Seeing Jesus in the Psalms

  Psalm 81 MAIN POINT: Jesus is the God who speaks in Psalm 81, and He offers to save you and to take your burden, or you will face His justice and judgement. “...I heard an unknown voice say,  “Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.” Psalms 81:5-6 “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 The burden of work is a result of the fall. We were made for work but we also need rest and we need to work together. Jesus offers to put His shoulder to the burden of work with us. It is as if Jesus sees us struggling with the never-ending burden of work, the discouragement of thorns and thistles, the lack of progress, the lack of fulfilment and the ‘one step forward and three steps back’ scenario of life. We struggle to get the work/rest balance right. And Jesus says, come on, strap in. I’m going to do this with you. In fact, leave your unprod...

But I am trusting in you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands. Psalm 31:14-15 NLT   Psalm 31 I see at least 4 parallel situations or statements between Psalm 31 and Jesus' death on the cross. v.5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 v.10 I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Matthew 26:38 v.18 Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! Matthew 27:42 v.22 In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my G...