My Servant David

Part 2 - Psalms of the New Covenant

We have been connecting dots, so to speak, between the Old Testament and the New. Last time we discussed David. He is a type of Christ. Christ is also "My servant David." Scripture establishes this formal connection.

Understanding this helps us in worship. When we sing Psalms of David, we sing about Christ. Psalm 68 is a good example.

We note from the title that Psalm 68 is a Psalm of David. Psalm 68:1 reminds us of God's people beginning their journey from the foot of Mount Sinai. "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him." Numbers 10:35 provides the original statement. "Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, 'Rise up, O Lord! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.'"

The psalm moves us from Sinai to Zion. "The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness" (Psalm 68:17). The English Standard Version translates holiness as sanctuary. Verse 17 then reads, "The Lord is among them, as at Sinai, in the sanctuary." The sanctuary was built on "the mountain which God desired for His abode" (Psalm 68:16).

It was David who conquered this mountain taking it from the Jebusites (1 Chronicles 11:4-5). David then consolidated the kingdom in preparation for the reign of his son, Solomon, and the building of the temple. David completed the march out of the wilderness up to the place God chose for His dwelling (Deuteronomy 12:10-11). Psalm 68:18 therefore says, "You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives." David ascended Mount Zion and established His throne.

The apostle Paul refers these words to Christ. "To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, 'when he ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men'" (Ephesians 4:7-8). Paul applies this poetic portrayal of David's ascension to the throne to Christ because David is a type of Christ. The Bible teaches us that because David is a type of Christ, David's kingship and kingdom point to and portray Christ's Kingship and Christ's Kingdom. The words of the Psalm therefore point us to Christ. This in part answers the criticism that we do not sing about Christ when we sing the Psalms of the Old Testament.

Psalm 69 is another Psalm of David. John 2:17 quotes verse 9, "For zeal for Your house has consumed me." David's zeal for God's house is well known. Christ's zeal for God's house is better known.

David's enemies were also many. They sought his destruction. David says of them, "They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:21). They were not very friendly. Matthew 27:34 refers to the gall given to Jesus on the cross. All of the gospels speak of the vinegar or sour wine.

These connections are not arbitrary. David was God's appointed king. David's enemies were the enemies of God's kingdom. David was a type of Christ. He and his kingdom foreshadowed Christ and His Kingdom. To sing the psalms of David leads us to Christ.

When we properly connect the Old Testament and the New, singing the Psalms is not like singing in a foreign language. Connecting the dots, we confess with Paul, "I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also" (1 Corinthians 14:15). We can worship "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23).