FROM THE LAW TO CHRIST AND THE HOUSE
Now we must go on. The main point of the first book, Psalms 1—41, is that God’s intention is to turn the seeking saints from the law to Christ that they may enjoy the house of God. I believe that by now we have all turned to Christ. We have covered twenty-four Psalms already; now in this chapter we will cover the remaining seventeen Psalms of the first book. Let us look specifically at Psalms 25 to 41. The main purpose here is to show how the saints experience and enjoy God through Christ, especially in the house and the city of God.
The subject of the first Psalm is the law. But immediately in the second Psalm, the subject is changed from the law to Christ. Hallelujah! Beginning with Psalm 2 we have seen six Psalms of Christ, ending with Psalm 24. But however much we appreciate the preciousness of Christ, we must realize that Christ is not the consummation. Christ is for the house; Christ is for the church. In Matthew 16, when Peter saw Christ by the Father’s revelation, the Lord immediately directed his attention to the church: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (v. 18). Here in the Psalms we firstly have the law, according to the human, natural, religious concept of the saints. But God turned the saints to Christ. Then we have Christ revealed, portrayed, and detailed in Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22, 23 and 24. We must repeat again and again these Psalms about the preciousness of Christ. But in this section, from Psalm 2 to Psalm 24, we have very little mentioned of the house. Indeed, the house is mentioned in these Psalms (see 5:7, 11:4, and 18:6), but it is not emphasized. These few references to the house speak only of such matters as coming into His house, praising God in His temple, and prayer being heard in the temple. But following Psalm 24, from Psalms 25 to 41, the house is set forth in a richer way. In all these seventeen Psalms, Christ is not often mentioned, but the house is repeatedly emphasized. The main thing in this section is the house. There is reference after reference to the house. Oh, the house, the house, for the enjoyment of God! It is in this section that the wonderful verse is found, “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (34:8). But where may we taste Him? In the house! We can only taste God in His house.
In Psalm 1 the law is everything. But immediately the Spirit changes the subject to Christ. Then, from Psalms 2 to 24, Christ is richly and strongly presented. Yet, even in these Psalms, the law is still not absolutely abandoned. But when we come to Psalms 25 to 41, it is rather difficult to find a single verse concerning the law. I cannot find one. The law is in Psalm 1, but in Psalms 2 to 24 Christ becomes the main figure, and the law is on its way out. Then, in Psalms 25 to 41, the law is over, and the house of God becomes the main figure. We have turned from the law to Christ, and Christ has brought us to the house. Oh, the house! Hallelujah for God’s house!
Psalms 25 to 41 show us how the saints experience and enjoy God through Christ, especially in the house and the city of God. In these Psalms the sufferings of the saints are identical to the sufferings of Christ. There are a number of verses which indicate the various aspects of Christ’s suffering and His attitude in suffering. His life was spent with grief; He was a reproach among the people; He was slandered and threatened; and the people took counsel together against Him and devised to take away His life (Psa. 31:10-13, cf. Isa. 53:3; John 7:44; 8:59; 11:56-57; Matt. 26:3-4). The wicked watched Him and sought to slay Him (Psa. 37:32, cf. Luke 11:54). He trusted in God (Psa. 31:14, cf. Heb. 2:13). His times were in God’s hand (Psa. 31:15, cf. John 7:6-8). He committed His spirit into God’s hand (Psa. 31:5, cf. Luke 23:46). All these verses in the Psalms are the words of the suffering saints, but their sufferings were identical to the sufferings of Christ.
In these Psalms there are also several prophecies concerning Christ. He considered Himself as a sacrifice and an offering to God, and He delighted to do the will of God (Psa. 40:6-8, cf. Heb. 10:5-8). The people hated Him without a cause (Psa. 35:19, cf. John 15:25). One of His disciples betrayed Him (Psa. 41:9, cf. John 13:18). Not one of His bones were broken (Psa. 34:20, cf. John 19:36). All these are prophecies of His suffering.
These Psalms also indicate how, through Christ, the saints experience and enjoy God as their light, their salvation, their strength, and their shield (Psa. 27:1; 28:7), and they taste God Himself (Psa. 34:8).
(Christ and the Church Revealed and Typified in the Psalms, Chapter 6, by Witness Lee)
