THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE ADVANCED BIBLE STUDIES SERIES “PSALMS”
Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
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The following is an excerpt from the Advanced Bible Studies Series course on the book of Psalms, which is available from Way of Life Literature. (It is best to order them by phone at 866-295-4143, but they can also be ordered from the newly redesigned online order form at the Way of Life web site, http://www.wayofife.org.)
There are currently 20 titles in the series, and any of them can be special ordered in large print and in ring coil binding. We don’t believe that you will find better quality, more truly life-changing Bible courses from any other source. They are based strictly upon the King James Bible and the powerful word studies assist in the understanding of the KJV but never cast doubt upon it. They are thorough and comprehensive. They are very practical and have the objective of producing well-equipped Christian soldiers that have a solid understanding of the Bible. They stress holy and obedient Christian living and separation from worldliness and error, exalt evangelism and the New Testament church, and promote world missions. They emphasize the crucial differences between law and grace and positional and practical sanctification, and they continually fortify the student’s understanding of the life-changing doctrines such as justification, substitutionary atonement, and eternal security. The courses are non-Calvinistic and interpret Bible prophecy literally. The student will be prepared to stand against the wiles of the Devil and to refute the major theological heresies of our day. One pastor said the books “are extremely helpful for any Christian, no matter where they are spiritually; the practical application is extremely helpful and edifying.”
The Advanced Bible Studies Series can be used as private study guides for the individual Christian, as Sunday School lessons, as textbooks in Bible colleges, as part of a home schooling curriculum, as study material in jails and prisons, for discipling new (or older) Christians, and as refresher study material for Bible College graduates.
THEMES IN THE PSALMS CONTINUED
PROPHECY
As we have seen, a large portion of the Psalms is prophetic. To understand Psalms the Bible student must look beyond this present life and have an eternal perspective. “The Book of Psalms is pre-eminently a prophetic Book. ... The prophetic scope of the Psalms is truly marvellous. Yet this feature of it is the most neglected in the study of the Book. It is rarely ever studied as a prophetic book; the devotional study has always been in the lead” (Gaebelein).
a. Most of the many New Testament quotations from Psalms deal with the prophetic aspect. For example, Matthew quotes from Psalm 22 three times referring to Christ’s crucifixion (Mat. 27:35, 43, 46), and Acts quotes twice from Psalm 2 and 16 referring to Christ’s resurrection (Acts 13:33, 35). Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection were yet future and were thus prophetic when the Psalms were written.
b. The words “for ever,” “evermore,” and “everlasting” appear an amazing 154 times in the Psalms.
c. In addition to the many Messianic prophecies that are already fulfilled, fifty-one (more than one-third) of the Psalms have major prophetic portions (totaling at least 471 verses) DESCRIBING EVENTS YET FUTURE (Psalm 2, 9, 10, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25, 37, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 58, 60, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 75, 76, 78, 85, 87, 89, 92, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 108, 110, 118, 121, 122, 125, 126, 128, 132, 138, 145, 146, 147, 149). . Thus it is obvious that a very large portion of the Psalms are prophetic.
d. These prophecies are associated with the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. See Psalm 89:3-4, 19-29, 34-37 and 2 Samuel 7:12-17. This is an extension of the covenant God made with Abraham.
(1) In His covenant with David, God reaffirmed the unconditional Abrahamic covenant through David’s family (2 Sam. 7:10).
(2) He also gave David three promises:
(a) He promised that the throne of David would be established forever through David’s seed (2 Sam. 7:13).
(b) He promised that the promise will never be annulled even though there be chastisement for sin (2 Sam. 7:14-15).
(c) He promised that David’s house and kingdom would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:16).
All of this is fulfilled through Jesus Christ, David’s Son, who has inherited the throne of David (Mat. 1:1) and who will establish the Davidic kingdom at His return from Heaven (Isa. 9:6-7).
e. The prophecies in the Psalms often have both a historical and a prophetic application, both a near and a far perspective. Sometimes when the Psalmist speaks of his own situation he is also looking ahead to a prophetic context, or at least the Holy Spirit is doing this through him (i.e., Psalm 18:49).
(1) It is for this reason that a Psalm can refer to the sin of the Psalmist while also looking ahead to the sinless Messiah (i.e., Psa. 41:4, 9).
(2) Consider Psalm 78:65-72. This passage describes God’s blessing on Israel after the 40 years of wandering (which is the focus of verses 8-64). But verses 65-72 appear also to look ahead to a greater fulfillment in Christ’s kingdom. Verse 69 says, “And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.” God’s sanctuary in David’s day was not like high palaces. It was a humble tabernacle. Further, it did not last forever or as long as the earth, but Christ’s kingdom will last that long and His sanctuary then will indeed by like high palaces.
(3) Sometimes there is a combination of the historical reference and the prophetic in the same verse. See Psalm 16:10. The first part of this verse is about David while the second part is about the Messiah (Acts 13:35).
(4) Some of the prophecies have no historical application. Psalm 22, for example, though written by David, is pure prophecy. It is not based on any event in David’s own life.
The Prophetic themes in the Psalms are interwoven, but for the purposes of this study we will divide them into three major groups: Prophecies pertaining to the Messiah, Prophecies pertaining to Israel, and Prophecies pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
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The previous is an excerpt from the Advanced Bible Studies Series course on the book of Psalms, which is available from Way of Life Literature. (It is best to order them by phone at 866-295-4143, but they can also be ordered from the newly redesigned online order form at the Way of Life web site, http://www.wayofife.org.)
There are currently 20 titles in the series, and any of them can be special ordered in large print and in ring coil binding. We don’t believe that you will find better quality, more truly life-changing Bible courses from any other source. They are based strictly upon the King James Bible and the powerful word studies assist in the understanding of the KJV but never cast doubt upon it. They are thorough and comprehensive. They are very practical and have the objective of producing well-equipped Christian soldiers that have a solid understanding of the Bible. They stress holy and obedient Christian living and separation from worldliness and error, exalt evangelism and the New Testament church, and promote world missions. They emphasize the crucial differences between law and grace and positional and practical sanctification, and they continually fortify the student’s understanding of the life-changing doctrines such as justification, substitutionary atonement, and eternal security. The courses are non-Calvinistic and interpret Bible prophecy literally. The student will be prepared to stand against the wiles of the Devil and to refute the major theological heresies of our day. One pastor said the books “are extremely helpful for any Christian, no matter where they are spiritually; the practical application is extremely helpful and edifying.”
The Advanced Bible Studies Series can be used as private study guides for the individual Christian, as Sunday School lessons, as textbooks in Bible colleges, as part of a home schooling curriculum, as study material in jails and prisons, for discipling new (or older) Christians, and as refresher study material for Bible College graduates.
