Psalms 1-41 point to Jesus in several ways: 1. Psalm 1 describes a blessed man who is always fruitful, like a tree by living waters, fittingly describing Jesus. 2. Psalm 2 declares God's Son who is given the nations as his inheritance, applying to Jesus. 3. Psalms 40-41 describe a blessed but poor man who is rejected, containing images that point to Jesus' betrayal and crucifixion.

1. Seeing and savoring Jesus in Book 1 of the Psalms (Ps 1 - 41)
Good morning. Thisweekwe will try(DeoValente)tolookatJesusinthe book of Psalms,givingashort
and very incompleteglimpse. Thiswill coverallotof groundandwrittenwithanearlyexitsoyoucan
bail afterpsalms1-10 or setit aside.
What is the most quoted book from the Old Testamentquoted in the New Testament? Psalmsis
quotedmore thanany otherOldTestamentbook byNew Testamentauthors. There are 5 booksof
Psalmsandthisweekwe will be thinkingaboutsome of the thingspointingtoJesusinthe Psalmsbooks
1–5
By tradition, book 1 of PsalmsispoeticallylikeGenesisandevenbeginswithatree of life,infact,aman
whois a tree of life. We gothroughthat Psalmto enterthe whole book,likegoingthrough the
wardrobe in Narnia,the wardrobe hasan apple tree engravedonit,representingthe tree of life.
Section1: Psalm 1-10
Psalm1 has an image of a man who is like a tree, always greenby livingwaters. The man is in the
singular. The man isblessed. Fitsfigurativelyof abeliever, buteven more stronglyof Jesus. Inastrong
sense Jesusisthe tree of life andwe are fruitful if we abide inHim. The blessed mandelightsinthe law,
the wickeddonot. The wicked inthe nextPsalmssee the law asshacklesand want to ‘shatterthe
bondstheyfeel The Lordwouldimpose’. Godlaughsandsayshisanointedwithdohisownshattering
witha rod or iron(and quotedinRev). A heartchange isneeded.
Psalm 2 has a man, also inthe singular declaredGod’sSon, anointed and giventhe first prayer in
the Psalms and it is “Ask ofmean I will give you the nations as your inheritance” FigurativelyDavid,
more fittingof Jesus. The Messiah isgivenbyGod the’ opposingnations’ butsomehow will setthings
rightin or by Psalm8 (more onthat later). Ps2 quotedseveral timesinHebrewsarguingJesusisbetter
than the angels,Psalm2also usedtosupport the resurrection. A rare sermonpreservedonthisbyJim
Elliot,whowaspart of the teamwhowentto the Auca/Warani indigenoustribe of Columbia inthe 50s
and diedbybeingspeared. HebrewsappliesPsalm2twice to Jesusbeingabetterhighpriestand
betterthanthe angels. ( JimElliot’ssermon maybe found here
https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jimelliotresurrection.htm )
‘Blessedisthe man’startsPsalm1. ‘Blessedare all those whotrustinHim’ends Psalm2. Now there is
almosta type of plottwistinthe flow, anunexpectedchange,alament. Davidisnow runningfromhis
son Absalom.
Psalm 3has an unexpectedturn. David fleesthe son,his own son. Clearly,not the son hopedin
from Psalm 2. The firstlamentinPsalmswill notbe aboutSaul or some otherfoe,ratherthe painof
somethinginDavid’sownfamily. Hisson’srebellion.
Perhapsthislamentishere toremindusthat we live ina sinbrokenworldandredemptionissometimes
here and notyet. “the Son”the Messiahwill come butnotat that time inhistory.
Davidis onthe runfrom hissondue to his ownfaults. Jonahwill thinkbackonthisPsalminhisdistress
while onthe runfrom God alsodue to hisownfaults. Jonahlooksfor hope andmercy andlooksto this

