MAY 9___________________________

Psalms of the Messiah

In the historical record there have already been hints of One who will come as Savior of the world. This Savior, or Messiah, is also referred to indirectly in many of the psalms, several of which have already been presented. In the eight psalms which follow, the coming Messiah is the central subject. More messianic psalms will also be presented in later periods. While those who write them and those who sing them probably believe that the messianic psalms refer primarily to a great political king to come, later events will show that the Messiah comes as the spiritual leader of his people.

The coming Messiah and a warning to earthly rulers. Psa. 2

Why do the nations conspire' and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together against the lord

and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger

and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, "I have installed my King ^k on Zion, my holy hill."

I will proclaim the decree of the lord:

He said to me, "You are my Son';

today I have become your Father. Ask of me,

and I will make the nations your inheritance,

the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter";

you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

Therefore, you kings, be wise;

be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the lord with fear

and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry

and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Prayer for God's presence and praise for the Messiah. Psa. 22

For the director of music. To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

by night, and am not silent.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

you are the praise of Israel." In you our fathers put their trust;

they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved;

in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me;

they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts in the lord;

let the lord rescue him. Let him deliver him,

since he delights in him."

Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you

even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you;

from my mother's womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is no one to help.

Many bulls surround me;

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey

open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax;

it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

you lay meP in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me;

a band of evil men has encircled me,

they have pierced¹? my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones;

people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them

and cast lots for my clothing.

But you, O lord, be not far off;

O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;

save^r me from the horns of the wild oxen.

I will declare your name to my brothers;

in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the lord, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained

the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him

but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you⁸ will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied;

they who seek the lord will praise him—

may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth

will remember and turn to the lord, and all the families of the nations

will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the lord

and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;

all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-

those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him;

future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness

to a people yet unborn—

for he has done it.

Confidence in the resurrection of the righteous. Psa. 27

Of David.

The lord is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear? The lord is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me

to devour my flesh/ when my enemies and my foes attack me,

they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me,

my heart will not fear; though war break out against me,

even then will I be confident.

One thing I ask of the lord,

this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the lord

all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the lord

and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the lord.

Hear my voice when I call, O lord;

be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, "Seek his" face!"

Your face, lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger;

you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me,

the lord will receive me. Teach me your way, O lord;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the lord

in the land of the living. Wait for the lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the lord.