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Scripture Reading: Luke 24:27, 44-45; Psa. 1—2
All Christians know that in the Bible there is a wonderful book called the Psalms. Yet most of them merely know that this book is wonderful; they cannot tell why it is so wonderful. The Psalms are indeed very impressive to the reader. Whoever reads the Psalms is touched. The reason the Psalms are so touching is that they are not mere teachings; they are the sentiments and impressions of the godly saints in their experiences. Moreover, these expressions are uttered in praises to God, not in ordinary talk. These are not praises according to doctrine but praises according to the feelings and impressions which the godly saints derived from their experiences. Therefore, we may define the Psalms as follows:
They are the expression, in their praises to God, of the sentiments and impressions of the godly saints in their experiences, in and through which Christ is revealed and the church as God’s house and God’s city is typified.
In the Psalms Christ is revealed, but we cannot say that the church is revealed, because in the Psalms the church is still hidden as a mystery. Therefore, we can say only that the church is typified. In the types we see something of the church as the house of God and as the city of God, but it was not prophesied, predicted, or revealed.
The Psalms are so inspiring and impressive, first, because they are praises. All the writings of the Psalms are in the form of praises. Second, all these praises were not composed by knowledge, doctrine, or understanding of teachings. They were composed with the sentiments and impressions of experiences, many experiences. Whenever we speak of our experience, there is something inspiring, and it is impressive. On the contrary, whenever we utter mere doctrine, there is no inspiration. We need to speak out of our experiences. The Psalms are the expressions, sentiments, and impressions of experiences. Third, all the psalms are the expression of godly saints in their praises, not an expression of gossiping people. I use these two words in a very special way — godly saints. The Psalms are the expression of their praises.
Now we must see an exceedingly important matter. Because the writers of the Psalms are godly saints, because they are praising, and because they are expressing something of their sentiments and their experiences, they are very close to God. Because of their nearness and openness to God, they provide a way for God to utter something within their utterance. While they are speaking, God comes and speaks in and through their utterance. This point is of great importance. The Psalms are the expression of the godly saints; yet in their expression the door is open for the Lord to speak; the opportunity is given for God to utter something in their utterance. It is for this very reason that some find it difficult to understand the Psalms. On the one hand, they are the expression of the godly saints, and yet on the other hand, they are the expression of God Himself.
For example, the authorship of Psalm 2 is not mentioned; by itself no one can know who wrote it. At the heading of most of the psalms the author’s name is mentioned, but not Psalm 2. Surely God was not the scribe. Surely Christ was not the writer. In any case, regardless of the authorship, we have verse 7: “I will recount the decree...” Who is this “I”? Who is it who said, “He said to Me: You are My Son; / Today I have begotten You”? When we come to the New Testament, in the Acts and in Hebrews, we are clearly told that this word was spoken by the Lord Jesus after He was resurrected. The “I” here is Christ, but Christ was not the writer of this psalm. Acts 4:25 reveals that this psalm was written by David. David was the author. How then could he say, “I will recount the decree of Jehovah; / He said to Me: You are My Son; / Today I have begotten You”? David could say this because he was so godly, so near to Christ, and so open to God that he paved the way and opened the door for the Spirit of Christ to enter into his utterance. When he was praising, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, uttered something in his utterance of praising. We must keep this point in mind; it is exceedingly vital. Many times in the Psalms the Spirit of Christ entered into the utterances of the writers to utter something. On the one hand, it was and still is the utterance of the writers, but on the other hand, it is the utterance of Christ.
All the psalms are the expressions of the godly saints drawn from their experiences. The writers, being godly saints, did their utmost to utter something in praise to God according to their experiences. Of course, this kind of utterance was based upon their concept of God. They had the experiences, they had the sentiments, they had the impressions to utter something as their expression, and this expression was certainly based upon their own concept. But because they were so close to God and open to Him, God was free to utter something in their utterance. However, God’s utterance was not based upon their concept, but upon the divine concept. We must realize that in the Psalms there are two kinds of concepts: the concept of the saints and the concept of God, the human concept and the divine, the natural concept and the spiritual. These two are always together in the Psalms. But do not imagine that they are complementary. These two concepts are incompatible and mutually contradictory.
Psalm 1 says in effect, “Blessed is the man who keeps the law.” This is the expression of a saint according to his concept, and his concept is one of the law. His delight is in the law. But while he was uttering Psalm 1 and then Psalm 2, God, Christ, and the Spirit of God came in to say, not, “Blessed is the man who keeps the law,” but, “Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him.” While the psalmist was saying, “Blessed is the man who keeps the law,” the Lord entered in to declare, “Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” You see, the psalmist was uttering something according to his concept, but because he was so near to God and open to Him, God could intervene and within his utterance utter something according to the divine concept. This is the way the psalmists wrote the Psalms. The psalmists spoke according to their concept, but when God suddenly uttered something within their utterance, the concept was changed. This is an exceedingly important principle in the understanding of the Psalms.
