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THE WORD
ICEBREAKER
As an icebreaker for our first theme I like to ask my students if they have ever seen the play or the movie of “Fiddler on the Roof”. And this goes well with our study of psalms since that play is a musical, and the psalms are musical. Now if you have seen that play, one of the most delightful characters in it is a man named Tevye, the father of the family that the story is about. And one of the most famous songs in that play is when Tevye sings, “If I Were a Rich Man”, where he sings about all the wonderful things that he would do if he were a wealthy man. But there is one thing, in that song, that Tevye felt would be the greatest thing about being rich—the thing that would be “the sweetest thing of all?” And I would ask my class if they remembered what that was. And do you recall that? If you need a little hint. He wanted to be rich so that he wouldn’t have to spend so much time working on his farm, and instead, it would give him more time to do what?
Well here’s the line from the song:
If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day And that would be the sweetest thing of all
So what was it? The sweetest thing of all would be to have more time to study the scriptures.
TRANSITION
Well I think that Tevye would get along really well with David of the Bible. David clearly had a deep and abiding love for the word of God—for the scriptures, for the law, for the gospel. Studying the word of God for David was much more than just a duty, a task to get done, or an act of obedience—like sometimes, I think, we may be tempted to treat it. “Oh well, I’m supposed to read my scriptures, I guess I’ll go study them.” That’s not David at all. He LOVES the scriptures. He’s an enthusiast, a fan, an afficionado. The scriptures profoundly bring him great joy and meaning.
So let’s see what David and the psalms can add to our understanding of God’s word, or the scriptures.
SEARCH
To help us discover what David had to say about the scriptures, I have a few options here. Depending on what you wish to emphasize, I actually have three different crossword puzzles you could choose from. Depending on the amount of time you have, you could decide to just do one of them, or you could do all three if you wanted. But I found that it was just too much material to put all the great things we learn about the scriptures from Psalms into one puzzle. But what this does is that it allows you to really spotlight whichever aspect of the scriptures you wish to emphasize with your students. So the three puzzles we get to choose from here are Scripture Synonyms, Scripture Symbols, and Scripture Splendors, or “scripture blessings” is really what I’m getting at there on that last one.
But let’s take each one in turn.
First, scripture synonyms. Now there are some religious terms that I feel we use so often that they start to lose their meaning. “Scriptures” is one of those words. And when we use that term, most of us are going to picture the actual books of scripture—the physical object of cover, binding, ink and page. But that’s not really what “scripture” is. It’s not just a mere physical object or publication. It’s so much more than that. Scripture is divinely revealed truth. It’s the gospel. It’s the law. It’s a message. That divinely revealed truth can come in many forms. It can come in the form of stories. It comes in the form of sermons. It comes in the form of laws and commandments. It comes in the form of hymns. But there are many other terms that we could use to describe scripture. And I think that when we use one of these other scripture synonyms, it tends to have a greater impact, or it at least gives us a deeper understanding of what “scripture” is all about. Well, interestingly enough, you will not find the word “scripture” anywhere in the book of psalms, and yet, they’re a major theme. So with the following crossword puzzle, see if you can find all the “scripture” synonyms that psalms uses.
SCRIPTURE SYNONYMS
ACROSS 3. (78:2) Dark sayings of _____.
OLD. Now dark in this context doesn’t mean foreboding, or obscure, or secret. A better translation would probably be the word “sacred”, or truths that have been hidden from man for a time but can be revealed to the righteous. That’s the scriptures. They are sacred messages that have been passed down from generation to generation. And hopefully “old” doesn’t hold a negative connotation to us here. Old as in established, eternal, time tested, or deeply rooted.
5. (25:10, 78:56, 93:5, 99:7)
TESTIMONIES. Now what is a testimony? According to Merriam-Webster, It is defined as: firsthand authentication of a fact OR evidence OR a public profession of religious experience OR a solemn declaration. That’s the scriptures. Through them, God offers evidence, solemn declarations of truth, and professed religious experiences.
