Pastoral worker teachings
Psalms that point to Jesus
By Pete Mann
Over the weeks leading up to Easter I wanted to share some Psalms that show us Jesus in the New Testament
Messianic Psalms Quoted in the New Testament
Psalms 2:1-2
Acts 4:25-28
Psalms 2:7
Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5
Psalms 2:9
Revelation 2:26-27, Revelation 12:5, Revelation 19:15
Psalm 2
V2 Tells us about the Annointed One (King) This psalm speaks of the King that will come from the Davidic Line. A clear sign that the ultimate King the one that will bring peace and break the fetters and chains (v3) will be the Messiah that the world is waiting for.
V4-6 Says the Lord laughs at the rebels and he scoffs them. Yahweh has established his Royal city in Jerusalem. The holy temple will be established in Jerusalem and we know it as the House of Prayer.
V7 You are my Son and today I have become your Father. This is a clear indication of the incarnation of God in human form in the person on Jesus. At Christ’s baptism and transfiguration the Father proclaimed Him both Son and Servant in words drawn from this verse and from Isaiah 42:1 (Mt 3:17; 17:5; 2 Pet 1:17).
V8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. Here we see a link with Jesus’s call post resurrection in Matthew 28:16-20 for all believers to preach the good news to the whole world.
V9 Talks of how things will work out. According to Rev 12:5; 19:15 this word will be worked out by the triumphant work of Christ.
V10 – 12 A warning to heeded be Wise kings serve the Lord with fear this is not fear as we know it but rather a reverent fear. V12 Kiss the Son is a form of submission. Judas Iscariot kissed Jesus as a sign to the authorities that this was the man that they had to arrest in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:47-49) Judas kissed Jesus also in submission.
Blessed are those who take refuge in Him. This is simply saying happy are those that take refuge and put their trust and hope in Him.
As we move towards Easter we remember how much we loved by our Creator God through the gift of His Son and how we are comforted by the Holy Spirit.
Psalms that point to Jesus
Week 2
By Pete Mann
We move into our second Psalm that points to our Messianic Saviour.
Messianic Psalms Quoted in the New Testament
Psalms 8:2
Matthew 21:16
Psalms 8:4-6
1Corinthians 15:25-28, Hebrews 2:5-10
Psalm 8v1 David gives honour and praise to the Lord saying ‘O Lord, our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth’ . Here we see David recognising the Majesty of God but also His sovereignty over all creation. What a great way for us to start our day and end our day giving praise to the majesty of God.
‘You have set your Glory above the heavens’ David recognises and gives honour and reverence to where God is seated in the heavenly place and His Glory is above the heavens it is infinite and supreme.
V2 ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’ here David is saying the from the very smallest human God has ordained praise and he wants the lips of children to be giving praise and glory to God on high why ‘because of your enemies , to silence the foe and the avenger’. The praise of God’s people silences the enemy, when we give praise to the almighty the devil covers his ears as it is too much. Jesus speaks of the praise of children Matt 21:16 the praise of children is important in the work of the Kingdom of heaven.
V3 David looks at the wonder of creation and gives thanks to our creator God. Remember when we are out and about let us gives thanks for God for all he has created.
V4 ‘What is man’ David is asking his readers to take a look at themselves and reflect ‘that you are mindful of him’ we do not deserve His attention but because of grace it is ours. In the next part of the verse we see the mention of the incarnate Son of God ‘the son of man that you care for him’ here we see a clear indication of the Father son relationship. The relationship the God has with His son is ours through Grace.
V5 – 8 Speaks of man being made lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. The image of God is being alluded to from Gen 1:26. V6 Man given responsibility over all He had created and we are created in God’s image to carry out his work.
V9 ‘O Lord Our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth’ The Psalm ends in the same way as it begins. God is calling His people to be worshippers and servants to all people thus pointing all people to the majestic King to the incarnate Jesus.
Psalms that point to Jesus
Week 3
By Pete Mann
We move into our third Psalm that points to our Messianic Saviour.
Messianic Psalms Quoted in the New Testament
Psalms 16:8-11
Acts 2:25-32, Acts 13:34-37
V1 David opens this Psalm with a plea for God to keep him safe and he affirms where his safety is in God’s refuge. It is a good prayer for us to have and a great for us to affirm that we are safe as he keeps us safe.
V2 You are my Lord and apart from you I have nothing David puts it like thus ‘apart from you I have no good thing’. David affirms what his faith means to him and how much he values his relationship with the Lord.
V4 A warning is given to those who follow other gods and that is sorrow will befall them and this will only increase. There is much strife and sadness in the world and lots of different things to take man’s attention. We as believers need to be careful to keep our faith strong. David says in the second part of this verse that he will not pour our blood and give sacrifices to false gods or will he utter their names from his lips.
V5 David acknowledges that God has poured out a great portion and given him all he needs. We see here an important lesson for us that God gives us what we need not always what we want. What God gives us he makes it secure and protects it.
V6 David looks at where God has placed him and gives thanks for this wonderful inheritance. An important lesson for us take a look at where you are now and give thanks for it as it is God’s inheritance to you.