Now we must consider the center and the content of all the praises in the Psalms. From the human point of view it is one thing, and from the divine it is another. According to the human concept it is one thing, but according to the divine it is another. From the human standpoint, we may say that the center and content of all the psalms are the experiences of the saints concerning God’s mercy, kindness, love, faithfulness, power, and glory. They experienced so much of God’s goodness that they praised God with all these aspects of their experience of God. This is the human concept; this is the human point of view. But according to the divine concept and the divine point of view, the center and content of all the praises are Christ, the house, and the city of God. Christ is the center, and the church, typified by the house and the city, is also the center. Christ and the church are the center and content of all the praises of the Psalms. Therefore, in all our praises we must have the sentiments and impressions gathered from our experience; yet in all our praises we must have Christ and the church as the center and the content.
Many of us have been in the atmosphere of Christianity and under its influence for years. Christian teachers always declare that the Psalms are sweet and comforting. If you are in any trouble, they say, read the Psalms, and you will be comforted. It is true that the Psalms are indeed a comfort, but if we merely apply the Psalms for our comfort, we fail greatly and come far short of their intent. The Psalms were not written in this way; they were written as praise to God with Christ as the center. Christ Himself told His disciples that in the books of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, many things were written concerning Him (Luke 24:44). It is a great pity that so many Christians merely apply the Psalms for comfort. Very few apply the Psalms for the experience of Christ.
We should realize that when we come to the church meetings, we must praise. Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 tell us that we must be in the spirit, always praising with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. You may say that you have been doing this, but I would ask what the center of your praise is. Most of the praises I have heard have the mercy, goodness, and lovingkindness of God as the center. You cannot touch much of Christ in the prayers and praises of most Christians today. You cannot hear much concerning the church as the house and the city of God in the praises of most Christians today. We must be transformed in the matter of our praising. We must all come to the meeting to praise the Lord, not with the concept merely of what we have obtained of the goodness and lovingkindness of God as the center, but continually with Christ and with the church as the house and city of God as the center. Brothers and sisters, this is tremendously vital. This is something deeper. People today talk so much about the deeper life. I tell you, this is the deeper life, and these are the deeper praises.
It is exceedingly difficult for saints to rid themselves of their old concepts. It is good to be mindful of the Lord’s goodness and mercy toward us, but our praises must be Christ-centered and church-centered. Let us say, “Hallelujah, Lord, how good that I am in the local church! Day by day I am enjoying You as my comfort in the local church.” In such a praise comfort is mentioned, but comfort is not the center; Christ and the church are the center. I simply enjoy Christ day by day, and I have comfort in the local church. So many times Christians today forget about Christ, and they do not have the church. All they have and all they can say is something concerning their individual comfort.
I am certain that if we are close to the Lord and open to Him, while we are praising, “O Father, You are so good; please comfort me,” the Spirit of God will say something, not according to our concept but according to His. While we are saying, “How good, how good,” then Christ and the church will come into our praise. We all must be so near to God and open to Him that the Spirit may easily utter something within our utterance concerning Christ and the church.
This little word of introduction is intensely vital for our understanding of the Psalms.
All the one hundred fifty psalms are divided into five separate books, each of which is composed of a number of psalms with a distinctive point of spiritual significance.
Book One: Psalms 1 to 41 indicate that God’s intention is to turn the seeking saints from the law to Christ so that they may enjoy the house of God — the church.
Book Two: Psalms 42 to 72 indicate that the saints experience God and His house and city through the suffering, exalted, and reigning Christ.
Book Three: Psalms 73 to 89 indicate that the saints, in their experiences, realize that the house and the city of God with all the enjoyments thereof can be preserved and maintained only with Christ properly appreciated and exalted by God’s people.
Book Four: Psalms 90 to 106 indicate that the saints, being joined to Christ, are one with God so that He can recover His title over the earth through Christ in His house and city.
Book Five: Psalms 107 to 150 indicates that the house and the city of God become the praise, safety, and desire of the saints, and that Christ comes to reign over the whole earth through the house and the city of God — the church.
By looking into the main points of the five books, we can easily realize that they are not only in a very meaningful sequence but also with a consecutive progress or improvement until they reach the climax of the divine revelation they afford us.
