Seeing Jesus in the Psalms

  Psalm 85 MAIN POINT: Jesus has come as saviour and will return as saviour, and we are invited to listen to His words of peace and experience and expect His salvation. Sometimes it isn’t easy to get your bearings in the Bible. One reason is that the Bible speaks about time as things that have happened, are happening and will happen more fluidly than we might be used to. But since God is 100% sure what has happened, what will happen, and what is happening, He can reveal things with confidence. We on the other hand usually can only apply such confidence and interchangeability of time to the immediate or possibly the past. Another aspect of the Bible that you might find challenging in our individualistic society is the principle of representation. We do get this idea sometimes but we don’t always get it. We often think that all the uses of representation are suspect to a negative prejudice. What I mean is that an individual is painted with the same brush as the whole. All Americans ...

  Psalm 64 This morning my thoughts are on the cross of Jesus Christ. Crucifixion is horrid. But today and for two millennia is the cross of Jesus Christ something wonderful. How did such a heinous method of capital punishment and public intimidation become a symbol of salvation and peace? If you understand the answer to that question, then you will have some understanding as to why verse 9 of Psalm 64 makes sense.  Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. God speaks into the void and creates. God hovers over the chaos and prepares the wonder of creation. Out of nothing, something appears; God breathes into dust, and humankind is born. This is God’s way of showing His greatness. God is the master of value added production. In fact, God loves to turn around things that look impossible. What then is the act of God that in verse 9 makes people afraid, proclaims mighty acts and causes realisation of His ama...

  Psalm 50 The real God, the only real God doesn’t need anything from us. He does not need us to feed Him. He does not need us to sacrifice to Him. It is not because He lacks something that we offer a sacrifice. God owns everything. Everything is already all His possession. And as the owner of all things, He is calling all things to account. He is evaluating all His possessions. All people have been summoned and all things will be judged v.4. And while God is assessing all that is His, He will bring out His prized possession, and before all creation He calls all creation, everything in heaven and earth to be present as witnesses for His judgement of His people.  Judgement is not always a negative word. If a young person who has raised a calf brings it to the county fair, they are hoping that the judge will notice all the fine qualities they have nurtured and developed in the fine animal they bring to be evaluated by the judge. A young person who knows their stuff will notice i...

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. Psalm 28:7 NLT   Psalm 28 Justice is deeply important, and I do not think David is wrong at all for his feelings and his request to the Lord in v.4, “Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite them according to the deeds of their hands; Repay them their recompense .” But I am reminded that if we are to be like Jesus, we must go further: we must love mercy and forgiveness. We must love and pray for our enemies. As I read this Psalm, I am reminded of Jesus who calls us to an even higher standard than seeking justice for our own revenge. Luke 6:27-31 ( Matthew 5:44 ) “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold y...

Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don’t condemn me along with murderers. Psalm 26:9 NLT   Psalm 26 v.9 Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don’t condemn me along with murderers. Mark 15:7 , The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. Mark 15:28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] Luke 23:19 , (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) Matthew 27:38 , At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”  Isaiah Chapter 53:12 cf. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Hims...