Jesus in the Psalms
Most students of the Bible are aware that Psalm 22 seems to be a prophecy of Jesus’ death. But it is much more than that. The entire chapter, is actually Jesus Himself speaking. These are the words of Someone who had experienced crucifixion, and could still talk about it. No one ever survived crucifixion. Only one raised from the dead could speak these words.
Scholars rarely mention this aspect of this and other Psalms that appear to be Jesus’ own words because of the occasional reference to the damnation of His enemies and the apparent references to sin. As I have worked through some of these Psalms, I have found nearly every obstacle resolves by seeing Jesus as the actual speaker, and then realizing that the translators could not see what the text really meant because they did not make that assumption. I am not sure how many Psalms are like this, but I would like to start with Psalm 73, just because it is on my mind.
Jesus asked us to abide in Him and to get to know Him personally. I believe that is why He revealed Himself in these Psalms. They are intensely personal, and reveal much about Jesus that the New Testament did not need to record. Pray that God will reveal His Son to you and allow you to personally know Jesus deeply.
Disclaimer: I am not aware of any Biblical conflicts with these thoughts. It is possible that some might think the doctrine of the Trinity is not like this. It is. Or, it should be.
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Psalm 73
A Personal Study Version by RCW adapted from the Zondervan Interlinerar Hebrew and English Psalter, 1970. Original Translators unknown.
Outline:
1 Praise
2-12 How Jesus described the Sanhedrin’s stranglehold on Judea
13-16 How this made Jesus suffer
17-20 Jesus sees their future destruction
21-28 Jesus’ “growing” fellowship with the Father
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The Words of Jesus.
A Psalm of Asaph.
- Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure of heart.
- I almost turned My feet aside, My efforts were poured out like nothing.
- When I was jealous toward the foolish, I saw the peace of the wicked,
- For they are not strapped down when they die, and fat (or abundance) is their strength.
- They do not abide in the griefs of common men, and they are not struck down along with them.
- Therefore, they are enchained by pride; they cover themselves with violence – like a robe.
- Their eye has gone out due to their obesity(or abundance). The images of the heart have passed.
- They will be corrupt and speak of oppression with evil. They will speak from on high.
- They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue will walk in the earth.
- Therefore the people will return and the fullest of waters will be poured out on them
- And they said, “How has God known? Is there knowledge in the Most High?
- Behold, these are the wicked and the prosperous of the age have grown in wealth.
- Surely in vain I have cleansed My heart, and have washed My hands in innocence.
- And I was chastised all day long, and I was corrected each morning.
- If I said, “I will declare thus…” Behold, I have offended the descendants of Your sons.
- I thought this through to understand it, it caused My eyes great grief.
- …Until I went into the holy places of God, I will consider their final end.
- Surely You will make they ways slippery, You have caused them to fall into destructions.
- How they have been made desolate all at once. They are finished. They have come to end by terrors.
- Like one waking from a dream, O Lord, their image You will despise.
- For My heart will be grieved and My will shall be sharpened.
- I was like a beast without knowledge; I was with You like the cattle.
- But I am continually with You; You have taken hold of My right hand.
- By Your counsel You will lead Me, and afterwards You will take Me to glory.
- Who in the heavens belongs to Me? Besides You, I have taken no delights on the earth.
- My flesh and My heart have been consumed, God is My portion and the Rock of My heart forever.
- Behold, those far from You will perish, You have cut off everyone who was unfaithful to You.
- For Me, it is good when God draws near, I have established the Lord Yahveh as My refuge,
I will declare all Your works!
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Meditation Starters….
Read one and then go back to the referenced verse/s and pray it through for a while.
- Father, You are focused on the pure in heart….is there anything You want to tell me about my own heart?
- I am not surprised that Your Son had some close calls, and here He is describing how His humanity felt about the apparent fruitlessness of His own ministry. Lord, all of Your servants eventually feel something like this. Help me to understand justexactly how Jesus walked through this without sin…
3-9,12 Jesus saw the stranglehold the Sadducees and Pharisees had over the hearts of the people, and His humanity was tempted to desire what they had, but He quickly saw what they really were. Please help me to see what those who are holding Your people back are really like, and lead me to be at peace in the midst of such things.
10-11 Father, I can’t seem to find any translation that makes sense of this. I could guess, but it would be much better if You led me to someone to whom You have already revealed this.
13-16 O, Lord, Jesus, Your Father, who loves You, chastised You every morning? Wow… I don’t see how anyone could survive that…No wonder that in Your humanity You sometimes felt as if You were suffering in vain.
17-20 Father, You revealed to Your Son the judgment of Your enemies so He could be at peace with His circumstances. I do not really know what it is that I need to know…but as I enter Your presence, help me to understand the things that will strengthen my faith and resolve…
21-27 Sometimes, I feel just like that, like a dumb animal that is too stupid to understand You. But when You take my right hand, and counsel me, I see glimpses of the spiritual reality that gives me hope, and causes me rise above my as yet unredeemed assumptions…
28 I am afraid when You draw near, but I am lost if You do not. Please show me Your works, that I may tell them all..