The first psalm of each book represents the concept of that book. For instance, the first psalm of Book One represents the concept of the law. Look into the first psalm of each book, and you will see the improvement. Let us consider several verses from these psalms. Book Two begins, “As the hart pants / After the streams of water, / So my soul pants / For You, O God” (42:1). Compare this verse with the beginning of Book One, and you will see the difference. There is further improvement with the beginning of Book Three: “Surely God is good to Israel, / To those who are pure in heart” (73:1). There is even more improvement when we come to the beginning of Book Four: “O Lord, You have been our dwelling place / In all generations” (90:1). Do you see the difference? Finally, Book Five begins on the highest plane of all: “Give thanks to Jehovah, for He is good, / For His lovingkindness is forever” (107:1). The last, glorious word of the Psalms is, “Hallelujah!” I am afraid that the last word of the Psalms of many Christians is, “Blessed is the man who keeps the law,” but in the real Psalms, the closing word is, “Hallelujah!”
As Book One indicates how God’s intention is to turn the seeking saints from the law to Christ, so at the beginning it presents a contrast between the first two psalms. Read Psalms 1 and 2 together. Do you see the difference in these two psalms? One is concerning the law and is according to the human concept of the godly saints, whereas the other is concerning Christ and is according to the divine concept of God.
I know you will say that Psalm 1 is an excellent psalm, and all Christians would agree. I know you are all for it, but you are for it according to the human concept. Do you really think that Psalm 1 is so good? Yes, it is good according to your concept, the natural and human concept of the law.
The book of Job comes just before the book of Psalms. What would Job say concerning Psalm 1? In Psalm 1 the writer says, “Blessed is the man / Who does not walk / In the counsel of the wicked, / Nor stand on the path of sinners, / Nor sit in the seat of mockers; / Rather his delight is in the law of Jehovah, / And in His law he meditates by day and by night. / And he will be like a tree / Transplanted beside streams of water, / Which yields its fruit in its season, / And whose foliage does not wither; / And everything he does prospers” (vv. 1-3). At this point Job would immediately interrupt to say that the writer is wrong. He would say, “I am one who day and night delights in the law of the Lord. But I can testify that whatever I have done did not prosper. Whatever I did brought trouble. You are just like one of my three friends. One of them said the same thing: “If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up. / If you put injustice far away from your tents, / ...You will also decree something, and it will be established for you; / And light will shine on your ways” (Job 22:23, 28). The thought and concept of Job’s three friends is the same as the concept in Psalm 1. Job may also refer the writer of Psalm 1 to his book, 10:7-8: “Even though You know that I am not wicked / And that there is none who can deliver out of Your hand? / Your hands have shaped me and made me altogether, / Yet You destroy me.” What could the writer of Psalm 1 answer to that? All the talks of Job’s three friends and the writer of Psalm 1 are in the same vein: “If you keep the law, if you are not wicked, if you turn yourself to the Lord, if you do His will, you will prosper.” Job has another friend in the writer of Psalm 1. Job has many friends — you are all Job’s friends. At least one person in the whole universe is against the concept of Psalm 1. Job will say, “Do not say this. Whatever you do will not prosper. Your word does not work for me.”
God is not for the law. Even the law in the books of Moses is not for the law. The law is for Christ. Poor saints! Poor godly saints! Poor us! We just have the human concept! We think that if we keep the law, if we do nothing wrong, if we are good and delight in the law day and night, then whatever we do will prosper. This is a natural, human concept. It is not true to real experience. The more Job endeavored to be right, the more he suffered. Brothers and sisters, we must be clear concerning this.
The godly saints were not accurate in their concept, but in their person they were so close to the Lord and open to Him. As they were expressing their sentiments and impressions, the Spirit of Christ came in to continue their expression, not according to their concept but according to the concept of God.
In Psalm 1 there are two points: (1) Blessed is the man who keeps the law, and (2) the way of the wicked will perish. These are the two features of the human concept of the writer. The conclusion of Psalm 2 is that all those who take refuge in Christ are blessed, and that we should “kiss the Son, / Lest He be angry.” Have you seen the difference between Psalm 1 and Psalm 2? Psalm 1 declares that whether you will be blessed or perish depends on whether you keep the law. If you keep it, you will be blessed; if you do not keep it, you will perish. The declaration of Psalm 2 is absolutely different. Whether you will be blessed or not, whether you will perish or not, depends upon whether you take refuge in Christ and kiss Him. If you take refuge in Christ, you are blessed. If you kiss Him, it means that you love Him, and you will never perish. The concept of Psalm 1 is the law, but the concept in Psalm 2 is Christ. Have you seen this? God is not for the law but for Christ.