7. (1:2, 19:7, 119:1) The _____ of the Lord
LAW. The scriptures contain God’s laws. He’s a God of law and order and he desires his children to understand his will and the principles that govern good terrestrial living. 8. (26:3, 43:3, 57:3, 138:2)
TRUTH. Doctrine and Covenants 93:24 defines truth as “knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;” The scriptures contain that kind of knowledge—things as they really are. Fact, not fiction. Actuality not fantasy. 9. (119:4, 119:15, 119:27, 119:45)
PRECEPTS. A precept is “a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action”. The scriptures give us actionable content. They aren’t just meant to be read, or studied, or understood, but to be lived. They give us precepts that guide and instruct our thoughts, words, and deeds.
DOWN 1. (19:9, 48:11, 119:7, 147:20)
JUDGMENTS. And yes. Judgments does not have an e after the g, though it’s often misspelled that way. The scriptures help us to understand the justice of God and how and why he rewards righteousness and condemns iniquity. 2. (19:8, 71:3, 119:96, 147:15)
COMMANDMENT. Like a precept, a commandment is meant to instruct our actions. Commandments are blessings that teach us the best way to live our lives. They are heavenly help that can help us to avoid negative natural consequences of certain behaviors. 4. (36:9, 43:3, 49:19)
LIGHT. I love this one. The scriptures are light. They help us to see our way through the mists of darkness. They provide clarity. They provide guidance. They provide comfort. Like a light shining in a dark place. 6. (19:8, 105:45, 119:8, 147:19)
STATUTES. Synonyms for statutes would be laws, commandments, or permanent rules. So once again, a word that suggests the applicable and relevant nature of scripture.
So there we have it. Nine different words that we could use other than the word “scriptures”. Each one giving us a bit of a distinct insight into the nature of God’s word.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
As a final discussion question for your students, as they look over the answers, ask them to share which of the “Scripture Synonyms” was their favorite and why.
SCRIPTURE SYMBOLS
Now moving on to our second crossword puzzle: scripture symbols. There are a number of different objects or ideas that the scriptures are compared to in the book of Psalms. Again, each one offering us a unique insight into the nature of scripture.
ACROSS 2. (19:10, 119:127)
GOLD
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
The scriptures are priceless. They are more valuable than gold. This reminds me of something that Mormon said about the gold plates. He said, “And I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord; the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For he truly saith that no one shall have them to get gain; but the record thereof is of great worth; and whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless. (Mormon 8:14) So that’s what made the gold plates so valuable. Not the gold they were written on, but the record itself. The truth it taught. Money is fleeting, but truth is forever. 4. (119:105)
LAMP
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Try to imagine navigating your way through a cave without any light source at all. What would happen? You’d be lost, scared, disoriented. You’d probably stumble, bump your head, and get hurt. Eventually, in the darkness, you would die. Spiritually speaking, these same things can happen in our lives if we don’t have the truths of the scriptures to provide us with light. They give us guidance and show us the way to go. They give us comfort in dark times. They help us to avoid pain and hurting ourselves through bad choices. They help to show us the pathway to exaltation.
5. (119:9)
CLEANSE
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Now I know that’s not an object being described there, but it implies one. What is an object that cleanses us and removes dirt and grime? Soap! The scriptures are like soap. They can help lead a soul to repentance. They can help us to experience a mighty change of heart. They can help us to turn to the cleansing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 6. (19:10, 119:103)
HONEY
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
The scriptures are like honey! And why do you think the psalmist chose honey rather than any other type of food? Because honey is sweet. Have you ever tasted the sweetness of the word of God? To you, what are some of the most delicious doctrines they contain? Families can be together forever? Through the grace of God I can be forgiven of my sins? I am a child of God? The pain and adversity of life is temporary? Each of these are sweet doctrines. They go down easy. They’re tasty. Sweet foods, nowadays, are very easy to get our hands on (as our waistlines can attest to). But back in Biblical days? They were rare. They were a treat. Good doctrine is also rare in our world. There is so much falsehood, opinion, and duplicity in our world. But the delicious doctrines of God are a rare treat and are to be savored when we get the chance to consume them. DOWN 1. (12:6)
SILVER
6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
God’s words are pure. How pure? Purified seven times. The more times you put a precious metal through the refining process, the purer it is going to be. God’s word has stood the test of time and has proven valuable from the days of Adam to today. There are no impurities or imperfections in them. It is truth untarnished. Compare that with the ideas and opinions of the world. Though they claim their theories to be new, progressive, and exciting, they just haven’t had the time to really be tested and vetted. They’re tainted by bias, ulterior motives, and ignorance. But God’s word is pure-seven times pure.
