The book of Psalms contains many direct and indirect references to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Some scholars have sought to find Christ within each and every psalm, highlighting a Christological approach to interpretation. Richard Belcher writes, “…all of the Old Testament speaks of Jesus in some way, not merely those texts commonly accepted as ‘Messianic’. Thus, Jesus himself gives the divine authorization for reading all the Old Testament in reference to him.”[1] This is later affirmed by Jesus’ own words at his ascension in Luke 24 saying,
“Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’” – (Luke 24:44)
While not all of the psalms exclusively point to Jesus Christ, many do emphasize key Messianic themes. The major themes of Christ in the Psalms are: the royal psalms, the suffering servant, and Christ as the Second Adam bringing redemption.
Christ as the Royal King
The royal psalms point to the David kingdom and its everlasting nature. Bullock writes, “The most obvious criteria are they refer to the ‘king,’ mention as the ‘anointed’ one as a noun or make use of the verb, and they refer to David by name.”[2] In 2 Samuel 7, God established the throne of David forever. This is later affirmed in Psalm 110, primarily in verse 4, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Additionally, Psalm 89 continues in the remembrance of the everlasting covenant as the psalmist, amidst distress, calls God to remember his promise. These royal psalms point to the Messianic, David king which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Savior is King!
Christ as the Suffering Servant
Psalm 22 is the most common and pointed of the psalms reflecting Christ as the suffering servant. The picture painted in Psalm 22 is descriptive of the struggles and suffering of David, yet this is used as a type of Christ’s suffering on the cross. Psalm 22:16-18 says,
“For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” – (Psalm 22:16-18)
This imagery serves as a direct foreshadowing of the suffering of Christ on the cross, as seen in the gospels. Gordon Wenham concludes, “We can read it historically as a lament of a royal figure on the verge of death with his enemies looking on, hoping for his imminent demise. But the New Testament clearly sees it as more fully realized in the crucifixion.”[3]
Christ as the Second Adam
Finally, Christ is also seen as the Second Adam. The Scriptures make it clear that the sin of Adam, has brought sin upon all mankind. This is seen in the fall in Genesis 3, as well as Romans 5:12-14,
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.” – (Romans 5:12-14)
Psalm 8 highlights the creation of the world and man, and the psalm is read in a new light when it is considered as reflective of Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus is superior, and made himself the offering for sin (Hebrews 9:22). The restoration of the world would come through Christ, as man’s fellowship with God is restored with Christ’s first coming, and the world is redeemed at his second. The redemptive nature of Christ and the redemption found in the psalms point to the person of Jesus Christ, the one Messiah. All of Scripture, from Old to New Testament, testifies to the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ, the Messiah!
Bibliography
Bullock, C. Hassell. (2001). “Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological
Introduction.” Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic
Jr., Richard P. Belcher. The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from All the Psalms.
Reprint ed. Glasgow: Mentor, 2014.
Wenham, Gordon. The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms. Wheaton, IL:
Crossway, 2013.
[1] Richard P. Belcher Jr., The Messiah and the Psalms: Preaching Christ from All the Psalms, Reprint ed. (Glasgow: Mentor, 2014), 32.
[2] Clarence Hassell Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2001), 178.
[3] Gordon Wenham, The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 100.