Seeing Jesus in the Psalms

  Psalm 116 As I read Psalm 116 today I was repeatedly moved to compassion for Jesus as I read various verses or phrases. Although I can hear David, Moses or some other patriarch saying the words of verse one, for instance, I think of Jesus. No one knew better how to pray, communicate or rest in the presence of the Father more than Jesus, the Son. So in verse 1 I hear Jesus. “I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.” Psalms 116:1 NLT (As a side note the ASV uses the phrase, “I love Jehovah” in verse 1) And you may well wonder how I could relate this verse to Jesus of all people? But it is the cry in the coming verse that links it back for me.  “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow.” Psalm 116:3 I find myself coming back to this scene in Mark 14 (below) so often. I care for the pain Jesus is bearing here and the anguish, I see that He understands us, He understands me. “He took Peter, J...

  Psalm 51 David’s confession Main Point: Jesus can restore our joy when we confess our sins and submit our will to Him. (WARNING: Even more than usually my outline is messy, I will be mixing and exploring these ideas somewhat interchangeably this morning, so hold on for a bumpy logic ride, I’m just getting this stuff out of me this morning and not really cleanly outlining things. Life is messy, deal with it.) First there is the weightiest of all subjects: SIN . (Failure) (No self control = No Spirit of God control) Jesus had to suffer for every sin. The cost of sin was great for the Father, Spirit and the Son. We cannot imagine the pain, suffering, shame, and brokenness that sin placed upon Jesus and the effect it had on the relationship in the Holy Trinity. We cannot fathom the eternal reminder that the nail-scarred hands are on the sinless, spotless lamb. Forgiveness is no small matter. No greater cost can ever be reckoned to any debt in all history. And then there is the matter...