Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

Three times in the Book of Psalms it is said that the Lord ‘laughs’ and in each reference it is in regards to his enemy. The laughter is not humorous but scornful as it is futile to resist God’s Messiah-King. “ But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations.” (Ps. 59:8) After the laughter he displays his anger and rebuke.

“ For the Lord declares, ‘I have placed my chosen king on Zion, my holy mountain. ’” (6)

This is the first prophecy in the psalms and it is given directly by ‘God the Father’ in reference to his ‘Messiah-King.’ There is no biblical record of any of the kings of Judah/Israel being anointed on Mount Zion and this points prophetically to Christ reigning forever from the heavenly city of Zion. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king God had promised to send to Israel: “ ’Are you the King of the Jews?’ … ‘You say that I am a king, and you are right,’ Jesus said. ‘I was born for that purpose. ’” (Jn. 18:33,36,37) Jesus did not have an ‘identity crisis’ but knew exactly who he was, the king of Israel.

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“ The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: ‘The Lord said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your Father.”(7)

Jesus the king speaks the second prophecy of this psalm and he recites what his Father has said to him. This passage is quoted in three different places in the New Testament to show that Jesus Christ is: 1. God’s Son who is greater than the angels: “ This shows that God’s Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names. For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus; ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’” (Heb. 1:4,5) 2. God’s Son who is the High Priest of heaven: “ That is why Christ did not exalt himself to become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’”(Heb. 5:5) 3. God’s Son who is raised from the dead: “ God’s promise to our ancestors has come true in our own time, in that God raised Jesus. This is what the second psalm is talking about when it says con- cerning Jesus, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ’ ”(Acts 13:32,33)

Because Jesus is the Son of God, he is greater than the angels, he is the High Priest of heaven and he is resurrected from the dead! Jesus continues his prophecy of what his Father has said to him:

“ Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your pos- session.”(8)

Jesus the Son of God was very clear about his intentions of extending his reign to the nations of the earth. He left explicit instructions for his disciples and us today: “ I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…”(Mt. 28:18,19) The prophecy of Jesus concludes with this phrase that is quoted 3 times in the book of Revelation. Nothing will be able to withstand God’s Messiah-King-Son and his disciples as they extend the kingdom of heaven to every nation! • The disciples will rule with Christ- “ To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.” (Rev. 2:26,27) • Christ reigns over the nations from heaven’s throne- “ She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all the nations with an iron rod. And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.” (Rev. 12:5) ‘This is the glorification, ascension, and enthronement of the incar- nate Son 1 .’ • Christ will return to reign over the nations on earth- “ From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with and iron rod…” (Rev. 19:15) “ ‘ You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots’. (9)

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