2. Psalm. Jonahin hisprayersin the dark, indistress.Andresolved thinkingon the final verseof Psalm3
whichJonahlooksto inhope andclingsto crying“Salvationisof the Lord”. Psalm3 endswitha cliff
hanging‘selah’ Salvationisof the Lord leavesa‘resurrected’Jonahwhoisa picture of Christ,hisdeath
and resurrection, ondryland
And thenthe music starts. Andwhynot? Redemptionpossible evenforDavidandJohandespite their
faultsanda lessontous.
Psalm 4 and 5 will have flutesandstrings In Psalm4 wrongstreasuresanddesiressetagainstright
desiresandbetterdelights. The wickedlove evilwords,the righteoushasmore joyinGod than when
the wickedgetlotsof material things. InPsalm5 a major theme of leaningon,trustinginGod’s
unfailinglovestarts.
Psalm 6will concernmercyand wasfirsttranslatedintoEnglishbya 11 yearold girl who laterbecame
QueenElizabethfromaFrenchpoetrybookwhere thisPsalmwasincluded. In 1532, Marguerite de
Navarre, a woman of French nobility, included the sixth psalm of David in the new editions of the
popular Miroir de l’âme pécheresse ("The Mirror of a Sinful Soul") The booktook Parisbystorm.
Maybe a lessonnotto imagine limitstowhatGodcan dowithHis word. Mercy iscalledforbut alsoa
warningof the wickedbeingtold‘departfromme workersof evil’repeatedbyJesus.
Psalm 7has vindicationandjudgementof the wickedandmany strongimagesfromJonathanEdwards
‘Sinnersinthe Handsof an AngryGod’takenfrom this Psalm. God will aimhisarrowsat the wicked,the
wickedinPsalm11 will aimtheirarrows back as well. There ismercy heldoutinChristbut also reminds
us “if a man doesnot repentGodwill whetHisbow”. Ina worldof injustice,italsomaybe a comfortto
hearfrom thispsalmsthat“God feelsindignationeveryday”.
Psalm 8“What isman that you have beenso mindful of himThe kingdomsmaybe beastlybutthe
son of man will setthingsinorder Ps 8 quotedin three mountainpeaksectionsof the New testament
aboutJesusbeingbetterthanthe angelsinHebrews, the resurrectionin1 Corinthiansandthe founding
of the church inEphesians God’sgloryisover the heavensbutoutof the mouthof babeshe establishes
strengthforhisname sake. What mightthattell usof a God so highwhostoopsso low? Clearlythe New
TestamentstakesthisPsalmasapplyingtoJesus.
Psalm1 thru8 give a glimpse of the incarnation,anointing,rejection,sufferingsandvindicationand
glorificationof Jesus. Theyalso can be takenas strugglesof a believerinChrist. The acrosticpsalms
will bridge toa newsectionwhichintroducesthe needforthe gospel andpaintsapicture of the one the
gospel isall about. A good reference onthatbeingJohnFesco https://servantsofgrace.org/songs-of-
a-suffering-king-the-grand-christ-hymn-of-psalms-1-8/
Anda literary device Psalmsusestoreflectafterasection. Anacrostic psalm
Psalm 9 and 10are acrostic and maybe be used by childrento rememberimportant things. Psalm
9 starts each line with the firsthalf of the AlephTov (Hebrewalphabet) and concerns victory, some
though a victory like David’svictory overGoliathor similar. Psalm10 continues picking up the
secondhalf of the AlephTov with the acrostic with more of a lamentand as is oftenthe case,victory
and salvation is both here and not yet and his will tie Both9 and 10 will contrastwithPsalm8 which
has a blessedsonof man. In thiscase inthe closingversesof boththe wickedare describedasmanof

3. the earth andis oppressing. The man inPsalmclearlydifferent,andlikeasecondAdam, fullymanand
unfallen.
This is where I give an earlyexit and hope you have a blessedday! If you preferthe short versionstop
here. ‘Blessedare all whotrustinhim’and whopray withDavidandJonah “Salvationisof the Lord”!!
Jesusisthe blessedman.GlorifyingGodleaningonthe workof Christonthe cross believingforeternal
life we looktoHim andalso abide inhimthatwe mightalsobe fruitful beingmade inHisimage, having
beenraisedco-laboringdependentlywith God.
That was a lot. Ifyou want to read more on Psalms book 1 and how Jesusis seeninit, read on, or set
it aside and come back to it another time. Feel free tostop.
And for those pressingon a little farther, Psalms11-24 is a worth dwellingon. They point to the
Cross, the crook, and the crown Psalms,the well-knownPsalm22, 23, 24 portraying Jesus
Section2: Psalm 11-24
WithPsalm10 sayingsalvationishere andnot yet,we return to a sinbrokenworld. The godlyare being
takenaway,the foundationsof truthunder siege, andinPsalm14 there isnone righteousnonotone.
Thisraisesa question“whocanascendthe holyhill of the Lordand dwell withhim? Whocan do it?
ReallyultimatelyChristandhe can bringus with,takingusas we are but notleavingusas we are hearts
unchanged.
Psalms 12-14 will present the need of man for the gospel. Psalms 15 and 24 both raise the
question about who can climb the mountain of God. Psalms 15-24 with 19 at the center
will even be like literaryhill. And a good work on this is TOWARD THE KINGDOM: THE
SHAPE AND MESSAGE OF PSALMS Carissa M. Quinn Richards
https://docplayer.net/52308396-Toward-the-kingdom-the-shape-and-message-of-psalms-
carissa-m-quinn-richards.html

