The gospel according to the Psalms

The Psalms are full of gospel truth! In these songs written by Old Testament believers, we see--

• Confession of sin: "There is none righteous, no, not one" (14:1).
• Conviction of guilt and demerit: "If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?" (130:4,7).
• Fear of God's righteous judgment: "Rebuke me not in Thine anger, neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure" (6:1).
• A sense of inevitable condemnation on the ground of God's Law: "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified" (143:2).
• The earnest cry for undeserved mercy: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions" (51:1).
• Faith in His revealed character as the just God and the Saviour: "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore will He teach sinners in the way" (25:8).
• Hope of pardon, resting on a propitiation; for "with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption" (130:7).
• The pleading of God's name, or the glory of all His perfections: "For Thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great" (25:11).
• Joy and peace in believing; for "blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of Thy countenance; in Thy name shall they rejoice all the day" (89:15-16).
• A trust in God and the faithfulness of His promises: "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever; with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations; for mercy shall be built up for ever, Thy faithfulness shalt Thou establish in the very heavens" (89:1-2).
• A trust in the Saviour of sinners: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way: blessed are all they that put their trust in Him" (2:12).
• A confidence in another righteousness than their own: "Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of Thine Anointed" (84:9).
• Patient, persevering, hopeful waiting upon God: "My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him; He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us" (62:5-8).

(These points are taken from James Buchanan, The Doctrine of Justification.)

Psalm 1

Verses 1-3...

Blessed is the man 

   who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 

nor stands in the way of sinners,
   nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 

but his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

   and on His law he meditates day and night. 

He is like a tree 

   planted by streams of water 

that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither. 

In all that he does, he prospers.

And thus I reach the end of what ended up being more of a drawn-out series than I anticipated. Countdown of the 150 psalms over the course of 2.5 years... 

On 3/11/13, I wrote to "my dear one":

I know of several couples who have read through the 150 psalms backwards as a countdown as they anticipate their wedding. But what if I used the psalms as a countdown right now, starting with Psalm 150 and believing that the Lord would bring you into my life before I reach Psalm 1?

Well, here I am, having finally reached Psalm 1 -- wondering when I'll meet you, my dear one. In my prayers I continue to hope, but still find no answers from the Lord.

The Lord bless you and keep you! 

Ever hoping, 

Your Evenstar

Psalm 2

Verses 2, 4, 12b...

The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers take counsel together,
   against the Lord, and against His Anointed...
[but] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh:
   the Lord shall have them in derision...
Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Thankful that we have a King whose victory over sin, death, and evil is certain and unassailable. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness!"

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side,

The Man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth, His name,

From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

(Martin Luther)

Psalm 3

Verses 1-3... 

O Lord, how many are my foes!
   Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
   there is no salvation for him in God. Selah.
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,
   my glory, and the lifter of my head. 

Good words for my fainting heart... The Lifter of my head gives needed strength today.

Psalm 4

Verse 8...

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
   for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Spurgeon: "He that hath the wings of God above him needs no other curtain. Better than bolts or bars is the protection of the Lord."

Thus with my thoughts composed to peace,

I'll give mine eyes to sleep;

Thy hand in safety keeps my days,

And will my slumbers keep.

(Isaac Watts)

Psalm 5

Verses 11-12... 

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice;
   let them ever sing for joy,
and spread Your protection over them,
   that those who love Your name may exult in You.
For You bless the righteous, O LORD;
   You cover him with favor as with a shield.

C. H. Spurgeon:

The eternal God is the well-spring of our bliss. We love God, and therefore we delight in him. Our heart is at ease in our God. We fare sumptuously every day because we feed on him. We have music in the house, music in the heart, and music in heaven, for the Lord Jehovah is our strength and our song; he also is become our salvation.

Jehovah has ordained his people the heirs of blessedness, and nothing shall rob them of their inheritance. With all the fulness of his power he will bless them, and all his attributes shall unite to satiate them with divine contentment. Nor is this merely for the present, but the blessing reaches into the long and unknown future. "Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous." This is a promise of infinite length, of unbounded breadth, and of unutterable preciousness.

Psalm 6

Verse 9...

The LORD hath heard my supplication;
   the LORD will accept my prayer.

