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Scripture Reading: Psa. 40:6-8; 34:8; 26:8; 27:4-6; 28:2; 29:9b; 36:7-9; 31:21
We have covered six psalms of Christ — Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22, 23, and 24.
Notice that the word earth is a key word in almost all of these six psalms. Psalm 2:8 says, “Ask of Me, / And I will give...the limits of the earth as Your possession.” The nations will be an inheritance to Christ, and the earth, including the uttermost parts, will be Christ’s possession. Then in Psalm 8 we have the exclamation: “O Jehovah our Lord, / How excellent is Your name / In all the earth!” (v. 1). I do not think any of us could ever forget the word earth in Psalm 8. People today are intensely interested in the things of the heavens, but God is more interested in the earth. How excellent is His name in all the earth. Psalm 16:3 tells us of the excellent on the earth. We also have the words lot and inheritance in this psalm. The Lord Jesus said, “You maintain my lot. / The measuring lines have fallen on pleasant places for me; / Indeed the inheritance is beautiful to me” (vv. 5-6). The lot and the inheritance of the Lord Jesus are the earth! Then in Psalm 22 we have more concerning the earth: “All the ends of the earth / Will remember and return to Jehovah” (v. 27). There is no mention of the earth in Psalm 23, but it is set forth in Psalm 24: “The earth is Jehovah’s, and its fullness, / The habitable land and those who dwell in it” (v. 1).
God’s intention is to recover the earth for His Christ. The earth is the Lord’s. In Psalm 8 the psalmist was gazing upon the heavens. He said, “When I see Your heavens, the works of Your fingers, / The moon and the stars, which You have ordained” (v. 3). Yet his praise was, “O Jehovah our Lord, / How excellent is Your name / In all the earth!” (v. 9). He considered the heavens, but his praise concerned the earth.
The Lord will recover the earth, the earth which is now usurped by the enemy. The secret is in Psalm 24. The earth is the Lord’s; so the Lord has the right, the title, to the earth. He realizes this right by the “mountain.” The mountain is the key, the steppingstone, for the Lord’s recovery of the earth. Upon this mountain is the house, and the house is built up with the brothers. The brothers were brought forth by the resurrection of Christ, and the resurrection issued from His crucifixion. Before His crucifixion there was His wonderful life on this earth, a life which issued from His incarnation. Thus, we have all these major steps leading up to God’s recovery of the earth: His incarnation in Psalm 8, His human living in Psalm 16, His crucifixion and resurrection in Psalm 22 (His resurrection is also mentioned or implied in Psalms 2, 8, and 16), His brothers in Psalm 22, His house in Psalm 23, and eventually the mountain on the earth in Psalm 24. Keep in mind all these key words in these six psalms about Christ. If we did not have the Psalms, but only the New Testament, how could we gain such an apprehension of Christ? We need the Psalms, but we also need heavenly vision to read the Psalms; otherwise, we only receive a certain kind of inspiration. We must see in all these psalms the precious stones, the gems, the vital points. It is not sufficient to receive merely a good feeling and vague inspiration.
Now we must go on. The main point of the first book, Psalms 1—41, is that God’s intention is to turn the seeking saints from the law to Christ in order that they may enjoy the house of God. I believe that by now we have all turned to Christ. We have covered twenty-four psalms already; now in this chapter we will cover the remaining seventeen psalms of the first book. Let us look specifically at Psalms 25 to 41. The main purpose here is to show how the saints experience and enjoy God through Christ, especially in the house and the city of God.
The subject of the first psalm is the law. But immediately in the second psalm, the subject is changed from the law to Christ. Hallelujah! Beginning with Psalm 2 we have seen six psalms of Christ, ending with Psalm 24. But however much we appreciate the preciousness of Christ, we must realize that Christ is not the consummation. Christ is for the house; Christ is for the church. In Matthew 16, when Peter saw Christ by the Father’s revelation, the Lord immediately directed his attention to the church: “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church” (v. 18). Here in the Psalms we first have the law, according to the human, natural, religious concept of the saints. But God turned the saints to Christ. Then we have Christ revealed, portrayed, and detailed in Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22, 23, and 24. We must repeat again and again these psalms about the preciousness of Christ. But in this section, from Psalm 2 to Psalm 24, we have very little mentioned of the house. Indeed, the house is mentioned in these psalms (see 5:7; 11:4; and 18:6), but it is not emphasized. These few references to the house speak only of such matters as coming into His house, praising God in His temple, and prayer being heard in the temple. But following Psalm 24, from Psalms 25 to 41, the house is set forth in a richer way. In all these seventeen psalms, Christ is not often mentioned, but the house is repeatedly emphasized. The main thing in this section is the house. There is reference after reference to the house. Oh, the house, the house, for the enjoyment of God! It is in this section that the wonderful verse is found: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good” (34:8). But where may we taste Him? In the house! We can only taste God in His house.
