Psalms About Jesus

“I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old” (Psalm 78:2, texts from ASV).

While several psalms are prophetic in their entirety, there are many isolated verses throughout the book of Psalms that are prophetic as well. Here are a few of these scattered prophecies.

The Betrayal of Jesus

King David was betrayed by his trusted counselor Ahithophel. He decided to back David’s son Absalom, in usurping his father’s throne and assume the kingship of Israel. The attempted coup was not successful. When Ahithophel saw his failure, he committed suicide.

“When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home, unto his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father” (2 Samuel 17:23).

David was deeply hurt by Ahithophel’s betrayal. You can feel his emotion as he wrote of in Psalm 41:9. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me.” This incident was prophetic of the similar betrayal of Jesus. Ahithophel pictured Judas. Jesus himself affirms this. “Speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18). The parallel includes the suicides of both men.

The Resurrection of Jesus / The Preservation of his Human Body

The verses in Psalm 16 are undeniably prophetic, since the Apostle Peter quotes them. “I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:8-11).

“For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance” (Acts 2:25-28).

These passages speak of the resurrection of Jesus from sheol / hades / the grave. His soul, that unique life that comprises Jesus’ character, memories, and identity, would not be left in the grave. His human body, given as a ransom, would never be resuscitated, as his death was the eternal price for ransoming the world. He would be raised from the dead with a divine spirit body. But his human body would not be left in the grave to see corruption. It was a holy thing. So, what became of the body?

First, God removed our Lord’s human body from the tomb because had it remained there it would have become an insurmountable obstacle to the faith of his disciples, who were not yet instructed in spiritual things. The scriptures are silent regarding what was done with his body. We are reminded of Moses whom Jehovah buried in a hidden location (Deuteronomy 34:6, Jude 9). It is also worth noting that the manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant, which represented Jesus, was preserved from corruption (John 6:48-51). So, what became of our Lord’s body? Pastor Russell wrote this:

“We know nothing about what became of it, except that it did not decay or corrupt (Acts 2:27, 31). Whether it was dissolved into gases or whether it is still preserved somewhere as the grand memorial of God’s love, of Christ’s obedience, and of our redemption, no one knows — nor is such knowledge necessary. … Hence it will not surprise us if, in the Kingdom, God shall show to the world the body of flesh, crucified for all in giving the ransom on their behalf — not permitted to corrupt, but preserved as an everlasting testimony of infinite love and perfect obedience. It is at least possible that John 19:37 and Zechariah 12:10 may have such a fulfillment. Those who cried, ‘Crucify him!’ may yet, as witnesses, identify the very body pierced by the spear and torn by the nails and thorns” (B129-130).

Jesus’ Zeal

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (and also at its end), Jesus went up to the temple and cast out the money changers. He was incensed that they turned the temple, his Father’s house of worship, into an illicit commercial enterprise. His disciples made the prophetic connection with Psalm 69. “The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up … the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me” (Psalm 69:9).

“The passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem … he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables; and … said, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise. His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for thy house shall eat me up” (John 2:13-17).

This Psalm has another prophetic detail as well. “They gave me also gall for my food; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21). “They gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink” (Matthew 27:34).

Jesus — The Rejected Stone

Another Psalm compares Jesus to a headstone. “The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. This is Jehovah’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22, 23). Multiple New Testament passages apply this to our Lord, and Jesus himself makes this application. “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes?” (Matthew 21:42).

The Apostle Peter called this to the attention of the religious rulers at Jerusalem and later wrote about it in his epistle. “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner” (Acts 4:10, 11).

“For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence” (1 Peter 2:7).

The expression “head of the corner” is interesting. A cornerstone is generally seen as a foundation stone at the bottom of a structure. While Jesus is certainly the church’s foundation, the Psalm declares that this stone is the “head” of the corner, i.e. a “headstone.” Bible students have noticed this in connection with the Great Pyramid whose topstone is the head and chief corner of the structure.

Jesus Entering Jerusalem on Nisan 10

Jesus presented himself to the people on Nisan 10 fulfilling another prophecy of a King entering the city, riding on the colt of an ass. The people’s response to this entrance fulfilled another verse in Psalm 118. “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah: We have blessed you out of the house of Jehovah” (Psalm 118:26). “And the multitudes that went before him, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).

We assume that the people knew they were quoting from this Psalm, as it was part of their musical worship. But they were clearly applying it to Jesus and, as such, it was the prophetic fulfillment.