C. H. Spurgeon:

Here is past experience used for future encouragement: He hath, He will.Assured confidence is no idle dream, for when the Holy Ghost bestows it upon us, we know its reality, and could not doubt it, even though all men should deride our boldness.

Psalm 7

Verse 17...

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, 

   and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

C. H. Spurgeon:

Praise is the occupation of the godly, their eternal work, and their present pleasure. Singing is the fitting embodiment for praise, and therefore do the saints make melody before the Lord Most High.

William Dyer:

To bless God for mercies is the way to increase them; to bless him for miseries is the way to remove them: no good lives so long as that which is thankfully improved; no evil dies so soon as that which is patiently endured.

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord, 

   how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

You have set Your glory above the heavens. 

   Out of the mouth of babies and infants, 

You have established strength because of Your foes, 

   to still the enemy and the avenger. 

When I look at Your heavens, the work of your fingers, 

   the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, 

what is man that You are mindful of him, 

   and the son of man that You care for him? 

Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings 

   and crowned him with glory and honor. 

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; 

   You have put all things under his feet, 

all sheep and oxen, 

   and also the beasts of the field, 

the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, 

   whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 

O LORD, our Lord, 

   how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

Matthew Poole:

It is a great question among interpreters, whether this Psalm speaks of man in general, and of the honour which God puts upon him in his creation; or only of the man Christ Jesus. Possibly both may be reconciled and put together, and the controversy if rightly stated, may be ended, for the scope and business of this Psalm seems plainly to be this: to display and celebrate the great love and kindness of God to mankind, not only in His creation, but especially in His redemption by Jesus Christ, whom, as He was man, He advanced to the honour and dominion here mentioned, that He might carry on His great and glorious work. So Christ is the principal subject of this Psalm, and it is interpreted of Him, both by our Lord Himself (Matthew 21:16), and by His holy apostle (1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:6,7).

Psalm 9

Verses 7-10... 

But the LORD sits enthroned forever; 

   He has established His throne for justice, 

and He judges the world with righteousness; 

   He judges the peoples with uprightness. 

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, 

   a stronghold in times of trouble. 

And those who know Your name put their trust in You, 

   for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

If we know this to be true, how can we not live like it is true?!

Psalm 10

Verses 16-18...

The LORD is king forever and ever; 

   the nations perish from His land. 

O LORD, You hear the desire of the afflicted; 

   You will strengthen their heart; 

You will incline your ear 

   to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, 

   so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Spurgeon:

Notice how the Psalmist puts this fact—“Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble.” David does not say, “You have heard the prayer of the humble.” He means that, but he also means a great deal more. Sometimes we have desires that we cannot express—they are too big, too deep—we cannot clothe them in language. At other times we have desires which we dare not express—we feel too bowed down, we see too much of our own unworthiness to be able to venture near the Throne of God to utter our desires—but the Lord hears the desire when we cannot or dare not turn it into the actual form of a prayer. I know you have sometimes said, “I wish I could pray like So-and-So.” Often you have thought, “If I could only put a great many beautiful sentences together into goodly shape, then I might be heard.” Do not talk so foolishly! If you cannot put two words together correctly, if your desire is right, God will hear the desire—
“Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed.”
Prayer is not in the expression or the non-expression—prayer is the soul’s sincere desire. The very heart of prayer is in the desire—the essence of the whole matter, the kernel of the nut—is the desire of the heart, not the utterance of the lips. Words without the desire are mere empty husks, but the desire, even without words, is sweet to God, and He accepts it. Can you catch the blessedness of this thought? I say again, before your desire takes a shape in which language could cover it, God will hear it!

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, 

Unuttered or expressed; 

The motion of a hidden fire 

That trembles in the breast. 

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 

The falling of a tear; 

The upward glancing of an eye, 

When none but God is near. 

It is the simplest form of speech 

That infant lips can try; 

Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach 

The Majesty on high. 

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, 

Returning from his ways, 

While angels in their songs rejoice 

And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, 

The Christian’s native air, 

His watchword at the gates of death; 

He enters Heav’n with prayer. 

The saints in prayer appear as one

In word, in deed, and mind,

While with the Father and the Son

Sweet fellowship they find.

