Their Primary Character
The Psalms concern Judah and Israel, and the position in which those who belong to Judah and Israel are found. Their primary character is the expression of the working of the Spirit of Christ as to, or in, the remnant of the Jews (or of Israel) in the last days. He enters into all their sorrows, giving expression to their confessions, their confidence of faith, their hopes, fears, thankfulness for deliverances obtained — in a word, to every exercise of their hearts in the circumstances in which they find themselves in the last days; so as to afford them the leading, the sanction, and the sympathy of the Spirit of Christ, and utterance to the working of that Spirit in them and even in Christ Himself. This so distinctly characterizes the Psalms that there are very few indeed even of those which are prophetic of Christ, where the remnant is not found.
The Spirit of Christ;
the Spirit of Prophecy
Again, it is evident (and it is the second general principle I would notice), that it is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of prophecy, which speaks. That is to say, it is the Spirit of Christ interesting Himself in the condition of the faithful remnant of Israel. But if the Spirit of Christ is interested in the remnant of Israel, Christ’s own sufferings must be announced, which were the complete proof of that interest. And we find the most touching expressions of the sufferings of Christ, not historically, but just as He felt then, expressed as by His own lips at the moment He endured them. Hence the intimacy of feeling and peculiar interest of the Psalms. They are the beating of the heart of Him, the history of whose circumstances, the embodying of whose life, in relationship with God and man, whose external presentation, in a word, and all God’s ways in respect of it, are found in the rest of Scripture.
Earthly Deliverance Sought;
Sins Felt and Confessed
Another principle connects itself with this, which gives the third great characteristic of the Psalms. The sins of the people would morally hinder the remnant’s having confidence in God in their distresses. Yet God alone can deliver them, and to Him they must look in integrity of heart.
We find both these points brought out: the distresses are laid before God, seeking for deliverance, and integrity is pleaded and the sins confessed at the very same time. Christ, having come into their sorrows, as we have seen, and made atonement, can lead them, in spite of their sins and about their sins, to God. They do not indeed know at first perhaps the full forgiveness, but they go in the sense of grace as led by Christ’s Spirit, in expressions provided in these very Psalms, to the God of deliverances, confessing their sins also.
Forgiveness also is presented to them. The Spirit of Christ being livingly in them, and fixing the purpose of their heart, they can, through confessing their sin, plead their integrity and fidelity to God. But the thought of mercy always precedes that of righteousness, as their ground of hope.
The Expression of the Spirit of Christ in the Jewish Remnant or in Christ As Suffering for Them
In sum, then, the Psalms are the expression of the Spirit of Christ, either in the Jewish remnant (or in that of all Israel), or in His own Person as suffering for them, in view of the counsels of God with respect to His elect earthly people. And since these counsels are to be accomplished more particularly in the latter days, it is the expression of the Spirit of Christ in this remnant in the midst of the events which will take place in those days, when God begins to deal again with His earthly people.
The Five Books of the Psalms
It is generally known that the Psalms are divided into five books, the first of which ends with Psalm 41; the second, with Psalm 72; the third, with Psalm 89; the fourth, with Psalm 106; and the fifth, with Psalm 150. Each of these books is distinguished by a special subject.
The First Book: the State of the Jewish Remnant in Jerusalem
The subject of the first book is the state of the Jewish remnant before they have been driven out of Jerusalem, and hence of Christ Himself in connection with this remnant. We have more indeed of the personal history of Christ in the first than in all the rest. This will be readily understood, as He was thus going in and out with the remnant, while yet associated with Jerusalem.
The Second Book: the Remnant Cast Out of Jerusalem
In the second book, the remnant are viewed as cast out of Jerusalem (Christ, of course, taking this place with them and giving its true place of hope to the remnant in this condition). The introduction of Christ, however, restores them, in the view of prophecy, to their position in relationship with Jehovah as a people before God (Psa. 45-46). Previously, when cast out, they speak of God (Elohim) rather than Jehovah, for they have lost covenant blessings; but by this they learn to know Him much better. I think it will be found that the first two books are somewhat distinguishable from the last three. The first two are more Christ personally among the Jews; the last three, more national and historical.
The Third Book: National Deliverance and Restoration of Israel
In the third book we have the deliverance and restoration of Israel as a nation, and God’s ways towards them as such (Jerusalem, at the close, being the center of His blessing and government). The dreadful effect of their being under the law, and the centering of all mercies in Christ are brought out in Psalms 88-89, closing with the cry for the accomplishing of the latter. Electing grace in royalty for deliverance, when all was lost, is presented in Psalm 87.
The Fourth Book: Jehovah
the Dwelling-Place of Israel
In the fourth, we have Jehovah at all times the dwelling-place of Israel. Israel is delivered by the coming of Jehovah. It may, in its main contents, be characterized as the bringing in the Only-begotten into the world. Jehovah having been always Israel’s dwelling-place, they look for His deliverance. For this the Abrahamic and millennial names of God, Almighty and Most High, are introduced. The full divine nature of Messiah, once cut off, is brought in to lay the ground for His having a part in the latter-day blessings, though once cut off. He is the unchangeable living Jehovah, the Creator. Then comes blessing on Israel, creation, judgment of the heathen, that Israel might enjoy the promises. But it is the same mercy which has so often spared them.
The Fifth Book: God’s Ways
Rehearsed, Closing With
Triumphant Praise
The last book is more general, a kind of moral on all, the close being triumphant praise. Having spoken of the details of their restoration, through difficulties and dangers, and God’s title to the whole land, the wickedness of the anti-Christian tool of the enemy, the exaltation of Messiah to Jehovah’s right hand till His enemies are made His footstool, and the earthly people made willing in the day of His power, we have then a rehearsal of God’s ways, a commentary on the whole condition of Israel and what they have passed through, and the principles on which they stand before God, the law being written in their hearts.
Then the closing praises.
Adapted from J. N. Darby