Psalms – Any Messiah Prophecies?

Psalms – Any Messiah Prophecies?

Psalms are quoted in the New Testament more than any other book from the Old Testament, the Tenakh.^[1] Often associated with King David such as praises, songs, travails, and salvation; some describe characteristics of God; and others are considered to be parallels to the Messiah. Are any of the Psalms prophecies about the Messiah?^[2]

Psalms identified by Jesus of Nazareth as prophecies to be fulfilled by him raises the bar to the highest level – he must fulfilled them if his claim to be the Messiah is credible.

^{MT: 5:17-18} “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. _(NRSV) [*] ^[3]

Pharisees had been watching and listening to Jesus since early in his ministry. At one point, Jesus took an opportunity to engage them directly asking, “”What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?”^[4] Thinking the question was simple, they answered, “The son of David.” Jesus responded pointedly quoting from Psalms 110:1:

^{MT 22:43-45} …”How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” _(NKJV)

^{PS 110:1} ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’? _(NKJV)

No answer came from the Pharisees, according to Matthew. The Pharisees were unable to debunk Psalms 110:1 as a Messiah prophecy.

Visiting Bethany days just before entering Jerusalem for the last time, oddly the Pharisees warned Jesus to watch out for Tetrarch Herod Antipas who wanted to kill him. Ignoring the warning, Jesus said he was busy casting out demons and performing cures, then finished with a prophecy quoting from Psalms 118:

^{LK 13:35} “I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” _(NKJV)

^{PS .118:26} “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.” _(NKJV)

Days later,  Jesus rode into the city seated on the unbroken colt of a donkey while a crown of people chanted and placed palm branches in his path:^[5] All four Gospel authors write about that triumphal day with the Jewish Encyclopedia citing the Gospel of John:^[6]

^{JN 12:12-13}  “… a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!””^[7]

Jewish sage Rabbi Rashi viewed Micah 5:1 (5:2 in Christian translations) as a prophecy predicting the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. In his commentary of the Bethlehem prophecy, the Rabbi commented “from you shall emerge for Me the Messiah, son of David, and so Scripture says (Ps. 118:22): ‘The stone the builders had rejected became a cornerstone.:”

Judaism regards Psalms 118 as the concept of salvation pointing to the arrival of the Messiah recited in the Hallel during Festival holidays.^[8] The Jewish Encyclopedia in it’s article “Hosanna,” states that Psalms 118 refers to “…the advent of the Messiah (see Midr. Teh. to Ps. cxviii. 17, 21, 22; comp. Matt. xxi. 42).”^[9]

^{MT 21:42} “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?” _(NKJV)

^{PS 118:22-23} The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.This was the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. _(NKJV)

Teaching in the Temple just 3 days before he would be crucified, the Pharisees again questioned Jesus by what authority he was teaching. His answer included one of the few parables common to Mathew, Mark and Luke.^[10]

Winery tenants refused to pay rent, beat-up those sent to collect it, and stoned to death the owner’s only son when he personally attempted to collect the rent. Initially the Pharisee’s reaction was “Bring those wretches to a wretched end!”^[11] Jesus interpreted the parable by quoting Psalms 118:22.^[12]

Passover meal became “The Last Supper” for Jesus.^[13] As they were eating, Jesus identified a prophecy soon to be fulfilled and he didn’t want there to be any question about it. He quoted Psalm 41:9 as a prophecy of duplicity foretelling he was imminently to be betrayed by one of his own Disciples.^[14]

^{JN 13:18-19} “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. _(NIV)

^{PS 41:9} Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. _(NIV)

Once Judas Iscariot knew his unscrupulous intentions were known by Jesus, he quickly left the Passover meal. The act of betrayal by Judas happened just hours later.[15]

During his nighttime trial by the Sanhedrin, Jesus spoke only once. When he did, it was earthshattering in more ways than one. Admitting he is the Messiah, again he quoted from Psalms 110:1.

“‘I am,’ said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”[16]

Psalms 22is generally recognized by Christianity as either a foreshadowing or prophecy about the crucifixion of Jesus. The 1000-year older Psalm describes physical and metal effects that remarkably match an execution by Roman crucifixion as well as two specific actions by others, mocking and gambling.

Mocking words quoted in Psalms 22 were spewed by Sanhedrin scorners during the crucifixion and the Roman quaternion cast lots for his clothes.^[17] In his excruciating dying moments on the cross, Jesus quoted Psalms 22:1:

^{MK 15:34} And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

^{PS 22:1} …“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” _(NIV)

If specific Psalms identified by Jesus as Messiah prophecies actually matched circumstances in his life, is Jesus then the fulfillment of those Messiah prophecies?

[*] Greek word nomos translated as “law” means “anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command” i.e. the word includes the Law of Moses as well as other established customs or traditions.