3. (1:1, 40:8, 119:16, 119:24, 119:47, 119:70, 119:77, 119:174)
DELIGHT
Now this is the most common word we see used in the Psalms to describe the scriptures. Isn’t that a great word to describe one’s relationship with them? Hopefully, we delight in the scriptures. I know that’s the way I feel about them. When the scriptures or the gospel or God’s word is truly understood, I don’t think there is any other way you can feel about them. Their complexity, their depth, their relevance, their charm is undeniable when they are sincerely engaged with. Part of the reason why I started this channel was because I wanted to share my delight for the word of God. I hope that if you’ve studied with me for any length of time, that you’ve sensed my delight and that you’ve shared in it yourself. One of the greatest blessings of the Come Follow Me program has been an increased delight in God’s word. You may have noticed that the word delight shows up repeatedly in Psalm 119 which is really the BIG psalm that deals with the scriptures. And it’s long, coming in at a whopping 176 verses. But it’s really kind of cool and unique. You’ll notice when you read Psalm 119 that it’s divided up with these strange words and symbols. Now what those are, are letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. So it’s like one of those acrostic poems that perhaps you’ve seen. The first word of each section begins with that Hebrew letter, if you were to read it in Hebrew. It’s a Psalm entirely dedicated to the delight of God’s word and if you get the chance, I highly encourage you to read it all the way through. It has many insights to teach us about the value of the scriptures.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
To conclude this activity, you could ask your students to share their answer to the following question as they look back over their answers.
Which of the symbols for the word of God from the psalms is your favorite and why?
Scripture Splendors
For this third and final crossword puzzle, we’re going to be looking for two things really. Scripture splendors or blessings and then also and some scripture strategies or suggestions on how we can better engage with God’s word. So here we go.
ACROSS 1. And I will walk at __________: for I seek thy precepts. (119:45)
LIBERTY
The truths of God’s word lead us to liberty. Satan and his lies, on the other hand, are all about bondage and captivity. But when we commit to living according to the laws, statutes, and precepts of God, it makes us free. The truth shall set you free. The more obedient we are, the more freedom we experience—freedom from guilt, freedom from addiction and freedom from the consequences of sin.
4. That they might set their _______ in God. (78:7)
HOPE
The scriptures bring us hope. Hope in a glorious resurrection. Hope in God’s grace and forgiveness. Hope for a better world. Hope that we can endure our trials. Hope in our divine destiny.
7. In his law doth he __________ day and night. (1:2)
MEDITATE
This is one of our scripture strategies. We’re invited to meditate or ponder on the word of God. Sometimes the best scripture study you will ever have will happen when you aren’t even looking at your scriptures, but when you are meditating on them. When we ponder, we give the spirit an opportunity to teach us and inspire us. They act as a catalyst to personal revelation. I’ll sometimes joke with my students that if they were to come by my office in the morning when I’m prepping my lessons, they may just look in and see me leaning back in my chair, feet up on the desk, hands behind my head, staring into space. And they might be tempted to think, “Wow, just look at that lazy old Brother Wilcox, just relaxing in there, doing nothing.” But what they wouldn’t realize is that what they are witnessing is me engaged in some of the hardest work I do all day. I’m pondering. I’m thinking about the scriptures. I’m contemplating their relevance. I’m meditating on the message. Meditating on the scriptures will help us to delight in them.
9. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their ___________. (78:5)
CHILDREN
Another scripture strategy. Parents have a solemn responsibility to make the word of God known to their children. Now what they do with that word will be up to their own agency and free will, but each generation must seek to pass their testimony and knowledge on to the rising generation in an effort to maintain a heritage of faith.
11. In keeping of them there is great ___________. (19:11)
REWARD
The Lord knows how to bestow good gifts on his children. Those who engage consistently with his word are promised great rewards. In your experience, what are some of those rewards? Happiness? Peace? Knowledge? Comfort? The Spirit? Revelation? What else? Remember the words of God are worth more than gold and silver. What prizes have you been awarded for delighting in them?
DOWN 2. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the __________ of my heart. (119:111)
REJOICING
The truths of the gospel can bring us joy. They make us happy. I can attest to this. When I have taken the time to truly dig deep into my scriptures, I always seem to have a better day. I’m in a better mood. I have more strength to face my hardships. No wonder David delighted in the scriptures. They made him happy! They can do the same for us.