In Psalm 1 the law is everything. But immediately, the Spirit changes the subject to Christ. Then, from Psalms 2 to 24, Christ is richly and strongly presented. Yet, even in these psalms, the law is still not absolutely abandoned. But when we come to Psalms 25 to 41, it is rather difficult to find a single verse concerning the law. I cannot find one. The law is in Psalm 1, but in Psalms 2 to 24 Christ becomes the main figure, and the law is on its way out. Then, in Psalms 25 to 41, the law is over, and the house of God becomes the main figure. We have turned from the law to Christ, and Christ has brought us to the house. Oh, the house! Hallelujah for God’s house!
Psalms 25 to 41 show us how the saints experience and enjoy God through Christ, especially in the house and the city of God. In these psalms the sufferings of the saints are identical to the sufferings of Christ. There are a number of verses which indicate the various aspects of Christ’s suffering and His attitude in suffering. His life was spent with grief, He was a reproach among the people, He was slandered and threatened, and the people took counsel together against Him and devised to take away His life (31:10-13; cf. Isa. 53:3; John 7:44; 8:59; 11:56-57; Matt. 26:3-4). The wicked watched Him and sought to slay Him (Psa. 37:32; cf. Luke 11:54). He trusted in God (Psa. 31:14; cf. Heb. 2:13). His times were in God’s hand (Psa. 31:15; cf. John 7:6-8). He committed His spirit into God’s hand (Psa. 31:5; cf. Luke 23:46). All these verses in the Psalms are the words of the suffering saints, but their sufferings were identical to the sufferings of Christ.
In these psalms there are also several prophecies concerning Christ. He considered Himself as a sacrifice and an offering to God, and He delighted to do the will of God (Psa. 40:6-8; cf. Heb. 10:5-7). The people hated Him without cause (Psa. 35:19; cf. John 15:25). One of His disciples betrayed Him (Psa. 41:9; cf. John 13:18). Not one of His bones was broken (Psa. 34:20; cf. John 19:36). All these are prophecies of His suffering.
These psalms also indicate how, through Christ, the saints experience and enjoy God as their light, their salvation, their strength, and their shield (27:1; 28:7), and they taste God Himself (34:8).
Now let us come to the most strategic point, the house and the city, and see how the saints experience and enjoy God there. First, they love God’s house as the habitation where God’s glory dwells: “O Jehovah, I love the habitation of Your house, / And the place where Your glory abides” (26:8). Second, they desire to dwell in the house of God to behold His beauty, inquire in His temple, be hidden and protected in it, offer sacrifices of shouts of joy, and sing praises to Him: “One thing I have asked from Jehovah; / That do I seek: / To dwell in the house of Jehovah / All the days of my life, / To behold the beauty of Jehovah, / And to inquire in His temple. / For He will conceal me in His shelter / In the day of trouble; / He will hide me in the hiding place of His tent; / He will raise me up upon a rock. / And now my head is lifted up / Above my enemies who surround me. / And I will offer in His tent / Sacrifices of shouts of joy: / I will sing and psalm to Jehovah” (27:4-6). This is a prediction of the church life. We all must desire to dwell in the local churches to behold God’s beauty. We should offer sacrifices of shouts of joy. I believe that today the Brethren would never agree with our shoutings, but one of their leaders, J. N. Darby, translated Psalm 27:6 this way. They have the translation, but they do not have the reality.
Some Christians condemn this kind of shouting and even dare to claim that it is of the devil. How can Christians be so bold and presumptuous to make such accusations? What then shall we do with Psalm 27:6? “I will offer in His tent / Sacrifices of shouts of joy.” Do you think that shouting in the meetings is going too far? According to the religious concept, shouting is considered an extreme practice because Christianity has been utilized by the enemy to silence Christians and produce dumb worshippers. But we have been released! Praise the Lord, we must shout for joy forever! Where? In the local churches, in the house of God.
I was taught long ago that we must ask one thing from the Lord, to dwell in the house of the Lord (v. 4). But in these last few years I have seen that verse 6 of Psalm 27 is a continuation of verse 4. Not only must we dwell in the house of the Lord, but we must also offer sacrifices of shouts of joy in the house. When I was young, I was told by some Christian teachers that it is not proper to shout in a church meeting place, but that alone on the mountains it may be permissible. But here the psalmist says, “I will offer in His tent / Sacrifices of shouts of joy.” The psalmist would shout not only on the mountain but also in the tent of God. You see, we do have scriptural ground for shouting in the church meetings.