Then what about Psalm 1? Let us leave it there and go on to Psalm 2. If you are still remaining in Psalm 1 and stand for it, you are still in the human concept, the concept of the law; you have not yet received the divine revelation of Christ. In the eyes of God, whether or not you are blessed, whether or not you will perish, depends not on the law but absolutely on Christ. If you take refuge in Him and love Him, you are blessed. Forget about the law. The apostle Paul tells us that we were crucified to the law. We are dead to the law (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 2:19). That means that we have nothing to do with the law. I am living with Christ; do not talk to me about the law. It is not a matter of keeping the law or delighting in the law, but of taking refuge in Christ and kissing Him.
To take refuge in Christ is an Old Testament term; the New Testament counterpart is to believe in Christ. To kiss Him is the Old Testament term; the New Testament counterpart is to love Him. Jesus said to Peter, “Do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15). In the Old Testament language that means, “Do you kiss Me?” It is not a matter today of keeping the law but absolutely a matter of taking refuge in Christ and kissing Him. We have to believe in Him and love Him. As long as we take refuge in Him and kiss Him, that will be truly wonderful. Psalm 1 is for the law, and Psalm 2 is for Christ; part of the Psalms are of the human concept, and part of the divine concept; part are the expression of the godly saints, and part are the declarations of God.
The twelve verses of Psalm 2 can be divided into four sections, with three verses in each section. The first three verses predict the opposition of the world rulers to Christ. This prophecy began to be fulfilled at the time Christ was judged by Pilate. Its fulfillment will be continued until the time indicated in Revelation 19:19. At the time Jesus was betrayed, the rulers, the kings, the judges of this earth, began to oppose Him. So this psalm says, “Why are the nations in an uproar, / And why do the peoples contemplate a vain thing? / The kings of the earth take their stand, / And the rulers sit in counsel together, / Against Jehovah and against His Anointed” (vv. 1-3). This includes all the Caesars of the Roman Empire. It includes, in the following centuries, all the rulers, kings, and judges of this earth who arise and plot against Christ. Acts 4:25-27 refers to this prophecy. It is the prediction of the opposition of world leaders to Christ from the time of His crucifixion till the time the Antichrist will be defeated by Christ.
The second section of Psalm 2 is God’s declaration (vv. 4-6). Verse 4 says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs.” While those Roman Caesars were plotting against Christ, God was sitting in the heavens laughing. While the other world rulers were plotting against Christ, God undoubtedly was in the heavens laughing at them and having them in derision. Hitler was in violent opposition to Christ, but where is he today? Where are the Roman Caesars? Where will today’s Christ-opposing rulers be a few years from now? God is laughing and saying, “What are you doing? Your opposition can only last a few fleeting years.” The judges and kings arise and fight against Christ, but eventually God will destroy them. “Then He will speak to them in His anger, / And in His burning wrath He will terrify them” (v. 5). God said, “I have installed My King / Upon Zion, My holy mountain” (v. 6). This is the declaration of God.
The third section, verses 7 through 9, is the declaration of Christ Himself. Christ declared something. He said, “I will recount the decree of Jehovah; / He said to Me: You are My Son; / Today I have begotten You.” Both Acts 13 and Hebrews 1 tell us that this word refers to the resurrection of Christ. Christ was begotten as the Son of God by being resurrected. Then He ascended to the heavens, where He asked of the Father, and the Father gave Him all the nations as His inheritance. God granted to Him the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, and God said, “You will break them with an iron rod; / You will shatter them like a potter’s vessel.”
The last section, verses 10 to 12, is the gospel preaching. “Now therefore, O kings, be prudent; / Take the admonition, O judges of the earth. / Serve Jehovah with fear, / And rejoice with trembling.” This simply means to repent and believe. “Kiss the Son / Lest He be angry and you perish from the way; / ...Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him.” The last three verses of Psalm 2 are the gospel.
These four sections, the section predicting the opposition against Christ, the section predicting God’s declaration concerning Christ, the section predicting Christ’s declaration about Himself, and the section predicting the gospel preaching include all the things related to Christ. We need to have the concept of such a Christ. Regardless of how much the world opposes Christ, God has appointed Him, God has anointed Him, and He has declared that now we must preach Him. We must tell the people to be prudent, to repent, to fear and rejoice with trembling, to take refuge in Him, and to love Him. This is the gospel preaching.
Which psalm do you now prefer, Psalm 1 or Psalm 2? When I was first saved, the first chapter of the Bible I learned to recite was Psalm 1. No one ever told me anything about Psalm 2. Christianity today still has only the human concept, the natural concept, the concept of the law. But we must drop this. We must take the divine concept, the spiritual concept, the concept of Christ. Though He is being opposed today, yet God has declared that He is the anointed One, that He is resurrected, and that He will obtain all the nations as His inheritance and rule over them. What have we to do but praise Him, be prudent, be admonished, fear and rejoice with trembling, take refuge in Him, and kiss Him? Then we will be blessed and never perish.
