Wisdom Literature Part 15
Jesus Christ considered Psalms very important! He often quoted the psalms and revealed their prophetic qualities as they pointed to Him, the Messiah.
In this final lesson focused on the Book of Psalms, we will consider the importance of the Book of Psalms in the New Testament as revealed through the words of Jesus Christ and His apostles.
Tremper Longman notes that “the Psalms are quoted more often than any other book in the New Testament” (p. 65). Let’s also note Jesus’ words from Luke 24:44-45,
“Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
Jesus often quoted the psalms and revealed their prophetic qualities as they pointed to Him, the Messiah.
Jesus Christ’s Use of the Psalms
In John 13:18, Jesus said,
“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.‘”
Jesus was quoting from Psalm 41:9, words King David composed ten centuries earlier:
“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up [his] heel against me.”
Then in Matthew 27:46, in the account of Christ’s time of greatest suffering while hanging on the cross, we read:
“At about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”
These words Jesus cried are found in Psalm 22:1,
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?”
The disciples came to understand Jesus’ actions through the words of the Psalms, such as we see in John 2:15-17,
“When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, ‘Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up’” (cf. Psalm 69:9).
Paul’s Use of the Psalms
The apostle Paul made ample use of the Psalms. Paul came to see these scriptures he knew so well in a new, exciting and prophetic way! Tremper Longman states that “Paul provides us with one-third of the total quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament. One-fifth of his citations come from the Psalms” (p. 65).
Examples of Paul’s Use of the Psalms
In Acts 13:32-37 Paul quotes from the Psalms to explain to the Jews at Antioch how God’s promise of the Messiah had been fulfilled with the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth:
“And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.”
In Romans 15:1-4, Paul uses the Psalms in explaining how believers ought to mimic Christ and learn from Scripture:
“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me' [Ps. 69:9]. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Let’s also note Paul’s ample use of the psalms in Romans 3:9-18. Here Paul stacks up quotations from the Psalms!
“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.' Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Romans 3:9-18).
We may wonder why there are so many proof texts from the Psalms? The fact that Psalms provides many proof texts for prophecies about the Messiah shouldn’t surprise us: they were inspired by God like all scripture.
Remember, several of the psalmists—Asaph, Jeduthan and Heman—were called seers of God. And lest we forget, King David was also a prophet, Acts 2:29-31,
“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.”
Reading Psalms for Their Rich Meanings
The way that Jesus Christ and then His disciples applied the words of the Psalms forever changed the way the Psalms would be understood. When we read a psalm, we understand it better when we are aware of its meaning according to its historical context. We should read the psalm for its instructional, meditative and inspirational meaning. We can also read the psalm for prophetic meaning relating to Jesus Christ: about His first coming as well as His second coming when He shall establish God’s kingdom on earth. (And all so powerfully expressed in Psalm 22!)
Conclusion
The Book of Psalms is an amazingly rich and profound book worthy of our study. Its meaning is vital to helping us understand God and His plan of salvation. Finally, as our understanding of God’s word and of His grace toward us deepens, we too will raise our voices to echo the Book of Psalms’ exuberant conclusion: “Praise the LORD!”
Bibliography
Longman, Tremper. “A Christian Reading of the Psalms.” How to Read the Psalms. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988. 63-73.
© Randy Urwiller, 2025. All rights reserved.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