3. And not _________ the works of God, but keep his commandments. (78:7)
FORGET
Here’s a blessing of scripture study. The scriptures help us not to forget the works of God. It’s when we begin to forget all the great things he’s done that we start to encounter trouble and lose the will to choose the right. That’s why the scriptures were originally called “Book of Remembrance”. In them we find all the principles and truths that God wishes us to always bear in mind. Remembering will keep us from repeating the mistakes of the past. Remembering will help us to stay strong in the face of temptation. Remembering will help us to remain loyal to our Savior.
5. And he shall be like a _____ planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (1:3)
TREE
That’s a great image. Those that delight in God’s word are like a healthy tree planted by a flowing river. A tree near a river has a constant source of nourishment and water. When we delight in the scriptures, God pours out his strength and nourishment on our souls. Alma compared our faith to a seed, but cautioned that the seed must be nourished and cared for if we ever expect it to grow and provide fruit. Scripture study is one of the best ways to nourish that faith.
6. By them is thy servant __________. (19:11)
WARNED
The scriptures warn of us spiritual dangers. They teach us what to avoid and what to look out for. In them we get to read of many examples of people who did or did not heed God’s warnings and the results of those decisions. We therefore are better equipped to make our own decisions and choose the right.
8. ____________ are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. (119:2)
BLESSED
Well that’s kind of an all-encompassing one. Those that keep his testimonies and seek him, will be blessed. Can’t get much more straightforward than that.
9. This is my __________ in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. (119:50)
COMFORT
The scriptures can provide us with comfort. When the dreariness and difficulty of life begin to bring us down, if we turn to God’s word, we will find reassurance and encouragement. God mourns with those that mourn. When I get discouraged, there are some chapters in the scriptures that I know will cheer me up and give me comfort. Doctrine and Covenants 121, Isaiah 43, Romans 8, Ether 12. God never promised us that our lives would be easy or trouble-free, but he did promise that he would not leave us comfortless or abandon us to destruction.
10. Great ______ have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (119:165)
PEACE
Though the world around us may rage, Jesus Christ’s command “peace, be still” can be heard calling out from every page of holy writ. The scriptures give us stability and serenity in a world of ever-shifting values.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
And to conclude this activity, you could ask your students to share their answer to the following question:
Have you ever seen any of these blessings come into your life from studying God’s word?
Which ones and how have they been manifested?
CONCLUSION
So did you enjoy that little exercise? The psalms sure have a lot to say about the scriptures, don’t they? With all the blessings that God offers those that engage with his holy word, is it any wonder that Tevye would sing that more time in God’s word would be the sweetest blessing of all. Have you come to Tevye’s conclusion yet? Would more time to study God’s word be at the top of your list if you had the means and the opportunity? Now I know that I’m spoiled because I get to spend hours every day talking about and teaching from the scriptures as a profession. I’ve been blessed to be able to do that for the last 20 years or so. And you might wonder if I ever get tired of them. Have they gotten old to me? Have I ever sighed as I opened up my Book of Mormon, or Old Testament and said, “Well, here we go again,” I can say with all sincerity, that no, I’ve never felt that way. I’m nowhere near tired of them. I have never found them boring. I’ve never found them irrelevant. I’ve never grown weary of their content. To this day, that’s never happened. There is an infinite amount of depth, truth, and insight within the pages of each of the standard works. And I’ve seen the blessings—all the rewards the psalms have promised. I’ve experienced the joy, I’ve felt the comfort, I’ve enjoyed the peace. I delight in God’s word. And I pray that you will too.
MESSIANIC PSALMS
ICEBREAKER
Our next theme. Do you know what the word “Messianic” means? Ever heard that term before? It means: “Of, or relating to the Messiah, Jesus Christ or the salvation believed to have been brought by him.” When you study the psalms, you may see the phrase “A Messianic Psalm” in the chapter heading. In fact, that may be a good marking activity to try sometime. Just go through and mark every time you see that label, and then read each of those psalms. I can promise you that you will walk away with a better understanding and love for your Savior if you do so. Here's a list of all of them if you’d like to do that.
2, 8, 9, 16, 21, 22, 31, 40, 45, 67, 68, 69, 89, 91, 110, 118, 132.
