Why Study Psalms 113-118 Concerning the Last Week of Jesus’ Life?

Why Study Psalms 113-118 Concerning the Last Week of Jesus’ Life?

 

Purpose: I am going to begin a daily blog series for this week as we head towards celebrating Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday to go over Psalm 113-118 in relations to the Last Week of Jesus’ Life and here are my three reasons.

Are You Aware of the 4 Gospels’ Focus on the Last Week of Jesus’ Life?  This is the most important week in world history.  Yes even more important than Creation Week in Genesis 1 and in fact that week is a Type anticipating the final week of Jesus’ last.  Jesus last week was God bringing about a New Creation in believers’ hearts, mind and Soul for salvation!

Yet why is studying Psalm 113-118 important for us in thinking about the last week of Jesus?  Here are the three reasons:

Reason 1: The Psalms in general is important during the last hours of Jesus’ life.

• Two of the seven last sayings on the Cross is quoted from the book of Psalms.[1]
• Scripture 1: “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”” (Matthew 27:46) from Psalm 22:1.
• Scripture 2: “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46) from Psalm 31.

 

 

Reason 2: The last twenty night Jesus sang Psalm 113-118

• Jesus sang according to Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26.[2]
• This would have been Psalms 113-118 because Jews recited Psalms 113-118 during the Passover.
• Psalms 113-118 was called the “Hallel” Psalms.[3]
• In the Jewish Talmud Peshaim5:7 describe the singing of the Hallel being sung by the Levites: “The first division [then] went out and the second entered; the second went out and the third entered. As did the first, so did the second and the third. They recited the Hallel. If they finished it, they repeated, and if they repeated [and were not finished yet], they recited it a third time, though they never did recite it a third time. Rabbi Judah says: the third division never reached, “I love Lord for he hears””[4]
  • This passage talks about what the priests offering sacrifice.
  • Notice the phrase ““I love Lord for he hears” is quotation from Psalm 116:1.[5]
• How would the Jews sing the Hallel Psalms during the Passover meal?
  • According to William Barrick: “Jews observing the Passover sing Psalms 113 and 114 before the meal and Psalms 115–118 following it.”[6]
  • Psalm 118:21-24 was usually sung twice.[7]

 

Reason 2: The last week of Jesus’ public ministry we see instance of quotes in public from Psalm 113-118

• Incident 1: During Palm Sunday with the Triumphant Entry the people shouted: ““Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”” (Luke 19:38)= This was in reference to and a quotation from Psalm 118: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:26)
• Incident 2: After the Triumphant entry Jesus during His debate with the religious leaders quoted again from Psalm 118: “‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone’?” (Luke 20:17 citing Psalm 118:22)

 

In light of this stay tune for our outline series as we dive into these Psalms and see how it would have ministered to Christ during His last moments before the Crucifixion and also how it prophesied about Him!

 

[1] Phillip Ross, Anthems for A Dying Lamb, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus), 3.

[2] Phillip Ross, Anthems for A Daying Lamb, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus), 3-4.

[3] Source: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_113.pdf.

[4] Source: https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Pesachim.5.7?lang=bi.

[5] Phillip Ross, Anthems for A Dying Lamb, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus), 9.

[6] Source: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_113.pdf.

[7] Phillip Ross, Anthems for A Dying Lamb, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus), 7.

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