No prayer is made by man alone, 

The Holy Spirit pleads, 

And Jesus, on th’eternal throne, 

For sinners intercedes. 

O Thou by Whom we come to God, 

The Life, the Truth, the Way, 

The path of prayer Thyself hast trod: 

Lord, teach us how to pray. 

(James Montgomery)

Psalm 11

Verses 3-5...
If the foundations are destroyed, 

   what can the righteous do? 

The LORD is in His holy temple; 

   the LORD's throne is in heaven; 

   His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man. 

The LORD tests the righteous, 

   but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Everywhere I turn my head, I hear or see of more perversion, injustice, or tragedy. This generation seems to have taken wickedness to a new level. Or perhaps it's just that the media has such an unprecedented presence in our lives. At any rate, it certainly feels like "the foundations are destroyed."

"BUT GOD..."

God is on the throne! He will not let one sin go unpunished. Which makes me so thankful that I wear the robes of Christ's righteousness!

Psalm 12

Verses 2 & 6...

Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
The words of the LORD are pure words,
   like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
   purified seven times.

I sit on my tiny balcony tonight, looking at the bright full moon. This is the same moon seen by God's people throughout thousands of years. And the words He spoke to them so long ago, pure and trustworthy, are the greatest treasure I can ever hold in my hands. The world around us spews forth godless decrees, damaging lies, and foolish drivel, but God's Word stands forever!

Psalm 13

Verses 1-3... 

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
   and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
   light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.

Lord, unless I am able to enjoy a divine perspective on my situation, I am as good as dead -- lighten my eyes!

Isaian 50:10...
Let him who walks in the dark,
   who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
   and rely on his God

Psalm 13:5-6... 

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
   because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 14

Verses 2-3...
The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, 

   to see if there are any who understand, 

   who seek after God. 

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; 

   there is none who does good, 

   not even one.

God created man and woman for communion with Himself, but because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, no one by nature seeks after God. They seek the satisfaction and fulfillment that only God can give, but they look in all the wrong places. How great and glorious is the gospel news that Christ provides the way back to God!

Psalm 15

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? 

   Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right 

     and speaks truth in his heart; 

who does not slander with his tongue 

   and does no evil to his neighbor, 

   nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 

in whose eyes a vile person is despised, 

   but who honors those who fear the LORD; 

who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 

who does not put out his money at interest 

   and does not take a bribe against the innocent. 

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Spurgeon:

"Who shall be admitted to be one of the household of God, to sojourn under His roof and enjoy communion with Himself? ... Who shall be a citizen of Zion, and an inhabitant of the heavenly Jerusalem? ... In perfection this holiness is found only in the Man of Sorrows, but in a measure it is wrought in all His people by the Holy Ghost."

Psalm 16

Verse 11...
You make known to me the path of life; 

   in Your presence there is fullness of joy; 

   at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

This verse gives me encouragement to "press on toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." I know I've quoted this Anna L. Waring hymn before, but these words are so fitting here:

My hope I cannot measure, my path to life is free.

My Saviour has my treasure, and He will walk with me.

Psalm 17

Verse 15...

As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness;
   when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Your likeness.

This verse speaks of the complete satisfaction everyone was designed to crave. Adam and Eve knew something of this treasure in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. We catch glimpes of this bliss on our earthly journey. But not until our eternity of glory, when we see our Lord face to face, will we completely comprehend the majesty and worth of Christ!

Psalm 18

Verse 30... 

This God—His way is perfect;
   the word of the Lord proves true;
He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.

Though I may never understand God's way, it is still perfect. He is true to His word. He is my refuge. He shields me, even in my doubt.

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; 

the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. 

When other helpers fail and comforts flee, 

Help of the helpless, O abide with me. 

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; 

earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away. 

Change and decay in all around I see. 

O Lord who changes not, abide with me.

--Henry F. Lyte

Psalm 19

Verse 1...
The heavens declare the glory of God,
   and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. 

Whenever I'm able to "flee to the mountains" for a day of hiking, the beauty of the landscape, the sounds of rushing water and singing birds, the opportunity for prayer and reflection, and the uplifting conversation with kindred spirits all come together to give me a needed "spiritual re-boot."

Verse 14... 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable in Your sight,
   O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.