4. The psalmsare pairedbutintensifiedastheygo,15 19 and 24 together,butbuildingandintensifyingfor
example. Ialso addthe arm of God mentionedin these Psalms15 through21 and almostalways
associatedwith salvation. InPsalm19 arm missing,law made withthe fingerof Godnot the arm. It is
as if God flexeshisarmbefore showingsomethinggreatrelatedtoredemption. Psalm16was usedby
Peteraboutthe resurrectioninActs.
15 Who can climbthe hill of the Lord? The law (pairswiththe framework16 19 24)
16 petitionsandtrusting guidance safetyinthe land (pairswith23)
17 petitiondistress confidence (pairswith22)
18 prayersforprotectionof the king (pairswith20,21) pointstore
19 creation the law
20, 21 protectionof the king
22 My GodMy Godwhy have you forsakenme. The Cross
23 The Lord is my Shepherd. The Crook
24 Who isthe King of glory? The Crown
Section3: Psalm 25-37
In Psalm 29, a dramatic expressionofGod,some work of Godand thena reflectionofwhat made it
possible. The voice ofthe Lord ispowerfullyseenincreation, thundering,shatteringtrees…. and
then as if made by the word ofGod like the worldwas, the temple foundedwhichpointsto and
traditionallytaken as the church foundedin Psalm 30 and then a reflectiononhow that was possible
and a Psalm ofJesus sufferinginPsalm 31 Psalmsof blessingsfromJesuswork followstarting with
forgivenessinPsalm32. As Jesussaid on the cross
Into Thy handsI commit my spirit….
Father forgivethem for they knownot what they do
Jesus gave upHis spirit. Jesus breathed hislast.
That is fittingof Jesusasisthe othersufferingsinthe psalmpictured. Butevenabelieversuchas
Stephenthisisappropriate forwhoalsosaidthatsame as he kneltonlyaddressingJesus
Into Thy handsI commit my spirit Youhave redeemed me Oh Lord, Oh Faithful God. (the
whole verse from Ps 31)
Or StephensaiditsaysinActs
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit
Lord do not holdthis sinagainstthem.
Stephen fell asleep.

5. Whois Jesusthat prayers such as are inPs 31 can be said to him by Stephen?
Psalm 34 isa Psalmby title aboutwhenDaviddrooledonhisbeardtoact crazy to escape a dangerous
Philistine ruler and evenwhenlife iscrazyyoucan ‘taste and see thatthe Lord is good” as verse init
says “the righteousman’s boneswill not be broken” figurativelytrue ofbelieversnotsuffering
ultimate harm and more literallytrue ofJesus who isthe righteousman who’s boneswere not
broken at the cross
Psalm 37 is acrostic and similarin some ways to Psalm25 withthe meekinheritingthe earth. The
meekinheritthe earth (Psalm25 and 37), in the Son (Psalm2) in God(Psalm 82)
Section4: In closingPsalms 40-41
And now another unexpectedturn. The Psalmistasksto‘make me understandmyend’and there will
be bookendsof the blessedmanforbook1 withPsalm1 and 2 as one bookend and 40 and 41 as the
otherbookend andheavilyquotedinthe New TestamentapplyingtoJesus. 41 will have Jesusasa
blessedbypoormanand persecutedbyanew character, an anti-friend, aJudaswhowill appearin
Psalms41, 69 and109.
Psalm 41 brings up imagesof the last supperand sharing bread where Jesuswas betrayed. I put the
followinginWiki last year relatedto Jesusin Psalm41.
 Verse9 is quoted in John 13:18[5]
 Verse13 is quoted in Luke1:68[5]
Judas Iscariot is seen as the man who lifts his heel against his friend who he shared bread
with. This is poignant in the context of the last supper, as Jesus washed Judas' feet, shared
bread with him and was repaid by Judas giving 'his heel' figuratively. This imagery is also
ironic as the Messiah would crush the serpent's head under 'his heel' in a Christian view
of Genesis 3.
Jesuswashes Judas feetinhumility, echoinga deedthat was shocking for Mary sister of Lazarus to do
a weekearlier, Judas and Jesusshare bread, Judas givesJesusthe boot. Jesuscrushes Satan’s head.
And with those unexpectedimagesofthe blessedbutpoor and rejectedman,book 1 of Psalms closes
in a minor key perhaps withnot a fewquestionsraisedabout who this blessedbutpoor and rejected
man might be.
Big book, Psalm book 1 and we just scratched the surface of seeingJesusinPsalms book 1.
Book2,3, and 4 are much shorterand won’thave as manynotes 😊