Some other psalms that aren’t designated specifically as Messianic, but I feel still have messianic qualities are.
41, 55, 72, 107
But for an icebreaker to this theme, I would show the following video produced by the Church. It’s called “His Sacred Name-An Easter Declaration.” I feel this little video does a good job of creating the atmosphere and spirit that you’ll want to have as you discuss this lesson. After you watch it, ask the following discussion question. When you feel discouraged, persecuted, or lonely, where do you turn for comfort and help? And I would just allow a few of my students to share some of their thoughts and experiences with that.
His Sacred Name-An Easter Declaration: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-03-0007-his-sacred-name-an-easter-declaration?lang=eng&alang=eng&collectionId=eba917eaaa0e4f0d9cd61bef2709a076
Then I would ask: Does anyone know where Jesus turned to for comfort and help in his hour of need? In Gethsemane and on Calvary? And there’s more than one answer to that question. He turned to his friends. He turned to his Father. He turned to his own teachings and applied them. But there’s one other place he turned that may not be as well known. He turned to the psalms. He found solace and strength in these old testament hymns. Today we’ll take a look at some of the Messianic psalms that aided Jesus in his sufferings, and we’ll begin with Psalm 22.
SEARCH
Now when we study the crucifixion in the gospels, we only experience it from below looking up. We are outside observers to his sufferings and his words. We get it from the perspective of Matthew, Mark, or John. But would you be interested in experiencing or understanding that moment from the cross looking down? To have a clearer understanding of what Jesus was thinking and feeling at that moment from his own perspective? Well, I believe there is a way we can do just that. We get that perspective from Psalm 22. While Jesus hung on the cross, he made a number of statements. Seven in fact. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) ,“Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). But at one point while Christ hung, perhaps in the moment of his deepest agony, he said something that has intrigued and even confused many. He said, “My god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Now that statement has been interpreted in a number of different ways and I suppose no one can really definitively explain what Christ was experiencing in that moment. Some in the world have interpreted that as a murmur from the Savior, an accusation or an expression of doubt. Now that I don’t believe. Latter-day prophets have taught us that this was the moment that the Father withdrew his Spirit from the Savior so that Christ could experience all that mortals experience. He needed to know what it felt like to lose the Spirit and the presence of his Father. In his lifetime, he had never sinned and therefore had never lost the Holy Ghost or link with his Father. And I believe that explanation. Doctrinally that makes sense to me. However, Psalm 22 gives us another possible interpretation that I like very much. Read the first verse and see how it begins.
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Huh? It is very possible, that in the moment of his deepest pain, Christ found strength and comfort by quoting a line from one his favorite hymns or psalms. Now Christ quoted scripture all the time. You may recall on the mount of temptation that Jesus found strength to resist the adversary by quoting Deuteronomy. But here, he quotes psalms at a time when he needed comfort and courage. Jesus must have read this psalm many times in his life and perhaps contemplated a future experience he would have. And when that moment came, he found solace in it.
SEARCH
So I’d like to invite you to read Psalm 22 from that perspective. This is a psalm that is worth reading through with you verse by verse. These very well may be the Savior’s thoughts on the cross. When he quotes that one line, he evokes the thoughts and sentiments of the entire psalm. So what was Christ thinking about. Here we go:
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
Have you ever prayed that kind of prayer? Have you ever felt like God was far from you? That no one was listening? Joseph Smith once prayed that kind of prayer in Liberty Jail. “Oh God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:1) But does Christ dwell on this thought for long? No
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
These are verses infused with faith and trust in God. One thing we get for sure from this psalm is a refutation of the theory that Christ is expressing doubt or complaint.
Continuing on, we’re going to see some things that are very descriptive of what Christ was experiencing at this time, right down to minute detail.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Isn’t that exactly what some of the people at the crucifixion accused Christ of. But now more conviction:
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Here our Savior reaffirms his commitment to his Father and accomplishing his will. “thou art my God from my mother’s belly”. I will always follow you; I have always followed you, from my very birth.
And now, he’ll give us a very moving description of what he was experiencing physically.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. (How’s that for a reference to the crucifixion?)
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
(That is something that we know took place on Calvary.)
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
Can you see why this psalm would come to mind for Christ?