It is rather difficult to find a verse in the Bible telling us that we must study the Word in the house of God, give a message in the house of God, or listen to a good speaker in the house of God. It is also difficult to find a verse in the Psalms telling us to wait in silence in the house of God. But we have Psalm 27 showing us that the house of God is not only a place to behold His beauty and inquire of Him but also a place to shout, and this shouting is a kind of sacrifice.
The house is also the place to sing praises to the Lord. We do need an abundance of singing in God’s house. We may need a few messages and a little listening, but how much more we need the singing of praises! All these things are in the house. I just love the house! I do not know how much you love the local churches. Sometimes my family says that I may not be so happy at home, but when I am in the church, I am a different person!
In the house of God the saints also lift up their hands unto the innermost sanctuary: “Hear the voice of my supplications / When I cry out to You, / When I lift up my hands / Unto Your innermost sanctuary” (28:2). Some say that lifting up one’s hands in the meeting is too extreme. But here not only one hand is lifted, but both hands are lifted. You may say that this is merely an Old Testament practice, but Paul says, “I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). You see how wrong today’s Christianity is! They have dropped all these practices and condemn others for them. We, by the Lord’s mercy, must recover them. We must not care for their condemnation, but only for the Lord. When we say, “O Lord,” we are released, and when we say, “Amen, Hallelujah,” we are more released. We just care for the release of our spirit; we do not care who will criticize and condemn.
In God’s house the saints speak of God’s glory: “In His temple all say, Glory!” (Psa. 29:9). Everyone speaks. This corresponds with 1 Corinthians 14:31: “You can all prophesy one by one.” What is it to prophesy? It is just to speak the glory of God. Everyone can speak the glory of God in His house, and everyone in the local churches must speak.
In God’s house the saints are under the shadow of God’s wings, enjoying His precious lovingkindness: “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!” (Psa. 36:7). In God’s house they are saturated with the fatness of His house: “They are saturated with the fatness of Your house” (v. 8a). In the local churches we do have fatness. In God’s house the saints are drinking of the river of God’s pleasures: “You cause them to drink of the river of Your pleasures” (v. 8b). In the local churches we are really drinking of divine pleasures. In God’s house the saints partake of the fountain of life: “With You is the fountain of life” (v. 9a). In God’s house the saints see light in God’s light: “In Your light we see light” (v. 9b). Here we have the river of pleasures and the fountain of life; and here, where life is, there is always light, for the life is the light of men. All this is in the local churches.
Two verses in Psalms 23 and 24 introduce the house of God. One verse speaks of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever, and the other mentions the mountain of the Lord, which is the site of the house. Then in Psalms 25 to 41 the central and predominant figure is the house. “I love the habitation of Your house” (26:8). “One thing I have asked from Jehovah; / That do I seek: / To dwell in the house of Jehovah / All the days of my life, / To behold the beauty of Jehovah, / And to inquire in His temple” (27:4). “They are saturated with the fatness of Your house” (36:8). Have you seen the improvement in the realization and enjoyment of the house of God? When we reach Psalm 36, we reach the peak concerning the house. The climax is here. In Psalms 22, 23, and 24, concerning Christ, we have come to the peak in the Psalms of Christ. Then through Christ and with Christ we enter into the house of God. His shepherding brings us into His house. Here in the house of God we have the sweet enjoyment of the riches of God. This is Book One in the Psalms. It begins with the law; then from the law it turns to Christ; and from Christ it turns to the house.
I love this portion of the Psalms, with its emphasis mainly on the house of the Lord. Within this portion there is at least one verse indicating something more — the city (31:21). “Blessed be Jehovah, / For He displayed His lovingkindness wondrously / To me in a fortified city.” The saints realize God’s marvelous lovingkindness in His fortified city. Hence, in Book One, we have moved from the law to Christ, from Christ to the house, and from the house to the city. The law has been silenced, and the saints have turned to Christ; Christ is then intensified with the house and fortified with the city, a fortified city. In the Psalms we see not only Christ but also the church as the house and city of God. Hallelujah!
In Book One of the Psalms there is only one verse concerning the city, and that just in a simple and brief way. When we come to Book Two, we will see many things concerning the city. Then, when we reach Psalm 122 in the last part of the Psalms, the city reaches its consummation — “O Jerusalem.”
