (vv. 1-3). As laughable as that may seem, especially to God (v. 4), it still happens today. Increasingly, Western democracies forget that their ultimate authority is God, not the majority. Regardless of the political system, any nation that forgets God is headed for trouble. Wise kings, on the other hand, serve the Lord (v. 11) and reap the benefits of doing so for themselves and their people (vv. 8-9).

There's more to this psalm than meets the eye. Viewed from the perspective of the New Testament, we see several phrases that point to Jesus. The psalm's description of a Father's approval of his Son (v. 7) echoes what God would later say to Jesus (Matthew 3:17; Luke 9:35). The name given to Jesus, Messiah, means "Anointed One," the very phrase used in this psalm (v. 2). When the apostles, Peter and John, were being persecuted for speaking about Jesus after his resurrection and ascension, they quoted this psalm (Acts 4:23-31). Put it all together, and we realize that centuries before Jesus appeared, the Holy Spirit was already developing a case for Christ.

APPLY: In what ways do countries reject God today? What are some effective and ineffective ways leaders attempt to bring God into politics? Should God be part of the political process?

PRAY: Lord Jesus, I desire to follow you regardless of what others do. Help me influence others in your direction today.