And now, there’s a shift from verse 22 on. A psalm that is filled with a description of pain, agony, and pleading, will end in triumph and an anticipation of future glory.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Do you understand why Christ would quote this hymn? Why he would have this in mind. I’m sure it gave him strength at the time when he needed it most. I imagine he was drawing upon the victorious and exultant spirit of this hymn to help him endure his anguish.
And that’s what we must do as well. We don’t need to enjoy or welcome or rejoice in our suffering. But we can rejoice in God’s promise that we will overcome all if we maintain our faith and conviction in his eventual triumph over all our pains and problems. Even though he suffered greatly, Jesus didn’t suffer forever. He did overcome. He did his Father’s will and triumphed over all his foes. He defeated both sin and death, and through that victory, also overcame all of our sins, sorrows, sicknesses, temptations, and afflictions (Alma 7:11-13).
MORE MESSIANIC MEANING
There are other Messianic psalms that most likely would have been on Christ’s mind as he hung on the cross. Allow me to point you to few and I encourage you to study them personally and do what we just did together. Where do you see connections to what Christ experienced? In fact, see if you can find the two other places that connect directly with things that Christ actually spoke from the cross.
Psalm 31
Psalm 41
Psalm 55
Psalm 69
Let me point out just a few of these for you:
Did you see the connection in psalm 31? Verse 5
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
More evidence of Christ finding strength from a psalm. When he said from the cross, “Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit” (Luke 23:46) perhaps the thoughts and feelings of psalm 31 were in his heart. This is also a psalm full of faith and trust in God. For example,
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
Look for a moment at verses 9-13.
9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, his “neighbors” and closest friends did flee from him, and he faced his trials alone.
However, more triumph.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
From Psalm 41
Maybe these verses caught your attention:
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
And then who does this make you think of?
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Pair that thought with Psalm 55:12-14
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Who is he referring to there? Who was this familiar friend that lifted up his heel against him. An acquaintance that at one point had taken sweet counsel with, and walked with him who became his enemy. Judas Iscariot. Right. We know that was a difficult thing for Christ to experience. It’s one thing to be hated and oppressed by your enemies, but that’s what you expect from them. But to be betrayed by one of your closest friends . . . Now there’s a trial far more difficult to endure.
Still: Back to psalm 41:
10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
And 55:16-18
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
These psalms of pain and hurt always reverberate with trust in God and triumph over evil.
If you go to psalm 69, we see another connection with a statement from the cross. Did you catch it?
And, we won’t take the time to go into depth on this one, but it shares much of the same spirit of psalm 22 where we hear the sufferings of the savior defined and expressed in beautiful poetic language, but let me direct you specifically to verses 20-21.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
What statement are we seeing a reference to? The only request the Savior made for himself during his entire ordeal. He said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28) He was thirsty—a common petition made by the dying. To have just a little bit of relief and quelling of the difficulty of death. When my Mom was dying of cancer, I remember my father giving her little chips of ice to suck on because she didn’t have the strength to really eat or drink. And what did they give Christ to drink? Vinegar. Even then, he was not offered relief or help. He drank the bitter cup, right to its last bitter drop.
I think it’s fascinating that one of the most poignant and eye-opening places to study the sufferings of the Savior would be in this Old Testament book that predated Jesus by about 1000 years. And, I’m not so sure that when David wrote those Psalms that he was really prophesying what Jesus would experience? Maybe there is some of that in it. But perhaps this is more of an example of Jesus making David’s words, his own—finding himself in the scriptures and relating to them. Which is what we are all called on to do. That’s why I’m always encouraging you to Liken the Scriptures to yourself. Jesus was a master at this and repeatedly turned to them when he needed strength.
TRUTH
To summarize what we’ve learned here, a statement of truth I feel these psalms illustrate.
When we suffer, if we, like Christ, turn to the scriptures and the hymns, we can receive strength and reassurance.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Is there a hymn or a scripture that has helped you through a difficult time? Please share your experience.
CONCLUSION
Well, Christ taught us some powerful things while he hung on the cross, but the psalms give us a much deeper comprehension of those words. Though he didn’t say much as far as a word count is concerned while he suffered, but those few words were filled with meaning. Christ was always teaching, even in those darkest moments. He didn’t have the strength or ability to give an entire sermon at that point, but he gave us hints in those statements, hoping we would go to the scriptures for understanding and instruction, just like he always did. I know that my Redeemer lives.
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