The Psalms and Christ's death, resurrection, and Ascension
This week I'm suggesting for folks in our church to read Luke 23 and 24 and then read Psalm 88, 89, and 110.
This may seem like sort of a strange thing, and some have wondered "why read these things together?".
In Luke 23 and 24 we read of the crucifixion of Jesus. Over the last few weeks since before Christmas we've been reading through the gospel of Luke. Luke's gospel ends with the death of Jesus, and then his resurrection and ascension. Within a few hundred words, Luke reports on the lowest, most dark moments of Jesus, and then the most triumphant, glorious, and overwhelmingly tremendous experiences of Jesus. These passages are like a valley below overshadowing mountains.
The Psalms often recount the prayers, songs, laments, or pivotal moments. In Psalm 88, and 89 we see some of deepest, lowest valleys in the Psalms.
In Psalm 88 there is no hint of hope, or glimmer of deliverance. There is no rejoicing, no call for song, only rejection and judgement. It's not the sort of Psalm you read before someone's birthday party. Yet this is an appropriate Psalm to read as we also read in the gospels of Christ's betrayal (Luke 22), his trial, crucifixion, and death (Luke 23).
In Psalm 88:1-2 we read:
O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry
Yet as Christ was on the cross, there was no answer, no reply. In the moment that Christ took on the full wrath of God against sin. He was utterly forsaken by his friends, as Psalm 88:8 says:
You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape
Peter denied any association to Jesus, not once, not twice, but three times. The dearest of his followers who had only hours before spoken so boldly of their allegiance were scattered and scared. As the hours of agony grew on, there were no reinforcements, there was no relief. Only death awaited Jesus as he hung on the cross in rejection and darkness.
As Psalm 88:18 closes we read:
You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend
Who would willingly go through this? Jesus grew up as a young man who attended synagogue. He was familiar with the Psalms, the law and the prophets. He would no doubt have heard this passage read or maybe himself recited it at times. It's tough enough for us to read Psalm 88, yet he lived it!
From the darkness of Psalm 88 comes the hope of Psalm 89:1:
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations
We have a hymn that we sing from time to time "What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul". How can we not sing of the one who suffered all that Psalm 88 describes? How can we not delight and praise in the promise keeping God of our salvation as Psalm 89:8 inquires:
O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you
God's faithfulness throughout the scriptures is continually tied to his promises. When God makes a promise, he keeps that promise. This is what God's faithfulness looks like, the everlasting trustworthy fulfilment of promises. In Psalm 89:28-29 we read of some of these promises:
I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure
These promises are recalled throughout the Psalm about God's covenant to David (see Psalm 89:3-4, 20-37, and 49). All throughout Psalm 89 the promises of God to David are recounted, and God's mightiness, and character are recalled. Yet at times in Psalm 89 we get hints of the darkness mentioned throughout Psalm 88. Take for example Psalm 89:38-39
But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one. You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust
Another passage that we would refrain from reading before a birthday party. In the midst of all the discussion of God's covenant promises to David, there is a court-case being made, a complaint being filed by Psalm 89. The case comes to a summary head seeking resolution in the last few verses.
How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men! What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O Lord, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. Praise be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen
- Psalm 89:46-52
The case is laid before the Lord for the covenant keeping faithfulness of God to be reviewed and respected. Couldn't Christ have said these same things on the cross? Could not Christ Jesus have pleaded based on God's promises, and indeed beyond that, his own righteous life to be spared from the suffering? And yet, the Psalm, with all its recounting of God's promises, God's character, and complaints, ends with a phrase about the praise of the Lord. This complaint is not a flippant complaint, or a disrespectful accusation. This is the longing question of one who still, despite all the difficulties experienced, still trusts the Lord to do what is right and remember his promises.
The question of the court case of Jesus Christ is one which is at the center of the whole of human history. Luke's whole gospel account has no purpose, meaning or value if Jesus did not rise from the tomb and ascend into heaven. The case of Jesus Christ, and whether or not God saw fit to leave him dead or raise him from the grave is essential for every human being ever born. If Jesus did not rise, then he is of no consequence. If Jesus was raised, then he is of essential consequence.
If Psalm 88 describes in some ways the circumstances Christ's betrayal and death, then Psalm 89 describes in some ways Christ's trust in God even in the midst of his betrayal and death. This reminds me of a phrase from Job 13:15:
"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face."
The devotion of Christ to his mission was undivided and never subsided. Even in the midst of his betrayal, his torture, his death, Christ remained committed to the plan of his Father's will.
Psalm 110 is then different from Psalm 88 and 89.
The Lord says to my lord:
Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. 4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7 He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.
- Psalm 110
This Psalm is much shorter than Psalm 88 and 89. Psalm 110 speaks of a victorious judge (verses 5-6) who rules while conquering (verse 1-2). It speaks of one who is now at peace rather than in peril (verse 7) who is established in a unique ordained ministry of priesthood different from every other priest (verse 4). There was no victory, hope, or peace to be found in Psalm 88. Psalm 89 seemingly laid forward a case for rescue, and spoke of a hope for vindication, but didn't really expound on that hoped for vindication, it was still something being waited for. Psalm 110 speaks of no more darkness or despair, only massive triumph and glory. Psalm 88 and 89 are filled with concerns and worry, Psalm 110 is only worrying for the enemies of this ruling, priestly, conquering judge.
Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to somewhere between 25 and 30 times throughout the New Testament. It is the most quoted Psalm in the entire New Testament and was a Psalm that Jesus taught on (Matthew 22:41-46), Peter preached on during the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2:34-36), the Apostle Paul in writing about the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:25), and the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 7:15-22). It is quite accurate to say Psalm 110 was foundational for the New Testament church in their understanding of the significance of Jesus.
As we live our lives as believers there are some aspects of our relationship to God which are essential. For the New Testament church, the person of Jesus was worth following. He was worth proclaiming. He was worth trusting in. He was worth dying for. He was worth obeying. He was life changing.
So why read Luke 23, 24, and Psalm 88, 89, and 110? 3 summary reasons:
- In these passages we have a clear understanding of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. These are the summary foundations of the gospel as proclaimed in the New Testament.
- In these passages we come to learn, appreciate, and love more that which Christ Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. Christ truly suffered as he bore God's wrath.
- In these passages we grow in our worship of Christ Jesus as victorious, triumphant, judge and Lord. Just as Christ was victorious over death, he has secured for his people eternal life.
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