V7 Praise is given to the Lord and David is aware even when he sleeps the Lord speaks and instructs him. We can have dreams that are from God.
V8-11 Is where we get to the Messianic part. David is aware of where the Lord is ‘at his righthand side’ when Jesus died and rose from the dead he ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. V9 David gives praise and thanks to God for all he has done and his body can be secure as he has faith in the Lord. V10 Talks of not be abandoned in the grave and nor will the Holy One decay there either. This is clearly speaking of David in the first instance but ultimately these things will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ. V11 David is so grateful for all that the Lord has done on earth and how He has everything planned. Remember that if we have faith in God then he has our lives in His hands and we are secure and JOY should fill us and praise SHOULD be on our lips.
Psalms that point to Jesus
Week 4
By Pete Mann
We move into our Fourth Psalm that points to our Messianic Saviour.
Messianic Psalms Quoted in the New Testament
Psalms 22:1
Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34
Psalms 22:7-8
Matthew 27:39,43, Luke 23:35
Psalms 22:18
Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34, John 19:23-24
Psalms 22:22
Hebrews 2:11-12
The Psalm we examine now in complex and intriguing it clearly points to the Crucifixion of Jesus.
V1 My God, My God why have you forsaken me Why are you so far from saving me and so far from the words of my groaning. Here we see a clear parallel to the words Jesus says in anguish whilst He is hanging on the Cross. Jesus for a brief moment he feels that God has left him, we can have moments like that too in life. V2 David the Psalmist is perplexed and concerned that he cries out day and night and it appears that God Is not listening or answering. We can sometimes feel like this too, we pray and cry out to God but it appears He is out of the room. It is true to say that God is omnipresent and he is always listening we should be concerned but rather we should stay faithful.
V7-8 We see here how people responded and reacted to the ministry of Jesus. Matt 27:43 tells us how this played out when Jesus was on trial and crowds mocked him and when he was on the cross the crowds taunted him saying “if you are the Son of God” save yourself. The ministry of Jesus touched many for good but it challenged many too as it does today.
V18 Soldiers played games to see who would get the garments this is exactly happened on the Via Da La Rosa which is the road Jesus took through Jerusalem, also known as the stages of the Cross.
V22 David makes a promised to declare the name of the Lord amongst the congregation and he will continue to give praise. In Hebrews 2: 11-12 we see the same promise declared that we should do the same.
Psalms that point to Jesus
Week 5
By Pete Mann
We begin our fifth study of the Psalms that points to our Messianic Saviour.
Psalms 40:6-8
Hebrews 10:5-10
David the Psalmist opens his next Psalm with these word ‘I waited patiently for the Lord and he turned to me and heard my cry’ We do not need to fret if our trust is in the Lord but rather, we need to be patient because HE always hears our cry and turn HIS attention towards us.
V2 He has rescued us from the slimy pit, the mud and the mire and put our feet on the ROCK (Jesus). We can be assured if we need rescuing then God will do this for us and HE will make sure we have a firm place to stand.
V3 He puts songs of praise on our lips and many will see and hear and put their trust in God. Remember the way we live our Christian lives can make more of an impact on others for good than we could ever imagine.
V4 The man that puts his trust in God will be happy (blessed)
V6-8 David turns our attention to Sacrifice and how these were not desired but rather God requires our commitment which is represented by ear piercing. The significance of ear piercing he represents the action a slave would take to show his commitment to his master. V8 The desire is that the law of God should be written on our hearts. The Psalmist would have been addressing people that had no access to Holy Scriptures so when they heard them spoken, they needed to commit them to their heart.
In Hebrews 10:5-10 we see Psalm 40 quoted we see Jesus is the ultimate servant and HE is also the ultimate sacrifice. It is by the willing of Jesus to lay down His life so that we may have the possibility to be holy.
I trust you will be encouraged by reading the above notes and see the bigger picture of the Easter story.
Psalms that point to Jesus
Week 6
By Pete Mann
We begin our sixth study of the Psalms that points to our Messianic Saviour.
Psalms 41:9
John 13:18
V1 Blessed (happy) are those that help the poor and weak in society for it is the Lord that takes pity on them. In our world today there are many that are in need hence the need for food banks. Many churches and schools give their harvest to the local food bank which is great but the need is everyday not just once a year.
V2-8 Speaks of how the Lord protects, sustains, heals and generally cares for the downcast and downtrodden, this is the call of the Christian church today to care for the community in which it finds itself.
V9 Even my close friend whom I trusted, he has shared bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
John 13v18 I am not referring to all of you I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil the scriptures. He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.
John is quoting Psalm 41 directly here what is spoken about when both writers talk of eating bread together it is simply talking about those that have fellowship with me (Jesus). It is those people that are close that will turn against (lift their heel) the Lord and this does not depict all people but only those in fellowship.
V10 The Lord has mercy and compassion and we should give thanks daily for this.
V13 Praise the Lord from everlasting to everlasting (always) if you agree then Amen should be your response.