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Originally Posted by Brett McKinley  Is his statement: "Christ is the central figure in" [the Psalms] accurate? It seems to me we ought to step back and say God is the central figure in the Psalms. Is there a need to descend to that particularity?
Regards, |
Christ is indeed the central figure of the Psalms. In the words of Augustine, "the voice of Christ and His Church is well-nigh the only voice to be heard in the Psalms." The Gospels speak of the life of Christ, and Christ is the central message of the Bible (which is why Biblical preaching is Christocentric), and the Book of Psalms is, as Luther said, like "a little Bible." To put it another way, the Song of Solomon is, on one level, imo, about conjugal love; but who can fail to see that Christ is the very Bridegroom spoken of? But the Psalms of
David, in particular, are focused on Christ to a remarkable extent, as even Christ Himself stated (Luke 24.44). It shows us not just the external actions and words of Christ, but the very inward thoughts of his soul (cf. Ps. 22, for example). A good resource that demonstrates this theme is Andrew Bonar,
Christ and His Church in the Book of Psalms.
__________________
Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor,
The Matthew Poole Project
"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole